For the second year in a row, we invited friends to celebrate Sadie and Ashby's birthdays with a party at our neighborhood pool. We decided to have a mermaid theme this year, and thanks to Pinterest I had lots of cute ideas to stress over, um, I mean, work on pulling together.
We had a table full of themed food including mermaid tails (cupcakes), starfish (pineapple and watermelon stars), sand dollars (round crackers), crab legs (carrot sticks), coral reef (grapes and candy strips on skewers), sea cucumber (cucumbers), goldfish, sea foam (popcorn), driftwood (pretzel sticks) and seaweed dip (spinach dip).
It took quite a bit of time and planning to put it all together, but it was so fun and rewarding to see the girls' faces light up as I showed them each of the pieces.
I am so thankful for these fun, silly, creative, thoughtful, loving little girls!
I was especially pleased with my Pinterest inspired tissue paper jelly fish.
Before the party started, Sadie asked me "Mommy, why are you taking so pictures of the table?" "Because my dear, I spent hours preparing it all and it's about to be devoured by you kids!"
We also made these cute fishy treat bags for our friends to take home.
After having several days of rain, and more rain in the forecast, I was beyond thankful that the sun came out for the party. It was literally the one day of sunshine surrounded by days of rain and thunderclouds.....thank goodness!
Our newly minted 7 and 5 year old, waiting to blow out their candles.
And after some swimming, it was time to dig in!
Summer birthdays are such a fun way to see friends from school!
Isabella, Sadie and Anna
Avery, Ashby and Naomi
Bathing beauties.....Avery, Ashby, Naomi, Gentry and Anna
Bayla, Sadie and Isabella
Anna, Isabella, Sadie, Gentry, Bayla and Ivy.....hanging pool side. It is so fun for me to see my kiddos actually swimming and being able to have so much fun in the pool with their friends. It makes all the summers of baby floats, puddle jumpers, swim lessons and kids hanging off my every limb worth it! And both Sadie and Ashby conquered the diving board and water slide at our pool this summer!
We had a few activities planned for the party, and after last year's candy-induced bee infestation and subsequent drama-filled bee sting, I decided some sand art would be a safer choice this time.
The kids seemed to really enjoy the craft and eagerly filled up their bottles with layers of colorful sand.
Showing of their finished sand creations.....Finley, Charlie, Anna, Naomi, Isabella, Sutton, Ashby and Gentry
I loved watching the kids make their sand creations, but was surprised/disappointed when many of the sand bottles were shaken and designs destroyed before the end of the party. (See Ashby's bottle) So, they didn't turn into the keepsakes I had envisioned, but I suppose the most important thing is that they had fun doing it!
After some more time swimming in the pool, it was time for Pin the Starfish on the Mermaid.
The birthday girls went first......
.......and by the end, our mermaid had all the starfish she needed!
Naomi, Ashby, Isabella and Allie get ready to make a splash!
Such a fun afternoon playing with our friends at the pool!
Post party smiles with the birthday girls.
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