**caution...picture overload ahead**
I loved the way the colors looked together. We kept the sweets in the dining room. We had cupcakes, oreos, pink marshmallows, chocolate covered pretzels and pink & orange cookies with her monogram.
We ordered pizza and grilled out hotdogs. In the kitchen we also had cheese & crackers, chips & dip, veggie cups, baby applesauce, fruit and edible sand. There was a ton of food! Toby and I have not mastered how to estimate for food when we have a party. We always order too much lol. The edible sand recipe and umbrella wreath both came from pinterest...best party planning site ever :)
Behind the food I framed her month pictures. It was so sweet to see how much she has grown and changed over the year. Also funny to see her hair revolution :)
It was so easy to find flamingo stuff to decorate with. I've been collecting things for a couple of months now and got lots of the little knick knacks on our last Florida trip in May. Who doesn't love a flamingo?!! It was also easy to find decor in orange and pink. Perfect colors for a summer party!
My mother-in-law painted a canvas to hang over Gracen's high chair and it was SO adorable. I keep telling her to open an Etsy shop! Maybe one day she will listen haha. I am very fortunate to have such a talented lady in my life :)
Outside we set up a couple of tables, had UK corn hole and brought out the bouncy house for the little ones. The weather was absolutely perfect and I was so happy people got to spend time outside. We totally lucked out with our August party :)
Toby went out and bought a ton of flowers for me to decorate with. He knows how much I love having fresh flowers around. The lilies were great on the tables outside and smelled so good. Bonus is having my house full of fresh flowers for the rest of the week :)
In lieu of gifts we asked that people bring canned good donations for a local food bank in our town that benefits children. Everyone knows how much Gracen loves to eat so it seemed like the perfect charity to try and help. Our friends and family were SO generous and we collected so much food! I can't wait to deliver it later this week. It warms my heart to know we have so many caring, wonderful people in our life that are so generous. They are the best!
Speaking of caring, wonderful people...here are some of them :)
Outside group shot!
Leighton & Lyla LOVED playing with each other all day. These two are trouble and most definitely BFFs!
Toby and I couldn't believe our baby girl was turning one! She was being quite the Daddy's girl during her party but she did manage to let me take a picture with her too :)
We had lots of friends come out to celebrate! I hate that I didn't get everyone's picture but I did manage to get a few friend shots at the beginning of the party before things got too crazy!
Claire & Elaina came out for the fun (and baby Aubrie had fun watching the bigger girls!). I can't believe I forgot to get a family shot of Claire's Mommy & Daddy...oops! All three of our girls are just weeks apart in age. I love seeing them together :) They are so cute but MUCH too busy to all sit still for a group picture. Candids will have to do :) Next year we will have one more girl to add to the bunch with sweet Avery! Our group really likes having August babies :)
Gracen didn't know what to think about her very own cake. At first she was a little overwhelmed and started to tear up, but once she got a taste she thought it tasted pretty good and brightened up.
Leighton really enjoyed tasting the cake too. She is the sugar queen for sure!
Everything was going just fine until Leighton asked me a question and in the split second I tried to answer her Gracen knocked off her cake & platter into the floor...oops!
She seemed a little shocked that the cake was gone but she was okay with the replacement cupcake :) I just love the cake pictures, they never disappoint in the cuteness category!
Of course our family managed to bring some presents for the birthday girl and Gracen had fun opening them up. Gracen made it quite clear she wanted her DADA to help her open them. I sat down with her and she crawled over to her Daddy! Total Daddy's girl.
After opening gifts Gracen crawled up into my nephew Kyle's lap and was loving all over him. It was so sweet!
She got so much fun stuff and we've had a great time opening them all up and playing today. Toby and I got her a little pink chair & ottoman that she loves to sit on and we are super excited for her to start music classes in a few weeks!!! It is always so amazing to me when we have a party to see how many people come out and celebrate. It is so wonderful to know we have such great friends and family who love our little girl so much. It was such a fun day!
Here are a few final shots that I had to include... I mean what's a few more pictures when you've already looked at a hundred :)
It really was a wonderful day but more importantly it's been a wonderful year with our Gracen girl. She had so much fun at her party and finished off the weekend by walking all the way across her room (twice). She's growing up before our eyes and we are just so incredibly blessed to have her. Thank you to everyone who came out this weekend and for all of the wonderful food donations. My heart is truly bursting with thankfulness today!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! --Psalm 107:1
So so so cute!! I am really sorry we had to miss it :( Looks like you all had a great time!
ReplyDeleteI think the donation thing was SO SMART! Not that I could do it next year because now he is big enought to know presents=awesome.