I tried to convince Sage to have a pirate party. For months I tried. She didn't want it (even though her favorite tv show is all about pirates). She wanted a bubble gum party. Well I can accept that. Hey at least somehow we escaped another princess party!!!
I was actually excited about the theme. So we went with it and had a great party!
On Sage's actual birthday she requested going to a restaurant where they bring you cake and sing you happy birthday. She got her wish at the Cheesecake Factory (with princess hat of her choice)
For party day, Justin and I blew up like 100 balloons and tied them to the trees in our backyard for some ambiance. It was in desperate need since they have torn up half of our yard and we have a huge construction zone behind us!
Like the kids really notice. They actually would have had just as much fun if I'd let them climb the fence and go playing in all the mounds of dirt!
But the balloons made ME feel better, so that's ok!
Sage wanted to dress up like the color of bubble gum
In her mind dark pink is the color of bubble gum.
We started out by having the kids make gum-ball necklaces. I was going to use painted wooden balls, but in a stroke of genius I had Justin drill small holes in actual gum-balls and they threaded them with boondoggle to make literal gum-ball necklaces. I think this was my favorite thing of the entire party! The kids liked them too. I mean they got to chew on gum-balls all throughout the party. What kid wouldn't like that?
We played pin the gum-ball on the machine
and ran obstacle course race followed by a gum-ball pick-up game with colored pompoms.
Another fun game was retrieving a gum-ball covered in whip-cream without your hands. Of course the kids loved any excuse to be allowed to get messy!
I spent some time thinking through what kind of cake I would make and how I would make it. I decided on a 3-D version of a gum-ball machine. I baked the cake in a huge terra-cotta pot. It seriously took like 3 hours to bake, but it didn't burn and it actually came completely clean out of the pot! Normally I am not a fan of inedible things on a cake but since I have no idea how to blow a bowl out or sugar (I know what's wrong with me right! ;D ) this plastic fish bowl did just fine!
After eating lunch (I served the kids quinoa pizza balls - I know how cruel and mean can I be!? Almost everyone gobbled them all up though!) we ended by hitting a piñata that was supposed to look like a gum-ball, but well - DIDN'T. Once again, I'm SURE the kids noticed! ;)
And as a parting gift, each kids got one of these.
Thank you pinterest for much of the inspiration for this party! Gotta love pinterest!
Sage is everything we hoped she would be before she was even born: gregarious, passionate, independent, a leader, happy, confident, not too girly, beautiful, fun, smart, determined, opinionated, and strong. She really is everything we could have ever hoped for in a first born daughter. I ever am amazed by her enthusiasm for learning, her passion in playing, her friendliness to everyone, and her positive attitude in everything! Without fail she is always asking how my day went or my run was, or how the Dr.'s was, or how my back is feeling, or whatever. Just always concerned and nice enough to ask! Very considerate and sweet this gal!
She is the energizing force to our household. She is an amazing girl and our lives are just so much better with her as a part of them! We love you Sage and Happy Birthday!
