Birthday Hoedown!

Maxwell and Ella are three! We had the best day celebrating in our backyard with friends and family. They had requested a Toy Story 2 party...so it was cowboy all the way. I had so much fun getting ready for it. Although, it became a love/hate relationship with Pinterest because I could NOT STOP looking up ideas and I had to remind myself over and over 'it's about the kids, it's about the kids.'

Highlights:

- The kids decorating cupcakes with my Mom
- Their faces when the bounce house came
- MY face when our neighbor brought over and old door for me to decorate and hang cowboy hats from
- Mike's yummy BBQ
- Ella's meltdown before/during 'Happy Birthday' and blowing out candles
- Watching them open their Jesse and Woody dolls from Gma J
- Maxwell walking around to his friends thanking them and giving hugs after gifts
- My kids keeping up with their friends and cousins until far past dark

I took way too many pictures and this is only some of them. You can see the rest here. I wish I had less photos of decorations and more good ones of my little cowpokes.

I am so sad Picnik is closing. I finally figured out how to do all sorts of fun things with it. Like...making Wanted posters of my kids and all the little buckaroos.

Did you know that you can blow up prints at Staples for $2.99?! I made these posters from pictures of their Jesse/Woody Halloween costumes.

I made the cupcake toppers in picnik too, then inserted them into a word document and printed out on card stock at Staples. My Mom made the yummy cupcakes and Grandma Judie made Ms. Ella special cookies of Jesse's hat.

You know that picture on Pinterest with the lemonade? We did ice tea.

This was the best we got as far as a family photo. Michael's coming home next weekend to celebrate so maybe we can get a better one with the four kids.

This was right before Ella's meltdown. He is really annoyed I interrupted him from the puzzle in his hand.

Sweet girl takes a break from crying to blow out her candle.

She opened her talking Jesse doll from Grandma. Look how happy Max is for her :)

The morning after. All smiles in their new play house.

It was a really special day. Thanks to everyone who shared western props with me (BETTY). And to my Mom and mother in law for helping me cook/bake. AND to our friends who helped before and during the party.