Puppy Paw-ty

Little man's final birthday celebration was at home in Austin with a few friends of ours.  I choose a puppy theme for the party since little man is often called G-Dog around here.  I can't quite remember how or why it started but the name has stuck...

 

 ::The Invitation::
For the invites, thank you cards, and envelopes I watercolored a dog house and puppies, then copied them onto cardstock.  It was a lot of fun making these!

envelope front and back

 thank you cards

 

::Decor::

I drew and watercolored a set of 12 dogs.  I then copied the drawings to create a banner and different decor for around the party table.

   I made a photo display on our mantle using old aluminum cans and oatmeal containers wrapped in scrapbook paper.  I hung pictures using mini-sized clothes pins.

 ::Backyard Fun::

The kiddos came over and swam in a baby pool and played with G's water table.  David put G's swing-set up too so it was a fun attraction.  It felt like a housewarming party for our backyard!  I loved seeing so many littles playing in different areas of our backyard.  Man, I want next summer to come fast!

swimming

 

swinging

relaxing

coloring station

 

::The Bone Hunt::

While planning this party I thought a bone hunt (like an easter egg hunt would be so awesome.  Unfortunately G is a little too young for the concept but a couple of his buddies enjoyed it!

we hid bones around the house while the kiddos were swimming 

I made a "Best of Show" blue ribbon for the winners but forgot to give it to them :(

  ::Cake and Ice Cream::

One of my favorite details... I made cup labels with space for the guest's name and typed a different dog themed joke onto each label.  Corny and fabulous!

 

 ::G's Birthday Cake::

Here it comes...

 Oh Yeah!

 ::Dog House Pictures::

D constructed a dog house with a large cardboard box we had and I sewed some felt dog masks for the kiddos to wear. 

  

::Family Picture::

 

  ::Party Favors::

I made Puppy Chow and decorated some favor bags with cardstock paper

for the kiddies above and for the adults below

 

the pictures on this post were taken by myself and my friends Danielle and Sarah

Gavin's 1st Fire

 In July we celebrated Gavin's 1st birthday with David's parents, siblings, grandparents and G's cousin, Emma!   David's mom, Leslie, put together a wonderful fireman themed party for G.

 

::Invitation::

This summer I fell into an invitation making craze...and loved most every second of it!

 

::Decor::

I wrapped some boxes and poked holes in them to look like burning buildings.

And I made a bulletin board of pictures from G's 1st year.

 

::The Table::

Our makeshift fire hose running down the center of the table :)

I collected some old aluminum cans ahead of time and printed off some vintage gasoline labels to put on them.  I thought it would be festive (and cheap!).

 

::Party Time::

G is not much for wearing hats nowadays but very soon he will love having this dress-up fireman hat from his grandparents :)

::Cake::
After a yummy lunch it was time for dessert.

Leslie made a really yummy cake and homemade sorbets for the cutest ice cream skewers!

red raspberry, yellow lemon, orange peach, and cookies-n-cream dalmation ice cream

Because you can never have too much sugar at a birthday party, I made some shortbread cookies

::G's 1st Cake::

Here, he must be thinking... is she going to let me touch that?!

First he ate the oreo wheel...

 Then, the cake... oh, what a sugar rush!

 

 

 

This was one of the funnest moments we've had with G.  I did not have any expectations about whether or not he would go for it and like it, so the fact that he digged into it and loved it was awesome!

Here it comes...

checking to see if daddy will let him do it ; )

Oh, yeah!

Now, that was g.o.o.d!

 

::Play Time::

The Smith's have this really cool toy and G loved it.  I remember liking it too.

::Opening Presents::

 

::Cousin Fun::

The lamb in the background was made by Aunt Anna.  It is lovely!

G found the calculator in a bin of toys earlier and was very interested in it.  Who knew?

(Shout out to all my old math students... this is funny, right?!)

 

 

::Family Pictures::

Allie & Jon and Emma, D & I and G, Peter & Elisabeth, and Anna

What an awesome time with family celebrating little man's birthday!