Will's Fireman Birthday Party

Hi guys, remember me?  I haven't been around here for a while - life got kind of overwhelming (in a good way) and I have been so busy I felt as though I was incoherent by the end of the day.  Because I was.

We had an amazing visit with my mother-in-law from Alberta, and while she was hanging out with the boys I even managed to get a bit of work in.  I also had to clean, primp, and style every inch of my home for a little something coming up that I am ri-DONC-ulously excited for but can't tell you about yet.  Exhausting.  And I threw a little bash for my 5-year-old (still practicing that phrase) who had requested a fireman theme.

The above photo is of the front screen door, which is why it looks a little funny.  In fact, in one of those hilarious ironies, I spent forever creating the table, food, and decor and then managed to snap just a handful of terrible photos before chaos descended.  I almost considered not even posting about the party because the photos were so bad, but that seemed like a waste, so you'll just have to suffer through them.

First of all, the firetruck cake that my mother-in-law made was the star of the show.  Fantastic (and also delicious).  The cupcake wrappers were from Spaceships and Laserbeams - a Canadian Etsy store that is full of party ideas and materials just for boys.  They are amazing, if you have a little boy, you should definitely check them out.  The flames, hydrant juice box wrappers, and crest were all free images I found online and played with in photoshop and illustrator.  The balloons, cups, red buckets, napkins, streamers, and tablecloth were the good old Dollar Store.  I wrapped a few boxes to get different heights and added a tier to my cake stand with an upside-down cup and a plate (thanks for the idea Kendra!).

The front was a charming mix of fireman and halloween. :)

I drew the dog above about 20 minutes before people arrived while my mother-in-law madly cut out all the tails.  We also played hot potato, freeze dance, and who can lie still the longest (my favourite game).  I had plans for a relay race in the back yard where the kids had to wear a pair of my rubber boots and carry a huge pail, but it was not to be.  10 minutes in to the party, there were eight 5-year-olds and many of their siblings literally running circles inside the house, screaming to wake the dead.  No amount of pretty decor had prepared me for this. A few hours and a few beers later (for the adults - the kids had cake) and our lovely home could have been mistaken for a frat house.  But I had one wired-but-happy little boy that made everything worthwhile. :)

I should end on that heart-warming note, but I feel the need to add... NEVER AGAIN.  There is a reason people charge money to host these things.  They earn it.  I am still recovering. Wow.