Minnie Mouse Party Details

Like I stated in the birthday party post, I went the easy route. I chose not to design an invite and have Justin create it, order it, find matching envelopes, and mail a ton of invites. Which is what I have done in the past. Exhausting. Expensive. I went on Etsy, found a package of printables I liked. Paid $25 for the package, and then printed it off. The invite I actually just imbedded in an email and emailed it. Easy and free =) The printables were less stressful when all I had to do was the cutting and punching out, and not the making. Im pretty sure I spent less money doing it this way. Here is the shop I used: http://www.etsy.com/people/CupcakeExpress

Another easy thing. I did NOT make the cupcakes or cake. All I made were the kabobs and the pb and j's, and then cut those out with a Mickey Mouse cutter. I don't think a Minnie one exists so Mickey did the job!

I bought a piece of black poster board, like .49 I think. It made two big Minnie's and one little one. 

I also got Kennedy's dress off Etsy. For the party I wish it was just black and red and white, but at Disney I liked having the yellow in there. I know it doesn't even really matter, but I just like everything to match! when I pick a color scheme I like to adhere very closely =/

The day before the party I was at Target and saw this soap. I couldn't believe how fun it was and I HAD to have it in the bathroom for our party guests!

Favors. I actually had boxes left over from her party last year and just peeled off the stickers and put the new ones on. I did run out of boxes though and used the stickers to secure favor candy in baggies.

About a week before the party I saw this little gal on Pinterest. So easy and fun to make. Its three styrofoam balls, a can of black spray paint, and a dowel. I had a pot and a little bucket and used those to put it all in. I just stuck some cupcake toppers in there to add a little more to it. Oh, and whipped up a couple bows with some left over ribbon I had. And I adore that picture of K with Minnie. Such a sweet moment =)

So there are my party details. Not that you care, but in case you did =)

Kennedy's 3rd Birthday PARTY

A few months ago I started talking to Kennedy about her birthday party. It was hilarious how she thought it was the next day or something. I swear for MONTHS she had days where she told people it was her birthday. I kept telling her it was October 13th, and that it was still a couple months away, weeks, away, days away. Well, all those months ago I asked her what kind of party she wanted. She quickly replied, "I want a Minnie party!" Ok I said. What kind of Minnie, bc there is a red Minnie and a pink one. She thought and said, "Um...Red!" So I tucked that into my head and started casually going with that theme. I did continue to ask her every couple weeks if she was still sure and she always said yes. Go figure the morning of her party she said she wanted a Belle party. Are you kidding me!??! Girls. Indecisive and fickle! haha! She was ok with it and remembered that she said a Minnie party and was excited about it =) Thankfully! So here is her Minnie Birthday Bash! I LOVED it and so did she I think. She could have used a nap that day though. Trying to schedule a party for a toddler who may end up needing a nap is impossible. She perked up though and was in a good mood eventually and had a blast with her big friends and little friends. Big friends being her older friends, who are actually our friends...

So delish. I could have eaten all of them

I was nervous just having the party in our backyard with all ages of kids. I put out a bunch of her outside toys and a sign that said "Hey Everybody! Let's Mouskersize!" and the kids had a ball just playing out there.

My birthday girl =)

They make me feel so blessed

I copied some coloring sheets too from a coloring book I had. Im glad some of the gals wanted to color =)

Wardrobe change before opening presents. I guess she had to throw Belle in there somewhere!

Party details later. I went the easy route this time and it was WAY nice!

Kennedy's 3rd Birthday

I can NOT believe Kennedy is THREE! She makes me happier than I ever thought I could be. And frustrates me more than I ever thought possible too =) She is sweet, and sassy, which is the word I like to use instead of saying she has an attitude or is being, dare I say, bratty. But man I love her. Even if she does give me a run for my money sometimes. She is the funnest girl and I love that I get to spend every day with her. She makes things fun, interesting, exciting, chaotic...and I love her for everything she is and has become in the these past three years. I miss my baby K but I am enjoying my big girl! I have learned more about life, myself, and God, thanks to her.

This is us at 1:13 pm on October 13th. The exact time she made me a mom =)

She said she wanted chick fil a for lunch, and in our house, the birthday girl gets WHATEVER she wants! Who knew they brought you a balloon, ice cream, hat, and cow!??! and SANG! she didn't know WHAT was going on. 

 Opening presents from Nana and Papaw that morning. We have already watched this about 15 times. She always tells me that the Lion King died. Its odd hearing her say that and trying to explain it all to her =/

More PRINCESSES! 

 Her bday presents from Nanny and Papa

 This is what Justin and I made her for her bday. I'd say its still a work in progress. We were literally finishing stuff up on it that morning. We got it good enough to give to her so she could play with it, but its  needs some finishing touches. I have tried a few times to sew the curtain but am NO seamstress so its barren on the bottom. Hopefully when I get that done the pop of colors will add some fun to it

 I love her excitement.

Love my family

This same weekend we had a staff retreat for the leadership staff from church. It happened to fall on the same day as her birthday so Justin's parents were awesome and came up to stay with Kennedy while we went. Kennedy LOVED having them all to herself and we were so grateful to have them there while we were off at the beach. I know my mom was jealous she didn't get to have her all to herself but she was still recovering from knee replacement surgery. Next time I'll call you mom ;) 

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl! So thankful to another great year celebrated and you growing up strong and healthy! Thank you GOD for the such a great gift 3 years ago!

the rest of our visit in FL

After Disney, we drove to Tampa to visit Justin's grand daddy. We hadn't seen him since Sara's wedding and he had yet to meet our Quinn. He was quite fond of the girls, and vice versa. It was absolutely GORGEOUS in Tampa. I was trying to remember why I ever wanted to move!?!?!

Playing the piano with Granddaddy.

Dancing to the music

It was just a Mickey kind of vacation. Even at the outlet malls Kennedy had to to ride all the rides w Mickey. Also, this is the outlet mall I lost her blankie. Myra and I still aren't sure how we misplaced it, but alas, its gone. I was SO upset. Not because Kennedy cared, because she didn't! I just felt awful for losing her baby blanket. It has been a part of our lives for almost three entire years and it was just weird that all of a sudden, it was gone! I can't keep it for her, or show her one day how worn out it is bc of how much she used it and I washed it, etc. Luckily she had weened herself off it just days before we lost it. Thank the good Lord! I cried a few tears bc Im sentimental like that, (of course after going to the outlets and looking everywhere we went) and moved on. 

Kennedy with "the boys"

We took a little bike ride. Which Fred is not used to seeing and was a little confused. He chased us. I realized I liked riding K around, and a beach cruiser is now back on my list of things I want =)

So that is the rest of our time in Florida. We go back in 20 days! Yay! 

Disney Trip Recap

WARNING: PSYCHOTIC AMOUNT OF PICTURES AHEAD!

I tried choosing my favorite pictures and moments, and apparently there were a LOT! 

We had SO much fun at Disney. I was so excited to take Kennedy and see her excitement at all the magic that IS Disney and meet all the characters that she watches and LOVES. It was worth EVERY PENNY. Just yesterday she was talking about Tinkerbell coming down from the castle, and the fireworks. I love that a month later she still thinks about it and talks about stuff we did there. 

We left that morning from Jacksonville and both the girls slept the whole way. It was perfect! We met Aunt Afton at Downtown Disney and drove in all together. She has a yr round pass including parking so we parked for free. Every little penny saved helps =) but don't expect so not spend oodles of moola at Disney...It was nice that K was free though.

We got there and I of course, wanted to take all the classic pictures, Kennedy of course wanted to run around and PLAY! We did the best we could with the pictures =/ I suppose Quinn was cool with the choke hold bc she was chill. HA!

"BEST DAY EVER!"

Dumbo: this was our first ride. It was the only ride we waited for. It was about 30 minutes and Kennedy did great. It was a lower traffic day so that was awesome that there weren't long waits. I think the longest wait was about 45 minutes so for those couple things we grabbed fast passes and came back.

Rapunzel. Kennedy loved chatting with her =) She was so sweet.

Every time I think about this moment I cry. It was EVERYTHING i hoped it would be. Kennedy really is terrified of big things like the Cow at chick fil a, or the mascots at all the sporting events. I thought this had the potential to be a disaster. Yet, it wasn't. We walked in the room, rounded the corner, and I knelt down by her and said, "Oh my goodness there's Mickey." she got a huge smile on her face and I said, "Go get him!" and she RAN into his arms and hugged him. 

then she ran to Minnie and hugged her. 

Minnie knelt down and signed, "I Love You." It was so sweet. Kennedy didn't say a WORD! She giggled like she was Star struck, the entire time.

One of the top ten moments of MY life. I know she will forget it within a couple years, but I definitely will not forget her face or excitement!

watching a parade

so happy to see Woody and Jessie

Aunt Afton was AWESOME! We could not have pulled off the day without her as our baby sitter and fast pass getter =)

Our last ride. The Magic Carpets. The WHOLE fam!

Such a great day.

some iPhone pics we snagged on the rides

Dumbo

Peter Pan, I thoink

and her take home prize. She said Sleeping Beauty was her favorite Princess she met so thats who she took home. 

I will TRY to give a bulleted blog soon about tips and whatnot for taking toddlers and babies to Disney. Some friends have asked so I thought I would give you just the things that worked for us. Obviously a baby sitter was a PLUS and thats not realistic for everyone, but I'll do my best to offer my advice =) 

Also, today Quinn is 5 MONTHS OLD! how DID that happen?!?!?!