Birthday Party Planning

My little boy isn't so little anymore. In just a few weeks he will be turning 10. It doesn't seem possible does it? He is almost as tall as I am. He is super smart, at any given time you can find him writing a book, doodling city scapes, or building epic Lego creations. Recently, he has been making lists of who to invite to his birthday party, and trying to decide what theme he wants it to be. Planning a party is a lot of fun!

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This year, to give my son a chance to be hands on in the planning, we are turning to Basic Invite to create the invitations of his dreams. This has been so much fun for the kid because they are one of the few websites that offer unlimited color combinations. Creating one of a kind birthday party invitations is easy and fun. Even my almost ten year old can do it.

We have been impressed with the quality of the paper the invites are printed on and the vast assortment of color options for envelopes. To make the invitations really special, while saving your time, you can take advantage of the free addressing service that Basic Invite offers. My son thinks this is a really cool feature, and I would have to agree. It makes the invitations seem even classier!

If I were not planning a party for ten year old boys, but maybe my parents, I would use this company for 70th birthday invitations. Teens will also love creating party invitations with this site. There are so many ways to make an invitation to a party, a graduation or even a wedding special with this easy to use site.

Now that we have the invitations covered, we are deciding what kind of party favors we need. We are having a retro arcade party this year and need some really great goodies to share with friends that are totally rad and 80's inspired. If you have any ideas, I hope you will leave me a comment to inspire our goodies bags!

Birthday Cake Sensory Bin

This easy birthday cake sensory bin is perfect for any little aspiring chef! Made with homemade playdough and complete with loads of sprinkles and fake candles, this bin keeps preschoolers happily baking up something good!

After many years of mothering, I have learned that it is a good idea to have an activity planned for the afternoon. I usually have something set up for Harp like a paper craft or something she can get creative with, but lately we have been LOVING sensory bins. 

Harper loves to bake, so the idea for this birthday cake sensory bin came around. I thought she would love the chance to play with sprinkles, and I was right. When she came home from preschool, she was ready to get her hands into this bin! I have a feeling your little one will want to do the same should you recreate this project.

This was easy to assemble and super economical. You likely have all of the supplies on hand!

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Supplies:

1/2 cup of shampoo (any kind will do, including something from the dollar store!)

 2 tablespoons of water

1 cup of flour

Sprinkles

Silicone cupcake molds, small cake pans, small dishes for forming cakes. Your childs play food collection is a great place to find materials to use in this bin.

Washi Tape

Small Craft Sticks

A battery operated votive candle

Tissue Paper in orange, yellow or red

A baking dish or a bin with a lid

To make the birthday cake dough:

Add one cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 cup of shampoo together in a medium bowl. 

Begin to stir, as the ingredients start to bind together, finishing mixing with your hands.

 If the dough feels sticky, you will add a little more flour, no more than 1/4 cup.

Test for stickiness. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour and continue to mix until it doesn't stick to your hands.

To make fake candles:

You will need a length of washi tape that can cover a craft stick on both sides.

Allow the tape to slightly overlap the craft stick and place small squares of tissue paper on the top of the stick. I layered orange and yellow tissue paper to resemble a flame.

Fold the tape up to cover the other side of the craft stick.

Trim the edges of the tape on the sides of the craft stick.

Trim your tissue paper to resemble a flame.

To assemble the birthday cake activity bin:

Pour a bottle of sprinkles in the bottom of the dish or storage container you plan to use.

Add the dough.

Add small dishes like play food dishes, silicone cupcake molds, small baking dishes.

Add the fake candles and a battery operated votive candle, if you have one.

Invite your child to explore the activity. They will form cakes, decorate with sprinkles and add candles to serve birthday cake!

Find more hands on play ideas here

In the Sky Bin

Sushi Bin

Play Doh Ideas

A letter To My Son On His 5th Birthday

My Dear Roo,
As the days crept closer I felt a chunk of my heart breaking. How could you be 5 years old? How could you get so big on me so fast? When I tucked you into bed for the last time as a 4 year old, I clung to you I begged "Roo, don't grow up too fast!" Tears welled in my eyes.

Sweet Roo jumped from bed and brought me a tee shirt. You wiped my face and said "Mommy, all clean! Now be happy!" I smiled and said "Oh, I am happy, but I am also missing you as a baby.." You stroked my cheek and said "I am a baby!"

Oh that boy, that boy...

We have had a lot of ups and downs in the past year or so. We have had power struggles, arguments, general pettiness that plagued us. But, no matter how ugly it got... he still stands by me. Loyal to me like no other.

Parenthood is hard work. Many days I lay my weary head on my pillow only to feel that I have failed. The guilt of how I damaged his sweet spirit by yelling at him, or expecting too much from a child. I stress about time, quality time, time in general, time wasted. I want these days to amount to something. I want you, Roo to remember me in good ways, not the ways I think of myself.

In order for that to happen I need to step up my game and be the best mother that I can be. No matter what is going on in my disaster of a life. You and Harper both deserve that.


Instead of just pointing out to you in all the ways I stink. Instead I want to share my favorite moments in the life of Roo as a 4 year old boy.


My Roo, My Goofball, My Blonde Child with Eyes So Beautiful...

Every morning that I woke up with you Roo, and you would kiss my face or say Good Morning Mommy! Was AWESOME.

I loved some of the little things we did together in the last year. Like visiting an indoor water park, exploring the Mansfield Reformatory together and branching out on our own, no fear-only insatiable curiosity!

I loved the secret lunch date I went on with you and Harper the day before school started. I felt like we needed a change of pace to end the summer on an awesome note.

I loved watching you learn to write and spell. I loved hearing you talk more and more! I loved watching your imagination and sense of humor peek through.

At bedtime, it is pretty common for you to tell me everyone is going to be a different animal, you are a turtle, I am a dolphin, one of the dogs is a crab. We laughed about that many nights.

I loved seeing you take an interest in crafting with me. We have had so many fun projects!

I loved hearing your speech develop into conversation.

I loved seeing your good nature develop. You are polite, sweet and well mannered. People always smile when you say "Good Morning!" despite the hour of the day.


With this birthday letter of how special you are to me, I make you a promise. The year you are 5 is going to be amazing. I set out with a goal to make this year great for you! One to remember forever. Filled with love, adventure and opportunities to grow and learn!

Happy Birthday my son, my baby.