Ahoy Me hearties.....It's A Pirate Party

My lil' man had a Pirate Birthday Party a few weeks ago to celebrate with friends and family.

If you've been reading my blog for sometime now you then y'all know that I love to

throw my children a nice birthday party. 

This is fun for me, I get to be creative and please them.

Make it memorable for them.

I keep their parties to a reasonable budget each year. 

A budget that comes in way below the cost of a

"store bought" party....with a little creativity and smart shopping for bargains I can spread party dollars a long way.  

This party started with a recent pirate obsession of his.  When I asked him what kind of party he wanted, he was sure a pirate party was in order.  A  halloween costume started the ball rolling for him.

He's at a stage where he enjoys dressing up for make-believe.  It's a magical time for a child, when their imagination alone can keep them busy.

I made the invitations on the computer on parchment looking cardstock and then we burned the edges to make it look old....rolled them like scrolls and tied them with jute twine and sent them out to his guests.

I headed to my local craft store (with a 40% off coupon in hand) and picked up an unfinished pine trunk.

Which I began to sand, paint, distress, seal, and finally (the fun part) embellish.  The stain was left over from an old project, the ribbon 40% off, the thumbtacks, (or nail heads if you will) from the dollar store.  The hardware cost $3 total, handles and latch.
Until it eventually looked like this:

.

A few party goods from local stores....each package costing under a dollar.  Red straws marked down to .25 cents a pack left over from July 4th sales...Yippee...I love me a good bargain!

A few party decorations I made on the cricut and computer....

  Signs for the food and favor tables...

I then tied cordinating ribbon around black candlesticks.....

The treasure chest was filled with book party favors and topped off with "jewels"...  The pirate ship did double duty as a decoration and it was also his present.  A creepy skull picked up from Michaels crafts in the halloween isle for authentic pirate-ness.

The craft table was laid out with a length of drawing paper as a runner and I drew a treasure map on it....which the kids added to while waiting for more party guests.  The polka-dot boxes held party dress up goods. 

As they arrived each guest got an eye patch, hoop earing, bandana, and a make-up beard or mustache finished with a pirate tatoo.  When they were through transforming they decorated paper swords.

Even the swingset was decorated...this became his ship when we added a mast..but the wind soon spun it around, hence the reason it is a bit crooked in the photo.  Pirate flags were made on 12x12 scrapbooking paper with the cricut.  A template can also be made on the computer instead and you and have your birthday child cut it out with you in advance.

The food was laid out in the dining room to avoid the outdoor bugs.  Those treasure chests held a small sub sandwhich and bag of gold fish for each child. They helped themselves to some "Grog" aka rootbeer or shark infested punch.

The foods were given unique pirate themed names....cheeseballs became fiery cannon balls, doritos were ships sails, and baby carrots became peg legs to make it all more interesting and appealing for the kids.  It's amazing what a child will eat when you give it a unique name. 

They played games like pirate tug of war, captain says, and Walk the plank in the pool.

 

Black balloons were filled with water for cannon balls.  The kids got into teams and tossed them back and forth until they were the last one standing with a cannon ball.  The adults joined in that one too.

When it came time, everyone piled inside for cake and .they giggled as they arrrghed their way through the Happy Birthday song, the kids lips turned blue as can be from the cupcake icing......

Pirates and a pirate ship paper cutouts were placed on the cake to dress it up a bit...

In the bottom of the treasure chest was a copy of the book Treasure Island for each child who could read.

They were each told that books should be treasured along with their

childhood imaginations.....

So when all was said and done this lil' guy of mine...

Had a great birthday celebration.  He told me it was his best birthday yet.....so we'll see about next year!

I hope you are all well.  I'm still pressed for free time but I have a few new autumn  posts almost ready, just waiting for a few finishing touches.

Be back soon!

Take care,

Dee

Happy Birthday, My Baby

To my son...my baby,

You are a gift sent straight from heaven, we are so lucky to have you.  The past five years with you has been such a blessing to our family.

You are so very smart.  You amaze me all the time with your BIG words and how you use them.  You ask so many questions that I sometimes think you are maybe writing a book, lol! 

What a curious little boy you are and I love answering you...no matter how many times you ask.  That is how we learn.

You have such an awesome imagination.  I love how you can get lost in play, that is one of the most beautiful things about being a child.  You are in full gear now, pretending to be anything, anytime and anywhere! 

You are so helpful and kind to others and you use good manners....even when I'm not there, as your teacher told me at back to school night!  I am so proud of you! 

You are the silliest five year old I know!  We can always crack up together, and can have fun almost anywhere!  You have the best sense of humor!  I love to giggle with you, yes, hands down a favorite thing to do with you.

  You are the best hugger-snuggler...EVER~!  You are such a SWEET boy.....stay that way.

You were given the name "Bass Master" because of the great fishing that you do with your daddy....boy, you can catch fish with the best of them! 

There are so many wonderful things about you that make me so lucky to be your mommy but I will finish up by saying Happy Birthday Baby......and many, many, more.

I love you forever and always, to the moon and back child.....

~Mommy~

XOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXO

Happy Birthday my girl....

Happy Birthday, my sweet girl.  A very special day for you today because becoming a teenager is such a big milestone.  

I simply cannot believe how fast the years have flown by already.  It seems only yesterday you were playing with dolls and having tea parties, now a young lady.  You have always been a pleasure to have as a daughter.  I am so grateful you are mine.  Easy going, kind hearted, honest, trustworthy and spirited.  You are a natural beauty inside and out.   I wish you a wonderful birthday sweetheart!

 What started out as a sweet little rosebud is now blossoming into a beautiful Rose. 

Love you to the moon n' back child,

Always & Forever,

xoxo,   Mom

All Hallow's Eve

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate

The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late"

The second one said, "There are witches in the air"

The third one said,"But we don't care!"

The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run"

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

Wooooo, went the wind

And out went the light

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

My son has been singing about the Five Little Pumpkins all month long..too cute.

A police officer and a pirate this halloween.

So much has gone on this past month, I cannot believe that October is over already!  I have been absent on my blog for good reason, I'm sorry.  I will be ready to share more the next post. 

I hope you all had a delightful Halloween!

Take Care,

Dee

A Fishin' We All Went!

A Fishing Birthday Party....

 for my baby....who is becoming a big boy too fast!

When I asked him what kind of party he wanted for his birthday this year he exclaimed a "Fishing Party momma!"  He loves to fish with his Daddy so I knew this would be a party that would really suit his interest and mean something for him.  It took a little planning, but it was all put together with very little effort,

and rather low cost and when all was said and done, I enjoyed putting it together!

So a Fishin' we all went!

I packed brown bag lunches for each child, with a sub, gold fish, and raisins.

Each child received a fishing hat, small tackle box, a cane fishing pole and candy "bait" for favors.

He has an old fashioned all boy theme in his big boy room so I plucked a few of his decorative items off the shelves and used them on our buffet table where the adults could assemble a sandwich for themselves.

An antique tackle box holds favor bags of "bait". 

A local park served as the beautiful backdrop for our party, so peaceful and serene.

Thats my Birthday Boy on the playground in his fishing vest.

It was great for keeping the children busy in between fishing and games like

"Pass the Bait Bucket"

The children each used a baited cane pole to fish for sunnies off the dock.

A few caught a fish....

While a few played with the worms.

I don't know who had more fun...the kids or the dads!

After washing up they sat down to eat their fishing lunches.....

And then we sang Happy Birthday and ate

Simple Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes, my sons favorite, with bass toppers my sweet SIL made for us.

and we sent them home with goodie bags of "BAIT"... make that kid bait!

Gummy worms, inside celophane sacks tied with a homemade bait fish tag that we wrote a short thank you note on the back of.

Well I hope this post finds you all well.  Things have changed here in our farmhouse and my family is still adjusting to school and their momma having a job there.  I love my new job, seriously, I do.  I am still trying to find a balance with juggling work and a family (my number one priority) which can be a challenging but we are managing just fine!
I will be working on some autumn signs and am almost finished with the fall decor so I'll be sharing in my next post.  Enjoy your week and Take Good Care of yourself!
XO
Dee