KidsRosie’s Wildflower Third Birthday Party February 8, 2018 There are so many things I love about motherhood, but planning sweet parties to celebrate them is near the top of the list. I’ve been planning parties since I can remember and getting to channel that towards these little precious ones is so much fun. I’ve put so much into Rosie’s previous parties and love how they turned out! I know a lot of you weren’t around for those parties, so let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. For her first birthday, we hosted a Winter Onederland party that was so fun and beautiful (see posts about it here and here). Last year, she asked for a pink party and that’s exactly what she got! We shockingly had amazing weather, so we got to be in the backyard for for this brunch party, which was such a treat! (you can check it out here.) Gosh, I cannot believe how this baby has grown! And when it came time to plan a party this year, I wanted something really special. But I was also craving simple. I’ve loved the parties I’ve done in the past, but they required quite a bit of work, planning, and purchasing a lot of “things”. And I loved how they turned out for her! But I felt like we could streamline and still have a beautiful and special party! With all we’ve been processing for living simpler and with more intention, I wanted to limit buying decor we wouldn’t use past this as much as possible. I chose a really simple theme based on this quote I saw that I loved that reminds me so much of this special girl and how we are trying to raise our babies. Rosie loves flowers, so a natural wildflower theme felt like the perfect fit. In trying to go simpler, I thought through our home and picked a few key spots to focus on instead of worrying about the whole house. The mantel seemed like the ideal place for decor because it’s right inside the front door and is a focal point. I put that quote on this letterboard I already had and then layered this pretty floral embroidery over it. I found the embroidery a month or so ago for a few dollars at a local thrift store and just fell in love with its’ age and simplicity. The only thing I really purchased this year were inexpensive flowers…a wildflower theme works well for that! I got about eight bunches of Eucalyptus from Trader Joe’s that’s $2 each and a handful of flowers to mix in. So reasonable, but has a major impact! This garland on the mantel was my happiest accident! I already had the cotton garland I’ve had for years hanging there. I was planning to get rid of it and lay some greenery and flowers along the mantel and then inspiration struck as I was removing it! The eucalyptus sprigs stuck in great through the cotton and then I added in a few flowers. This was my favorite part of her party and it cost me about $7…lots of bang for your buck! To create room for people and play in our small area, we moved out a bit of furniture and I used the coffee table as a little kids station. I put a colorful Mexican blanket I have (another $3 thrift store find!) to define the space and make it fun! Plus it protects that rug and is easily thrown in the washing machine! We printed out some flower coloring sheets and put them out with crayons. On the other side of the living room, we moved out the console we had in here (for other reasons than the party actually – I’ll share more on that soon!) But it did free up more space, which was nice. We set Rosie’s lace teepee in the corner with a basket of books. On the top of the teepee, I hung a few bunches of Eucalyptus and stuck in some flowers. To attach the flowers, I cut the stems, leaving just a few inches. Then I stuck them through the section where the rods all cross and it held them in place perfectly! I loved this sweet little corner and Rosie girl did too! I was sad to take it down afterward! We decided to purchase food this year instead of cooking it all. I love cooking for a crowd and hosting, but it adds so much stress and work that just didn’t feel right this year. We got Whole Foods pizza, which is Rosie’s absolute favorite treat. And I made homemade cupcakes, imperfect icing and all. It felt just right. Rosie got so excited about all of her friends coming and waited anxiously by the window. Seeing her joy as all “her people” played in her room, jumped on her bed with her, and ate her favorite treats was so sweet! This was the simplest, cheapest party we’ve ever done and 100% as sweet. I think our girl felt very celebrated! Her sweet little dress is from one of my new favorite brands, Alice and Ames. She got it for Christmas and calls it her twirly dress. And the flower crown we found on Amazon! Here are a few of my favorite snapshots with her that night… This picture blew my mind…seeing our “grown” family complete with a sweet three year old and a giant baby who won’t stop growing! And me and my girl.
Oona says February 8, 2018 at 11:34 pm So sweet and perfect! The look on your Rosie’s face tells the whole story. Your keeping it simple kept you unstressed and present for your little one, so she could feel like the queen of the birthday instead of just another “decoration.” I’m at the other end of the story this year — it was my mom’s 90th birthday this month! At first I thought about pulling out all stops for this extra special day. But her dementia has progressed, and too much stimulation just exhausts her. Instead, I took her to the dollar store to shop for garlands and table confetti and other paper stuff (she LOVED it!) and then I planned some simple foods she could handle without mess and asked her friends to stop by one or two at a time over a series of days. She had a wonderful time, and so did we. Interesting how things work out when we think with hearts and heads together! Reply
Amber says February 9, 2018 at 12:48 pm I’ve been following your blog and your story for awhile now (years), and it’s one of my favorites. But i have to say, I think this is my favorite post you’ve ever done. Your commitment to simple and to focusing on what really matters (your family) just shines through in this post. It’s truly inspiring, and I can almost taste the freedom that you are finding through it. Thank you for sharing and for leading by example. (My other favorite, by the way, was the paint splattered wine glasses. I wept when I read it, and God’s voice was so clearly jumping off the page for me. Your blog is such an encouragement ) Reply
AmandaKB says February 9, 2018 at 6:29 pm So sweet! I love to plan parties, but I agree that often there are so many things that are only used once… or sit in storage for years before it can be used again… or it ends up getting pitched. I love that you were able to plan such a great little party without feeling overwhelmed or feeling like you went overboard. Rosie looks like she had an absolute blast, and I admire you for being so committed to living in a more intentional and simple manner. Reply
Sherri says February 9, 2018 at 10:20 pm Simply beautiful. I can just feel the love in the air. God bless you and your special family! Reply
Kelly says February 10, 2018 at 8:30 am Great party! So sweet! I think the quote is from the chorus of a Tom Petty song Wildflowers. Its a great song. Reply
Corinna Henderson says March 20, 2018 at 11:25 pm What a celebration! It’s so good to see everyone in good spirits. Honestly, I would love a party for myself in this theme! It’s just the perfect amount of thought out theme and homegrown. Reply
Lindsay says March 27, 2018 at 8:07 am Oh thank you Corinna! That is so sweet and exactly what I’d hoped for! So glad that came across 🙂 Reply
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