Planning of the Party

I had been envisioning Anna's first birthday party for quite a while now.... ok... confession. I have been envisioning it since the day she was born (and maybe a little bit before that too!) I was ready to spend HOURS and HOURS on this thing.

Let me take you back to last Monday (i.e. 3 days before she turned one and 5 days before her birthday bash). I was exhausted.... exhausted from pregnancy, exhausted from moving, exhausted from planning a wedding anniversary party a couple weekends earlier..... I NEEDED A BREAK. I told Rob that I should be more excited and that I should really give Anna an awesome first birthday party (ok maybe give her mom it) - but I had a problem...... only one thing was done- the invitations that I had made a month earlier were sent out.

After dinner that Monday night, motivation lite a fire under my butt and I was a Martha Stewart-ing fool! Using tissue paper, scrapbook paper, colored paper, glue, scissors and toille that I had stored in our overpacked and overstuffed upstairs storage space came to the rescue. Banners, tissue paper pom poms, party favor tags and many trips to the store for balloons, plates and napkins with my niece Kate came a rolling and I was motivated! Here is what I produced with some "handy" work, recycled goods from Kate's birthday party's and some killer party favors for the kiddos!!

And as for the cake..... a week before the party I had no clue as to what I was making... no clue. Mom and I were goggling monkey cakes and cupcakes and we couldn't quite find exactly what we liked. So using a combination of what we saw and the little monkeys on the scrapbook paper, this was created!!! I was very pleased!

Thursday night's "Trial" cake

Cake for the BIG ONE YEAR OLD on her BIG BASH!

Cupcakes for all!

And for the food..... I went out on Wednesday and Friday to buy all the ingredients. Mom helped make the lasagna, dad made the Caeser salad, and during some nap time and Anna/Grandma time, I whipped out everything else. Oh and a quick trip made by Rob to McDonalds for chicken nuggets for the kiddos!

Nothing to it I tell ya! But all in all, I loved how the party turned out.... and it was bunches of fun!!! Just think.... 361 more days til I have to do it again! And another first birthday will follow pretty closely! I better get myself some rest :)

Much Love and Martha Stewarting,
Jenny