Party, Party, Party!!

Since becoming a mom, 5 years ago 😱, I have become an expert kid party goer because.... the way these kids’ social calendars are set up. They put mine to shame! Over these years, I’ve come to determine my likes and dislikes and what I feel makes a kid party worthwhile without breaking the bank. Some suburban moms go all out with no expenses to spare. While I appreciate the dedication to superb party hosting, I sometimes question the why. Are we hosting these over the top celebrations truly for our children or to impress others? To each their own as I try not to be a judgy mom and I also recognize that their financial resources don’t pay my bills. Okay?! My personal mantra is to thine own self be true so even in kid party hosting I do what feels right for my children and my family as opposed to giving into the pressure of impressing others.

My son recently turned two years old. However, this was his first “real” birthday party. By real, I mean the standard kid party with decor, entertainment, cake and ice cream within the typical 2 hour time frame. DJ was fortunate enough to travel to Italy for his first birthday and celebrated in an intimate gathering with his family. Check out my previous post about that trip here.

Honestly, birthday parties are my jam! I love hosting birthday parties for my babies.  So for my son’s 2nd birthday, I wanted to make sure he experienced the same level of celebratory events as his sister has for every birthday.  Throwing kid parties allows me to tap into my creative side with a strong influence from Pinterest.  Below, I’ll provide you with tips on how to plan and execute a successful and personalized birthday party that your child will cherish as they grow older... again, without breaking the bank.

Tip #1: Keep the invitations simple. If you prefer a tangible paper invitation, don’t sleep on the old school invitations from the store or even making them on your own computer. People just need to know the details such as date, time, location, etc.  If you choose to splurge on invitations, just know that they’ll more than likely end up in the trash as soon as the party is over. As a mom of littles, I feel like I am always collecting papers that I don’t need.  So when I do a clean sweep, they are the first to go!

I’ve always used Punchbowl.com for my party invitations. The designs are cute and can be customized to fit your needs. You even have the option to email or text them to your guests. My favorite part is that the site tracks your rsvp’s and keeps all guest lists for future reference. It literally takes me 5 minutes to create and send my party invitations out! #Winning because who has any more time than that to dedicate to an often overly complicated task?!

Tip #2: When it comes to the theme and decor, keep your child’s interests and desires in mind. Often times, we insert our wishes onto our children. Just remember that this party is to celebrate their life and their unique interests should be celebrated as well.

I like to keep decor simple, also. Balloons are the only must that I have. Balloons just scream celebration (for kids) in my book! But who knew that balloons could be so expensive? I highly suggest Dollar Tree for your balloon needs. Their balloons are inexpensive and they last a lot longer than some of the high end party stores. Believe me, I know.  Actually, most of my decor and treats came from either The 99cent Only Store, Dollar Tree or Amazon.  In addition to balloons, I used the dollar store for the basics such as table cloths, paper goods/utensils, snacks and treat bags.  I used Amazon to help pull the theme together.  I have linked the Construction Party Décor kit that I used for DJ’s party here.  The dollar stores saved me money and Amazon saved me time. As moms, those are two things that we always want more of.

Early on, I spent so much money on treat bags. Then, I realized that they often go into the trash right along with the paper invitations. So, now I personalize the treat bags to my children’s likes that can either be eaten or used instead of frivolous knick-knacks. For example, DJ’s treat bags included his favorite snacks, colors and Hot Wheels because he loves trucks, cars and vehicles, in general.  Treat bags are also a non-negotiable; as we use them as a tool to demonstrate manners and gratitude, to our children, as they thank their guests for their presence. Every moment is a teachable moment.

Tip #3: Cake is usually my big splurge! I work with a bomb Cake Artist, Pam, in the Houston, TX area. Her cakes are not only fascinating, but they’re absolutely delicious. With the right cake artist, you wont have to worry about any cake going to waste because your guests will be packing to-go plates of cake! My family has always been known to feed people good food so I feel the need to provide a delectable cake experience for the party guests. I do it for the culture. It’s just a plus that my kid’s like cake as well!

One year, I cut corners with a grocery store cake, which was fine, but it was missing that extra TLC. Unfortunately, the majority of it went into the trash, immediately.  So, I will always put that extra cash aside for a phenomenal cake eating experience. 

Cake by Pam’s Delectable Delights

Tip #4: Last, but not least…I was given this #momtip early on and I will forever hold it dear.  Instead of hosting the birthday parties in our home, I have always booked a kid friendly venue to save on... you guessed it... time and money! The amount of time that it would take me to prep and decorate my house for a party is invaluable.  The staff at the venue is usually responsible for set up, food, entertainment and break down of the party. Some even provide basic décor, but I usually provide my own because again, I want to personalize the experience for my kiddos. Allowing someone else to do most of the “day of” work lessens my stress and gives me more energy to be fully engaged with my children and guests.

These venues are very time conscious so please arrive early and impress the importance to your guests so that no one misses out! After the party, everyone is free to go home or on about their day, at the designated time. The most important part is that you’re, also, free to do the same instead of having to continue in being hostess with the mostest for rest of the day. Now in typical Newton fashion, we often host an after party at our home for the family and friends that want to come over.  This is a much more informal gathering for all involved, which typically turn into a game night with food and adult beverages.

If anyone is considering following venues in the Katy, TX area, I can offer insight and give you a thumbs up or a thumbs down!

- The Little Gym

-Monkey Joe’s

-Lifetime Fitness Cinco Ranch

-Giggles and Fun Indoor Playground

They all had their pros and cons!

These are my tips that help make party planning for me fun and convenient.  Ultimately, it is my goal to celebrate the lives that God used me as a vessel to bring into the world.  I want them to feel special every day, but even more on their special day! I truly believe that as the blessings that they are they deserve to be celebrated.  In our house, we turn everything into a party from potty training to counting to reading.  Every milestone that they reach will be celebrated. I hope that you all do the same in whatever way best suits you and your family’s needs.  Remember, to thine own self be true. 

Bonus Tip: Feed the parents that have used their time and resources to come celebrate your kids. Order enough food and cake to offer to the parents and everyone in attendance, even if they decline. Moms, we know how difficult it is to be on time anywhere with littles. So when heading out to a birthday party, we probably didnt eat, right? There’s nothing more frustrating than being in the presence of food and not being able to eat especially as you’ve wrestled and wrangled children to attend an optional event. ;-)