Cookies, Cakes, and Birthday Parties!

My girls just turned 4 & 2! Oh my goodness time flies, and I am so thankful that God put me in charge of two of his precious gifts: Addison and Macyn!

I can't be like normal people and just order a birthday party set off of the Internet and be done with it. I have to try to make things as difficult as possible, and make everything myself..so this is my homemade Pirate/Mermaid Party. I am already telling my husband to remind me to just ORDER next year so I can de-stress my life a little. He is going to have to probably print this out for me to re-read next year. It is fun to be crafty, but sometimes, it's just a LOT of work.

Bethany (my niece), Addison, Macyn

Here is the Happy Birthday Banner I made with my CriCut!

And see.. there in the middle are the pirate maps and pirate tattoos! I had to do something less girly for my nephews!

My nephew Seth

My nephew Devin

We let all of the kids..and Mamaw...play with play-doh and cookie cutters while we worked on baking the cakes and cookies.

Here is my sweet sister, Heather, who helps me with all of my projects, and who my kids and I adore.

Macyn is telling me she is 1..and technically this is true, if only for just a few more days.

Mamaw and Addison

Beth and Addison

Goodie Bucket: Goldfish, mermaid toy, coloring book, colors.

Here is another Goodie Box for all of the Mermaids out there, filled with tattoos and jewelry.

AND HERE ARE THE COOKIES!!! I just want you all to know, that I practiced and practiced making cookies for this party! :) I had never made cookies with royal icing before, so my friend Jo Slye taught me how. I am totally addicted to cookie making now! I know they aren't the finest cookies in the world, but I am still proud of them!

Glitter fish cookies

Beach Balls

Addison's birthday cake. I actually had a "disaster" the morning of the party. I thought it would be a great idea to go ahead and make the cake and add the suckers, then cover with saran wrap, that way the suckers kept the saran wrap from touching the icing. WRONG! It made the suckers sweat, and drip colored candy goo all over the top of the cakes. I had to go to the store and pick up more ingredients to remake the icing and try to cover up the colored goo. Lesson learned the hard way!

Macyn's Birthday Cake

And here is a pic of another batch of cookies I made for my Aunt Jane, who coordinated our trip to Women of Faith this year.

So as you can see, I am loving these sugar cookies with royal icing! I am having so much fun with it. I am trying to figure out the next occasion that I can bring cookies to! :)