A Fairy Birthday Fiesta

My kids love to choose the theme for their birthday party every year, they really start discussing it months in advance. We also enjoy hosting their birthdays in our yard, and luckily all of the dates fall during warm times of year here, so our yard becomes the stage on which the party is planned. This was Carys's second fairy themed birthday party, you can check out the first one when she turned 3 here.

I loved planning this party because as Carys turned 7 she was very excited about helping me to plan all of the details. This fiesta came together beautifully without too much effort.

The day before the party she and I created this fairy crown with faux leaves, little toadstools and ribbon. We also hung a beautiful mosquito netting "castle" for the fairies in our yard,

and the kids and I drew a huge rainbow path across our patio in sidewalk chalk.

The morning of the party we set up some tables, balloons and one of the most fun things that I have bought for any kids party to date, this bubble machine. I was surprised at how much everyone loved the bubbles floating through the party and what an element of magic they brought.

During the party I helped each child guest decorate a wooden box, at the painting table. They took their box home at the end of the party and each guest also got a pair of fairy wings as a favor.

We played some simple games with the kids, and celebrated with cake, but mostly they just ran around and played their own imaginative fairy games.

It was the best sort of time, and one that I hope Carys will treasure as we treasure her.

In Sunshine

Last week we celebrated Carys's 5th Birthday with an afternoon party at our local park. There is the perfect spot with two picnic tables right underneath huge Oak trees and right next to the playground. We set up there as friends arrived.
The children played until the Balloon Lady arrived, she made all sorts of things for the kids out of balloons, basically whatever they could think of,

Crowns for the princesses,

and swords, helmets and sheaths for the older brothers,

They stopped playing with their balloon creations long enough for me to snap a group picture next to my favorite huge tree,

Then we strung up the Pinata, it seems like every year my kids ask for a Pinata at their parties so its become a routine part of their birthdays, this year Carys's Pinata was a cupcake,

Then it was cake time and we sang to the birthday girl, she took that part very seriously,

I usually have a lot of fun making their birthday cakes, but she asked for an ice cream cake that I ordered this year, which ended up being really yummy!

 

Another beautiful celebration of our vibrant girl, we could not have asked for a more perfect day under the trees for her party!~

Five years ago

Five years ago tonight, at 11pm, I began my labor to bring you into the world little one. You had your own timing even then, making me wait two weeks past your estimated due date, but when labor started you came quickly, only 1 hour and 50 minutes later! So tonight at 12:56am you will turn five.

You are my fairy child, always with a song on your lips, swirling to your own music with a smile for everyone.

You can most often be found around the house with one of our kitties in your arms, wearing a fancy dress, or playing with dolls or princesses.

I love the way you like to help me, when we go shopping or work in the kitchen together, you are always eager to jump right in and more than ever you want to "do it yourself!".

You are the most excited about your little baby brother growing in my belly, you can't wait to become a big sister this summer. I know that you will be the best helper, and that being a big sister will bring you joys that I can not yet imagine.

So tonight my dear, when I am tucking you into bed, I'll read our Waldorf verse that has become part of our family tradition...

When I have said my evening prayer,

and my clothes are folded on the chair

and mother switches off the light,

I'll still be 4 years old tonight.

But, from the very break of day,

before the children rise and play,

before the darkness turns to gold

tomorrow, I'll be 5 years old.

5 kisses when I wake,

5 candles on my cake!

With all of my love

xo

Seven and a pirate party

My boy turned seven last Saturday (7!), we celebrated with his class in their school yard with a special ceremony in which he held the globe and walked around a little model of the sun once for each year of his life as I told the story of what he did and how he developed in each year. Quite a sweet ceremony for my mama-heart as I was able to relive all of his milestones in his story.

Last Sunday we had our big blow out party at our house, a Pirate Party! My kids love picking a theme for their birthday and this year Jasper started planning his Pirate party back in the summer. Almost before we knew anyone to invite! Now we feel so thankful that through Jasper's school he has made so many friends so quickly. He really loved his birthday party, and I had fun planning all of the little details...

the banner and snack table,

silly "pirate" names for the snacks,

the pirate ship pinata,

Frank planned a complex scavenger hunt, which the kids did as a group, and really put their energy into!

and then there was the cake, which Jasper art directed and I decorated, we think it turned out well. The story is that boat has crashed on the island but the shark does not want to give up and one of the pirates has spotted the treasure,

What an exciting time we had, such fun, and now as the dust settles I have to get used to the fact that my lovely boy is already seven!!

Beach Birthday

Yesterday, my birthday, began with cupcakes for breakfast.

That set a decidedly decadent tone for the day, in which special cards were presented to me (this one I will never part with),

My favorite flowers filled our house in my favorite spots,

and at mid-morning we decided that it was time for the beach.

We spent an hour or so beach combing, collecting bits and pieces from the sea, here is what we found,

 can you believe the variety of color? Those blue crab claws are stunning!!

Taking a moment to just think and BE at the beach was probably my favorite part of the day,

Then in the evening Frank and I headed out to dinner, in a wild rain storm,

We had dinner at an amazing restaurant called Husk in a old renovated mansion in downtown Charleston, like something from another era,

where we sat on the front porch talking after dinner, enjoying the feeling of being outside on a warm night in a beautiful city after a rain storm.