Watermelon Birthday Bash

...down by the bay (down by the bay).... where the watermelons grow (where the watermelons grow)....

I tell ya, that song played through my head a number of times as we prepared for Alia's 3rd birthday party!! Being that I have been a tad bit exhausted, any party related "stuff" was put off until a couple of days before the big shin dig. This was a super fun (and easy!) theme to run with and Alia loved it... so I count it as a success!

Her invitation introduced the watermelon theme... and hinted that we were praying for SUNNY weather! :)

We hung up some balloons on the front verandah steps...

and wrote out a little birthday message to greet our guests as they arrived!

Decorations were super duper simple, with a watermelon birthday banner...

picnic table coverings...
* my mom gave us the CUTEST handmade picnic set as a wedding shower gift YEARS ago... and lots of the items fit perfectly! *

watermelon plates...

some more balloons hung up around the kitchen...

and my own touches of red and green wherever I could add them!!

Before Alia went down for her nap, she asked if we would write "Happy Birthday" for her on the fridge... so we tried to oblige with the single letters we had available! :)

If there's anything that involves a big knife and tough skin (or bones, blech!)... than Jon is the "designated driver" in our home!

We just had a small family party, so food was kept to an easy minimum as well!

(If the theme of the party wasn't watermelon, than "simple" sure would run a close second!)

We had BBQ'd pork sandwiches...

watermelon ... (of course!)

cole slaw, chips, and carrots.

Easy peasy...

and it hit the spot for young and old alike! :)

The biggest "negative" of the whole shi-bang... was that it was a "standing room only" party! Quite literally!

We have, without a doubt, outgrown our house... and are anxiously waiting for the Lord to provide us with the next one!

The guys went out to the porch swing and chairs to soak up whatever sunshine they could find... while the birthday girl, birthday sister and Nana Betty opted for the kid's table with a nice VIEW of the sunshine! Alia tried sitting at her picnic table, but then realized it was a tad breezier than expected!

Alia with her beloved Gramma Great and Nana Betty (these are her  "ch-eee-se" squinty eyes... just for the record!)

Presents, presents... what would a birthday party be without presents?!

Papa Ron thought the girls were ready to have their "horizons broadened" and introduced them to the world of machinery! A mini bull dozer and a dump truck were a welcome sight to their play box... and to Daddy! :)

Alia received some little gifts from us, but our big gift to her (which could count for like the next TEN birthdays!) is a big wooden swing set/playhouse. Though... we weren't quite specific on WHEN she would be receiving it! Daddy isn't super keen on the idea of moving the thing to the next house in the coming months... so it just might wait. We'll see! Alia sure hasn't forgotten that's what she's getting, so a cheap metal one might have to surfice until we've relocated!

For dessert we decided on "watermelon" cake pops, at the request of the soon to be 3 year old!

And a huge THANK YOU to Crystal for all your help! Without you the cake pops would have been in the form of a picture from the internet!!! :) I totally forgot how much work these little do - dads are!

And just a little disclaimer... the original intention was to make the cake pops in a watermelon wedge shape... and my wonderful husband even made me the cutest little cookie cutter to make that happen... BUT... when things didn't quite work out, we ended up going with plan B!

Regardless.... they were Alia approved!

Cake pops with a side of ice cream cake... does it get any better?!?!

Larren was getting impatient and tried swiping a handful of cake, so Alia carefully made a "fence" to protect the goods!

But not before she taking her own picture or two!

Oh, and I guess I should add "frozen rock solid dessert" to Jon's designated cutting list!

The ice cream cake was a little on the "neon lights" side of the spectrum, but tasty none the less!

Thanks to Auntie Carrie, Larren got her fill and a half of ice cream cake... I think the patience paid off!

We got Alia some of the classic "lace and trace animals" for her birthday... and I think almost every party guest tried their hand at them through out the evening!! At one point there were five people in a row lacing away... shoulda got a picture of that one! :)

Uncle Brad was Alia's official teacher...

Whatever Uncle Brad did... Alia followed!

So when he made a "jacket" for his turtle... Alia's fish was suddenly feeling a little chilly too! :)

Alia got some paint brushes, paints, and a HUGE coloring book to paint in... so those too, needed to be tested!

But, as you'll later read... this is why I was a tad stressed! The ole' paint and not look where "we're going" trick!

Be assured... no clothes, easels, floors, or little sisters were harmed in the process!

As I replayed the party in my head, later that night, a number of negatives stuck out:

- the mentioned LACK of seating (to put it lightly!)

- the fact that I had to discipline Larren 387 times

- I've realized that I talk... A. LOT. I've never noticed it when I'm with my Ohio family, but I sure do wish I could be the "strong silent type" more often than not! Maybe I'll have to just get all my talking out when I'm home this summer, and I'll be good to go for a couple months!

- |We (or is that I!?) FORGOT to put candles in Alia's ice cream cake and sing "Happy Birthday" to her. Seriously... I officially deserve some sort of "HOW COULD YOU?!?!?" award. Who does that? It's a birthday party, for crying out loud! BUT, I asked Alia's forgiveness and we sure are making up for it today! We've been singing "Happy Birthday" to her every chance we get!

- I was a tad stressed (or maybe a great deal stressed!) when the paints and paint brushes were brought out!

BUT... the fact that Alia GLOWED through out the whole party, and until her head hit the pillow that night... made everything worth it!

And as I handed the negatives over to the Lord, all the positives started filling their place.

- Alia woke up from her nap seconds before it was time for people to arrive, and so consequently we didn't change her into her "party clothes". I figured her church clothes would be fine, and left it at that. When she came down from her bedroom, moments later, all changed into her jeans and striped shirt... my heart swelled! She remembered what we had picked out for her to wear, got it down off the hangers, changed into it herself, and announced how beautiful she was for all of us to see! Gracious me... my baby is growing up!

- When Alia opened her PJ's from us (which she happened to accidentally see a couple days prior!) she just got the cutest little look on her face and RAN over to give us gigantic hugs! Goes to show that simple things, given in love, mean the world to some!

- True family don't care if everything is perfect (or that they don't have a place to sit!), they simply lend a hand, stand awhile, and enjoy the time spent together!

- The quick one on one time we got with Alia before the party to simply tell her how much we love her and how amazingly special she is was precious indeed!

- I got to witness... first hand... the love that our family, and adopted family, have for our girls. They may not all be "blood relatives"... but they dote on Alia (and Larren!) to pieces! Seeing the way they played with the girls, shared their cake with them, took picture after picture of the party, and gave gifts that they knew Alia would truly enjoy... just BLESSED me beyond words!

Birthday parties are one of life's simple joys. Celebrating the wonderful being that God has given us, and having loved ones celebrate with us, is by far one of the sweetest and juiciest treats around!