Mickey & Minnie Celebrate!

I admit it.  I am not the cool, clever mom who comes up with incredible themes for the birthday parties and goes all out with handmade invites, dozens of different foods and treats, a fabulous homemade-but-looks-bakery-made cake, or goodie bags the kids go gaga over.  I recently saw this post from a 3rd birthday party where the mom made each and every child a homemade shirt and was SO thankful I no longer lived in Orange County where the social norm is to go crazy financially (and creatively) to celebrate your little ones birthday.

Don't get me wrong, it would be fun to attend these parties, but I just don't have the time, energy, creativity or finances to go overboard for the birthdays.  To tell you a little secret, just between you and me, I don't even think kids need or should get "goodie bags" when they attend birthday parties *gasp*!  I kind of like the idea of teaching my children that birthdays are about celebrating the birthday person, showering them with gifts, kind words and special treats, and not about what they'll get to take home in their goodie bag.  Our society is already so consumed with "me"-isms, wouldn't it be nice to reinforce thinking of others without expecting something in return?

Okay now here is where I get down off my soapbox and confess that I have caved to society and have given goodie bags out at my childrens' birthday parties, but that doesn't mean I will always continue to do so.  I've also done "themes" for their parties and made (or had my husband make) a theme-decorated cake that turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself.

I actually have a unique set of circumstances when celebrating our children's birthdays because they are born just 2 yrs. and twelve days apart.  Thus, we combine celebrating them both at one party (well one for the friends and one for the family - so two parties actually for the accountants out there).  This makes "theming" the party a little difficult.  You see if we had two boys we could easily do trucks, cars, dinosaurs, trains, Spiderman, etc., etc.  If we had two girls we could do princesses, butterflies, ponies, or a tea party.  The thing is...we have a boy and a girl so coming up with a theme to accommodate both has been challenging to this non-creative mom.  So...for the last two years we have had the SAME THEME - Mickey and Minnie Mouse!  It works for both of them and especially this year since we are going to Disneyland!

Wow that was a VERY LONG lead-in to share their birthdays with you!  Here are highlights from their friends birthday party:

The morning of McGee's birthday started with Mickey Mouse pancakes and ended with a party!

The grub:

The "goodie bags" and game prizes:

An awesome sign my friend Mary made:

Musical scrapbook papers:

The goggles seemed to be a big hit as a prize:

The kids playing - and making the house a mess (to be expected of course):

Our Minnie Mouse birthday girl:

The cake:

I made Pioneer Woman's The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever. and topped it with a yummy helping of That's The Best Frosting I've Ever Had.  They were rich and wonderful!

Sadly I did not have an in-focus birthday candle shot of the two:

I did capture the eating though:

Our Sunshine Family

Present time!

McGee was SO excited to get his GeoTrax train set:

The birthday girl threw a little fit because she didn't want to sit and open presents:

Starting to get into it, but you can see a little reluctant pout hanging on:

SO excited for her Minnie Mouse plate!

Ready to cruise on her new Mickey Mouse tricycle with her new Nike hat:

Attempting a shot of all the kids:

Another attempt:

Papa helping set-up the GeoTrax train set

A very happy boy - all her wanted for his birthday was a train

A fabulous rainbow to McGee's great birthday!