A Winter Skating Party

  My girl had a birthday party with some of her close friends this past weekend.  Winter Birthdays require a little creativity and thinking. We decided on a skating party for her and they all had a blast.  They were frozen with rosy cheeks and a little worn out when all was said and done

but what old fashioned fun they had!

After lacing up skates for nine sweet girls,

(thank god hubby was there to help out) they all headed out onto the ice in the outdoor rink....

It was so funny to watch the girls out there, first they all looked like they were all walking with a walker, clinging to the sides of the wall.  But before long they released their grips and became brave enough to balance.  My bundled up, mitten wearing, girl was pretty good considering she doesn't do much skating. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Watching them brought back some wonderful childhood memories of skating with my cousins.  They lived near a cranberry bog, down the street from my current home, that would freeze hard enough in the wintertime to skate on.  There was also a horse field behind their house that some winters would flood when it rained and freeze over enough for us to skate on, which was safer.  There were several winter afternoons that I can recall skating with them.  With nothing to hold onto, you had to go at it alone with only with the faith that you would learn to balance yourself or end up on your backside!  My cousin, Tara, was the one doing pirouettes and jumps, while I was just ecstatic when I learned how to skate backwards!  She would be whipping around and around in circles, while I would pretend I was the olympic skater, Dorothy Hamill, there on a manmade rink in the middle of the horsefield all those winters ago!

I now own the house across the street from that very horse field  and some winter afternoons I look out my upstairs bedroom window to a clear view of that field and I am instantly transported back to those
wonderful childhood days.
Bundled up twirling around on the ice.....

Exhausted from our ice capades in the chilly winter air we eventually always made our way inside for some WARM COCOA.

Is there anything more instantly comforting on a winter's afternoon than a warm cup of cocoa with puffy marshmallows and a dollop of whip cream wrapped in your hands?

Have you tried a cup of white cocoa yet?

Here's a Paula Deen recipe my family loves.

Oh...sorry!  I got a little off track reminising! Back to my daughters party...

When we were finished skating we had a Winter Fun themed party back at home with family and friends.....

How cute would this be for a winter get together for grownups too?  It was fairly inexpensive, alot of the items came from the dollar store and craft stores.  Blue frames, snowflake mittens......

iridescent tissue paper, snowflake garland, ice skate ornaments and foam snowflakes

all from the craft store...

cupcakes iced with blue tinted icing, snowflake candies and white (snow) jimmies....

My daughter felt like a birthday snow princess.....

Sno-Caps candy....a Cocoa packet and Smores goodie bags.....

easy and inexpensive tied with a snowflake ribbon.

We had so much fun and it certainly was a birthday to remember....

I really enjoy making my children's birthdays special, and always try to stick to a reasonable budget. 

Have you hosted themed winter parties?  I would love to hear some of your great ideas! 

Thank you all for your kind Birthday wishes to my girl in my last post, she read each and every one of them!  You are all so such sweet blogging friends to have taken the time to do so!   I love it when you leave a note for me, I feel like you are stopping in for a chat!  Enjoy your winter days....

Take care,

Dee