Monday, October 25, 2010

All For One...

...And One for All!!!
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This past week has been a doozy. My Dad flew in on Tuesday. Konie followed him on Wednesday.
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Then my Aunt Jan, Uncle Michael, (cousin) Kimberly, and (her husband) Kevin followed on Thursday. AND Saturday, I was throwing a double birthday party with a Three Musketeers theme. Would you like a peek at my To-Do List for the week:
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I wrote it out because on Sunday I was having panic attacks about when and how I was going to get it all done. A list helps me like that. Even though I stayed approximately a day behind all week, I at least took comfort in knowing everything had an allotted time.

Konie's arrival on Thursday was an absolute gift from God himself. She cleaned and entertained and never said "No" to any request the girls made. I think she went into a comma each night from how ragged Pace and Mary Aplin ran her. On Saturday morning before the big party, we both stepped out of our bedrooms bright and early to start to work...And we matched :)

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I've always been a sucker for a party theme, and Pace and Mary Aplin's request for a Barbie and The Three Musketeers birthday, was a party planning dream for me.

(I hope you can read the poem, because I am super proud of it :))
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The invitations were from this seller on etsy. She was great, GREAT to work with and I love her stuff. The only complaint I have is that the actual invitations were smaller than I expected. She had the dimensions written in plain view, but I envisioned them as being larger. I bet she could make them bigger for you if you ask, though.
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No I did not make their capes. They also came from etsy, but this seller.

Ok, so after all that set up and all that planning, we began the wait to see if anybody would show up. I had this horrible fear that nobody was going to come and the girls would be scarred for life. Why would they come? They don't know us. And most of the people out here don't strike me as the types to throw a themed kids' birthday party. They probably think I'm nuts. I just had to write a rhyme on the invitation didn't I?

Jeremiah got into the spirit and helped the girls work off some nervous energy as we waited...

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And, since we were all dressed, we got a little family picture.
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And slowly but surely (thank you Lord), they did come...
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And they decorated Musketeer masks,
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And played "Disarm the Musketeer" (Our version of pin the tail on the donkey, which Konie manned like a champion)
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And ate birthday cake
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And danced along with Barbie at the Musketeer Ball
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And got scared of that weird Southern woman who is way over-animated
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And everyone was so kind and we had such a good time, that I wondered what in the world I'd been so worried about all week.
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By the end of the day, we were all feeling a little sugar-loaded, dazed, and confused...
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But oh-so-very thankful and happy.

14 comments:

aedozier said...

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!! Your girls look so authentic ;-) You are so creative!!!! That is one of my little girl's favorite movies. Glad it all went well and the girls had a blast!

SleeplessInSeattle said...

I so want to be invited to the next party :)

Wanting What I Have said...

Happy Birthday Girls!!! Abby - you outdid yourself. What a great party! Adorable invites & capes!

Kendall Clark said...

ABBY seriously you are super woman. I am amazed at your well roundedness and ability to not only get everything done on your list, but do it well and take pictures and have the girls outfits and invitations and all those little details like: initials on capes, sticker on invitations, mini swords, feathers food, and entertaining a house full of company/ family. I love you and am proud of your hard work. I am a little sad and envious that I wasn't there, but I will get there sooner or later.

Keke

Mert said...

I wondered if folks out there would get into parties like we do! I love this theme! Everything is adorable.

Jennifer Key said...

What a fun birthday! You did an awesome job decorating and I love the pic of the girls with their dad in front of big window showing the city. It looks like lots of fun friends in Seattle.

BKaminski said...

My mom threw my sister and I themed parties well into our teenage years.

She called me yesterday "Did you read Abbys blog?! she made the invitation rhyme just like me!"
(Please don't be creeped out by that! haha) Any way it looks great and I am glad people showed up!

Anonymous said...

a good source of props for parties and projects are books on stage craft as a set designer for plays are eager for cost effective items i.e. swords from tightly rolled newspapers and shaped into a handle at an end. a bit of tin foil and well a hat simple felt robin hood style which is where i turned for a treasure hunt party with clues hidden about the community center. of course they were old enough to read a simple clue. it helps to prep with a clue filled treasure hunt about the house-- remember to remind them it isn't a race about the house no broken lamps please!!lol Happy Birth day girls. was there music at the party? does the movie have a sound track? There are many more parties in your future Abby you have set the barre. Have you ever read any of the original winnie the pooh series the series of poems by A.A. Milne are outstanding the books before Disney took over.

Caroline said...

How ADORABLE!!! What a beautiful poem and theme :) THe decorations looked stunning and you all were just too stinkin cute. Thankful you had Konie and Dad there to help you with the party. I literally cant WAIT to get my hands on those little angels as well as you and Jeremiah! I am already tearing up just thinking about seeing you all again. All my love and hugs until December 28th.

Blakely said...

Isn't it dear when God meets us in our humanness and provides for our worries down here- like providing guests for a birthday party! It's also a testament to how you all have jumped in and made the most of new friendships during fellowship instead of counting down the days to get back. Sweet memories for the girls' day and for your Seattle time!

Herrington Photography said...

I really can't remember how I found your blog, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Especially your pictures....the Christmas tree cutting down event looks like so much fun.

I noticed in this post that you are wearing a Samford sweatshirt. Since I just found your blog I know nothing about you - but did you go to Samford? I did! So when I saw that I instantly had to ask. Go Bulldogs! :)

Anonymous said...

Where did you get the birthday hats?

Dale said...

Little doubt, the dude is completely fair.
site | site | here

Unknown said...

Wow, you're awesome, found this when searching for my soon to be 8 yr olds barbie musketeer party and I LOVE this.