Valentine's Day Party!

I've been waiting for this party for weeks, and I think all of the little girls that Marin invited have been as well!  I tried really hard not to stress about the party, I wanted it to be fun and enjoyable, and I kept having to remind myself that this is a party for 4 year olds....they won't remember a whole lot except for the experience.  I picked up most of the decor for SUPER cheap...really, I think I spent maybe 25 dollars on decor and supplies.  And for food, (we had baked mac and cheese 'cupcakes', chocolate covered strawberries, tiny sugar cookies ((leftover)), strawberry cupcakes, fruit punch and assorted candy) I think I spent another 25.  All in all, not too shabby.  And it really was worth it, the kids had so much fun!!

My little table-scape.  The pink vases I bought for 49 cents each!  I also has a regular table cloth that I put the doilies on, then covered that with a new clear shower curtain that I had lying around.

 And I spruced it all up with some fun garland and confetti, and candlesticks that are mine.

 Chocolate covered strawberries, super easy and super 'elegant' for little girls!

 Boxed strawberry cake mix, homemade frosting flavored with strawberry jello.  Easy way to frost: GIANT frosting tips do all the work.

 Awwwww!

All together.

The waxed paper hearts I made last year and hung up again this year!

 We blew bubbles while we waited for everyone to arrive. (I highly recommend this, by the way!)

 We started off by making butterflies...made of clothespins, coffee filters and pipe cleaners.  They decorated the coffee filters with food coloring mixed with water (dries darker than you think!), painted the clothespins, and then twirled the pipe cleaners to make antennae and voila!!  Butterfly!

 Those little girls did a great job!

 We had 5 little girls come, so it was busy!

 Look at that cute little butterfly!

 Some duck-duck-goose before dinner.

I forget that little girls have little tummys, they don't eat a whole lot.

 There's my little buddy, he was just wonderful for the 2 hour party.  He mostly stood back in awe of all these little girls running around our house, the sweet boy.  He also hung out with GG (great grandma who came to help us out) quite a bit.

 Above:  Hide and seek after dinner and dessert.

Below:  For some reason, the car track got a lot of attention!

 Not only did Marin have her party at home, she had a Valentine's Party at school, too!  I had volunteeredwaaaay back in August to help out with the party, so today has been SUPER busy!  There's my cutie eating her snack.

 Look how organized, so cute.

 It was great to finally get a glimpse of how things have been working at school.  I see the stuff she brings home, but to finally see her in action at school is really awesome.  She is starting the books for READING on Tuesday, eeek!!

I have had so much fun today, it really has been a great day, BUSY, but great.  I am loving Valentine's Day more and more, it's becoming one of my favorite holidays.  And today has been the first of many ways that I am making this year great.  I am not waiting for fun to come to ME anymore, I am creating it myself.  Whether it's a little party for my daughter, some friends over for dinner, I will make life what I want it to be, and I want it to be fun!