A Cowgirl Birthday Party

Oh my, I just had a bit of Christmas.
Christmas as in family filling my home.
Family sharing our space and kitchen comfortably- sweeping up, doing the dishes, emptying countless trash bags of paper plates and cups, holding babies. Family filling our yard, adults visiting, children playing.
And Christmas as in piles of gifts.
Except these were birthday gifts, and they weren't mine.

Aubrey and her cousin Aliisa share a birthday.  Yesterday we threw a cowgirl party for them.

Birthdays around here are usually pretty small affairs, but this time I couldn't resist making this fun invitation. Or the sign for the front door.

I had a ton of fun setting up, and imagined taking pictures of all the little details.  But once we arrived home from church with guests already waiting...well, lets say I wasn't running around taking pictures as much as I was running around hostessing.  The day literally flew by (and looking back, I'm glad Aubrey and I had a few hours together, just the two of us, shopping and eating out the day before the big party. I got to enjoy her and be more present).

The day could not have been more beautiful'! It was great to see everyone relaxing in the sunshine in the back yard, visiting or running about, hollering and shooting their toy guns.

We ordered fun paper products and a dozen colorful bandannas for all the kids. For games we did a balloon boot stomp and played pin the tail on the pony.  Then a couple of Daddy sheriffs walked up with Wanted posters and "arrested" the birthday girls for growing up and being so cute.  Poor Aubrey gets embarrassed as easily as I do!  I don't think she'll want to be thrown in jail in front of everybody at any future events.

All in all, I count it a successful day.  Especially if everyone else had as much fun as I did!

Now I'm wondering how long till our home can be filled with family once again, because it was wonderful.