This sunshine party has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#WhereFunBegins #CollectiveBias
You don’t usually notice the wave of mom guilt washing over you until it hits you in the face like a wall of farts. Or, in my case, the day Michael started telling us his legs didn’t work. And when he started climbing up the stairs on all fours. And when he started telling me he needed to sit down at the store because his legs were tired. And finally, when he told his friends about how his mommy’s legs don’t work.
Heart, let me introduce you to the meat tenderizer. Smash. Smash. Smash.
Now that my good days and bad days are beginning to even out, I am trying to make up for the past 9 months of mommy being ‘sick’. I set out to do just that by creating something summery that still falls within my limitations. Meaning, I didn’t put together a three legged race, but I absolutely stocked up on bubbles and hula hoops.
Work with what you have, right?
SUNSHINE PARTY DECORATIONS:
My party planning process never begins with a firm blueprint. I usually go shopping with a rough idea and buy all the things with grand plans of returning what doesn’t work into my official party. Except… my grand plans are typically foiled because I like stuff. Especially cute stuff.
For this party, I knew I wanted bubbles and hula hoops, and I wanted it to be a sunshine party, but that was it. I’m almost positive my centerpieces were a happy (Get it? Sunshine and bubbles are happy things?) accident.
Craft tip: To create this fun centerpiece, I wrapped the vase with yellow duct tape, taped a wooden sun to the front, and filled it with bubble wands.
My tiny assistant deserves the credit for inspiring the napkin rings. You see, during our brainstorm session, he grabbed the extra suns and placed them on the plates because ‘that’s where they go’.
Ding, ding, ding! What do we have for him, Johnny?
That was all I the inspiration I needed to attach the silverware with duct tape. It was the perfect way to tie in more sunshine!
Party tip: Turn the napkin rings into a place setting by writing your guests’ names on them.
And no table is complete without tiny bowls of colored candy.
But, the non-human stars of this party were the cupcakes.
Oh-my-stars was I (Who am I kidding? I still am.) in love with this concept! We walked aisle after aisle looking for inspiration and there it was, in the form of a pinwheel. I knew I had to use them as soon as Michael went bananas and continued to walk around the store spitting blowing all over them so they would spin. It just made sense.
After all, I was planning a party for him.
Party tip: I ended up using large pinwheels as a centerpiece after the party plan changed because of the weather.
SUNSHINE PARTY FOOD:
The food for our sunshine party was motivated by tiny hands and the color scheme. Kid parties go a little like…
Run. Eat. Run. Drink.
“Do you have to go potty?”
Run. Eat. Run. Drink. Pass out.
To create the table:
- Place a yellow tablecloth and/or fabric down.
- Attach a piece of color coordinated string around the table with duct tape.
- Attach the mesh to the string almost the same as you would if you were making tissue paper tassels.
- I folded each piece of mesh over the yarn and twisted a piece of floral wire around the top.
- Place a piece of fabric around the table to hide the duct tape and wire.
Craft tip: I used less than one roll of 21 inches wide x 10 yards long mesh and one roll of 10 inches wide x 10 yards long. I am working on the tutorial as you’re reading this. Unless, of course, this post has been updated with said tutorial.
I filled an inflatable cooler with water and SunnyD because… SunnyD. I mean, what kid doesn’t remember a summer with SunnyD? Even my mom enjoyed a flashback when I told her about the lineup for the party.
Party tip: I wrapped the bottles of water in yellow duct tape and used my Silhouette to cut out the ‘fun in sun’ labels.
I stuck with my theme by serving cantaloupe, pineapple, and oranges.
I thought sliders would make the kids’ lives easier.
Carrots, yellow peppers, and orange peppers made an appearance.
And I finished off the menu with some macaroni and cheese.
Behind the scenes: I forgot to set out the dirt cake. My bad, guys. That said, I don’t need to explain why dirt cake is a must have for any child’s party.
SUNSHINE PARTY ACTIVITIES:
In addition to the bubbles, the pinwheels, and just being outside, we had a hula hoop station with some kiddie hula hoops for the taking. He might not know how to hula hoop just yet but we will get there. Until then, I’m bringing the mom fun back into our home.
I seem to forever be at Sam’s Club during my party season because bulk is the way to go, so I grabbed a 24ct. pack of SunnyD. Sunshine party. SunnyD. Makes sense, no?
Anyway…
I found mine in the refrigerated aisle with the milk, but you might find them on an end-cap display, with rollback pricing, through July.
And be sure to check out WhereFunBegins.net for more ideas to keep your kids busy this summer.
DO A GIRL A FAVOR AND PIN THIS SUNSHINE PARTY COLLAGE!
