So after my little brain blip that we were having an 11am party for Cole (yes yesterday afternoon I realized I had the wrong party time in my head), we welcomed all of Cole's friends for a 9am party. Cole's 3rd birthday was all about AIRPLANES!! The invitations for the party were boarding passes for each child and their own personal Passport. The feedback was that the kids loved seeing their pictures in their passports!
We had a check in table where each child checked in and confirmed their name on the passenger list. If they brought their passport, I put a date stamp in it or just date stamped their hand. We had a few play stations - make your own paper airplane and decorate airplane wings for your arms - and the bounce house. As always, the yard toys and swing set were a fun play time hit. For the "In Flight Snacks", I had an assortment of NutraGrain bars, fruit cups, goldfish and pretzels to choose from. The kids seemed to enjoy snack time. We then did cupcakes and it was so cute watching all Cole's friends and family sing to him - he loved it! After a little more playtime, the kids decided it was time to open presents. Seriously! So we moved it inside (where it was cooler) and let Cole open his gifts. The kids all seemed to have fun and Cole loved all the airplanes and attention.
For party favors, I made crayon roll ups for each child using airplane fabric. I don't think I took a picture of them exactly but they each held 16 crayons and I printed out a few airplane pictures to color. That plus two cookies in a plastic pencil case made "luggage" for pickup at Baggage Claim before they went home.
Since I had actually planned an 9am-11am party, it worked out great to play outside before it got too terribly hot and it also allowed us some family time after Cole's friends left. It was really great to just hang out, have lunch and watch Cole play with his new airplanes. A big thank you to our families who came up for the party. We had EVERYONE here! Both sets of Grandparents and both my brothers with their wife and fiancee. It was awesome!!
Check in Table
Hanging out and playing in the back yard
Decoration station
Decorating airplane wings
Eli & Owen snuck inside for some quality Lego time
In-Flight Snack table
Cole & his buddy Luke, I love Luke's face in this picture
Bounce house madness
Backyard fun
Cupcake and cookie table
Cole's Cupcake Tower
Cookie tray (yes, I made the cookies and cupcakes!)
Cookie favors. I tried a new way of packaging them and everyone seemed impressed. Tim said it looked like they could have a punched hole and be in a store somewhere!
Mr. 3!!
Such a cute picture during his birthday song
Cole looks all sweet and embarrassed at the same time - he loved it!
Swinging with his friend Will
Baggage Claim table
Love present time!
Grandma & Grandpa C found Cole a lot of awesome airplanes
He loved every one
I love how a 3 year old has to stop and admire each and every item
Pure boy love - a truck!
The glider was a big hit. Everyone loved trying to throw it. Grandpa accidentally got it stuck on the roof and then I caught Eli throwing it on the roof. His defense was that he was trying to throw the airplane OVER the house and it just got stuck. Not sure where he comes up with stuff! THEN we told him we'd be out to get it but we then found Eli & Cole pulling the little picnic tables over to tray to stack them to reach the airplane. I am SERIOUSLY in trouble as they get older!! Amazing what they come up with.
The best family shot we could get.
Me & my brothers - Billy (left) and Jeff (right). I loved having them both here.
Jeff and his fiancee Erin (and my two future nephews! Yes TWIN BOYS!!) with Eli & Cole
Love Uncle Billy and Aunt Niki
Grandpa & Grandma C (I love taking pictures EVERY time we're all together!)
Grandpa & Grandma N - love Eli & Grandma's expressions
Glider time on the the powerline
Grandpa C was really good at it
Daddy giving it a whirl
Me & Erin (and Kaleb and Keegan, coming September!!)
My family - it has been a LONG time since we've gotten a shot of all of us. I'm so thankful for my family.
ALL of us! Brothers, spouses, Grandparents, Grandkids - this is my "side" of our family.
We also opened up our new pop-up camper for everyone to see. Tim had picked it up two days before the party so I hadn't even seen it yet!
Cole's ready to go!
It is quite roomy inside - me, my parents, the boys, Tim and his Dad all inside. And it didn't seem cramped.
Cole and Grandma C. Maybe we'll go camping with them sometime! They have a camper parked in the mountains.
Dinette slide out
Entry door side and Grandpa N checking it out. Grandma & Grandpa N have a Class A motorhome and they were happy for us to join the RV/Camper world.
Cole trying to throw the glider.
Happy Airplane loving boy. Thanks Grandma for the fun planes!!
