Ready To Pop

I offered to throw a friend of mine a baby shower.  She was pregnant with her third baby, so I thought it would be nice for her to get some new things since #1 and #2 may have worn some stuff out.  We picked a date, and I started planning.  I had seen a cute theme on Pinterest…and the Carol used that theme for Ashley's baby shower.  Ashley's shower was so cute, so I decided that would be the theme I would go with for sure.  The hardest issue for me was choosing the colors.  I didn't want to spend a fortune (lol…that's a joke…all parties cost a small fortune!) buying all new stuff, so I went with colors I owned a lot of.  Black, white…and yellow.  I had a few items upstairs from my baby shower that I could use, plus I own all the dishes needed.

I got to work ordering the invitations (Regina was out of town, so I wasn't able to use her free skills for this party.  I should plan ahead better!) and a few other items to match.  I planned all the food according to the theme (of course).  Luckily Carol's party planning helped me with the menu.  Once that was in place...I was happy.

The day before the shower I spent every second preparing.  I am blessed with a husband who doesn't mind my insanity and perfectionism.  He runs to the store for me, helps me move furniture, and is happy to keep Blip busy…and out of the way.  I was up early…and didn't go to bed until nearly 3am.  But the house looked great…Ready to Pop.

The next morning I woke up to start preparing the food and take care of the last minute things that needed to be done.  As people started arriving I was just finishing the very last thing.  I didn't even have a chance to take a single picture, but we were waiting on the cake pops, so I decided to wait.  Plus…one of the guests is starting a photography business and offered to photograph the party.  I decided I would let her take all the pictures, so I wasn't rude or in her way…and I had my hands full anyway.

I'm not sure how every party I use blood, sweat, and tears to do turns out to be the un-photographed party of the year, but it seems to be my luck.  Blip's birthday party pictures were a huge disappointment.  I should have hired someone to photograph the party and the birthday boy that day at the party.  And now…months later…after waiting patiently to see the pictures…there aren't any.  Well…there are a few, but not one overall shot.  I seriously could cry.  I was excited to have professional pictures taken…and in the end it turned out worse than if I had just taken them myself.  Bad pictures or not…at least I'd have them.  I am thankful there are a few pictures.  So I shouldn't complain.  I should have asked for what I wanted instead of thinking it would just be done.

(So that's that…I decided I'm taking a photography class and buying myself a bounce flash.  Then I can take pictures of my parties- indoor or outdoors.)

The Menu was all about things that popped.  I served Finger Poppon' Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Fruit Pops (kabobs), Pops Chips, Cake Pops, Poppyseed Salad, S'more Pops, (Three kinds of) Popcorn (Chicago Mix, Kettle Corn & White Chocolate), and Soda Pop (and water bottles).  I also had jars of candy around the house…filled with things that pop.  (Sorry…no pictures of that.)

Another friend was in charge of the games.  I don't like playing games at showers, so I was glad someone else agreed to come up with the games.  She found super cute games that weren't over-played at every shower I've ever been to.  The first one was with play dough.  Everyone got a little container with play dough to make a baby.  Most of the babies were super cute…some ladies were a lot more talented than others.  I didn't want to make the ugliest baby, so I opt'd out.

The second game was cute too.  It was a gift bag that was passed from person to person depending on where you were seated or what the answer to the questions/riddle was.  It was passed about 20-ish times before the end of the riddle.  It was a cute game.

The party favors were also all things that popped.  I made each one with a soda pop, a blow pop, a tootsie pop, a ring pop, pop rocks, and a bottle of bubbles…cause they pop.  I think they turned out super cute.

The shower turned out to be super cute…if I do say so myself.  Nice gifts were given, and most of the food was eaten.  After everyone left Mike came home with Blip.  I had saved him a cake pop.  I knew he would love it…and he did.  But he loved the left over kettle corn he shared with his daddy more than anything else.