Lucy’s Cupcake Party

This year Lucy had no problem deciding what theme she wanted for her birthday party.

Cupcakes!

I guess she got the idea after she received her very own mini cupcake maker for Christmas last year.

After we installed our swimming pool this summer, Lucy’s birthday plans expanded into a cupcake/swimming party.  That’s a lot of activity for only a couple of hours, but, hey, there’s no easier way to entertain a bunch of kids than to throw them into a pool!

There’s one thing I’ve learned from planning birthday parties over the past 10 years.  You can’t possibly schedule a party at a time when everyone can attend.  This party was no exception.  Many of Lucy’s friends and family were out of town, so this party turned out to be an intimate event.  But that was totally OK.  It turned out to be a fun day (although it was 97 degrees out), and the kids had fun splashing in the pool and pigging out on pizza.

Maybe I’m getting old.  Maybe I’m getting lazy.  Maybe it’s the fact that I have three kids sucking the energy out of me (literally), but I feel I really dropped the ball with this party.  I had such high aspirations for food and décor.  I’ve been pinning party ideas on Pinterest for months.  But when it came down to it, I cut so many corners it’s a wonder I even got a tablecloth on the table.  Ugh!  I hate it when I do that.

How about I show you what I did manage to eek out?

Let’s start with the birthday cake.  Lucy wanted a giant cupcake.  Sounded good to me!  I don’t think I could have handled an elaborately sculpted princess or sugar tiara this year.  I used three 6” round cakes to carve out this colossal cupcake.  It was easy-peasy to decorate, and I think it is absolutely adorable.  (Not to mention yummy!)

This next treat was a Pinterest find – strawberry wafer cookies, dipped in white chocolate, and sprinkled with…sprinkles!  I got the monkeys to help me out with these.  Even though the cookies were easy to assemble, they certainly did make a big, visual impact.

In keeping with the sprinkle theme, I mixed up a creamy, vanilla dip, topped it with more sprinkles, and served it with pretzels, butter cookies, and apple slices.  (There was certainly no shortage of sugar on this party buffet.)  I also set out a couple of bowls of pink and white iced animal crackers.  You know, the ones covered with sprinkles?

Like I said, other than the food table, I didn’t manage to get much decorating done.  I only threw up a couple of garlands.

I made these with scrapbooking paper, cupcake liners, and twinkle lights…

And this simple swag of twisted tissue paper dressed the back door.

We let the kids go swimming first.  Like I said, it was hot!

And humid.

Don’t forget humid.  Gotta love Louisiana!

Our little family of geese observed from a safe distance.

Once we coaxed the kiddos out of the pool, we got down to the business of cutting cake and opening presents.  Everyone wanted a picture with the birthday girl.

How about that birthday hat?  Lucy remembered I made her a hat for her third birthday, and she asked me to make her another one this year.  So one afternoon Lucy and I pulled out the poster board, hot glue gun, fabric scraps, and ribbons, and we designed this cute party topper.

Lucy got all kinds of fun gifts for her birthday.  My Little Ponies, a Rapunzel doll, various coloring books, Leapfrog DVD’s, a tea set, rubber stamps and markers, manicure supplies, and this super cool, girly long bow.  It’s the perfect weapon for shooting that annoying, big brother!

Truth be told, considering this was supposed to be a “cupcake” party, not a lot of time was actually spent on cupcakes.  But Lucy and her friend Cassie did have fun decorating a few.  I never knew how much candy and sprinkles would fit on a mini cupcake until I saw Cassie decorate one.  She could really pile them on!

I don’t think the boys ever slowed down long enough to decorate a cupcake, but I did see them sneaking candy every time they made a pass by the table.

Ordinarily, my birthday party duties would be over for the year, but no more!  Miss Tacy Mae will be celebrating her big one in only a couple of months.  I already have her theme picked out (my little secret for now), and I’m making party plans in my head.  Maybe if I start working today I will have everything ready for her party.

Maybe…

Lindsey