My beautiful Aidan...as I take your hand, and we walk through the garden of life, may I be ever open to seeing the world through your eyes...full of innocent wonder, delight and joy. As you take my hand, and we walk through the garden of life, may you be ever open to seeing the world through my eyes...full of gratitude, wisdom and peace. May we be blessed on our 'ramblings' together. Love, Nana

Friday, June 29, 2012

The 'art' of throwing a party!

Now that Aidan's fifth birthday celebrations are over, (and all the highlights thereof are posted on the blog!) I can breathe a little, and relax in the knowledge that I don't have to do THAT again until next year!

It was indeed quite the undertaking, and though it sounds like it, I'm really not complaining. I'm just enjoying the lack of birthday frenzy in my life these past few days!  Every day I give thanks and know that I am blessed to have such an amazing little boy for a grandson, and I would whip up another party for him in a heartbeat.  After all, it's all about creating little memories for them to hold onto, isn't it?

I wish I could say I was so creative that I conjoured up all of the ideas for the decorations, food and games all by myself.  Alas I did not, and I want to give a shout out to all the wonderful blogs and websites I found in my travels through cyberspace in my search for 'anything garbage truck.' 

For the 'garbage pick-up game' and the 'garbage truck T-shirt' ideas, as well at the bunting, 'worms in dirt' and of course the 'garbage truck cake' ideas, they all came from the great blog at Pink Peppermint Paper

For the table decorations, garbage pick-up game and 'worms in dirt' ideas, I thank Hostess with the Mostess 

The instructions for the newspaper party hats, T-shirt,and the amazing garbage truck cake idea were found at Create Studio Thanks, Sarah!

Table decorations, garbage pick-up and 'worms in dirt' ideas also came from Cakes Likes a Party

Pizza box art and garbage pick-up ideas from Invite & Delight and an amazing garbage truck cake from Cakes Central

I decided to try my hand at making marshmallow fondant for the birthday cake.  Not sure if I'd be brave enough to attempt it again, but a great tutorial for it was found at  Clockwork Lemon with more instructions also found at What's Cooking America?   It looked pretty easy to do, but was quite a challenge, and had I not laughed hysterically throughout the process, I may have cried!

Green Marshmallow Fondant...Mmmm!
I almost threw it in the garbage, but chose to wrap it up and leave it in the fridge overnight.  Much to my surprise, when I rolled it out the next morning it acted just like fondant!  Who knew?  Aside from getting carried away with the green colour gel, it actually tasted not too bad (for fondant!)

Aidan's actual birthday is today, and we will celebrate once again.  Just family this time.  Pizza and chocolate cake.  And not a garbage truck to be found!

Happy 5th Birthday, my beautiful boy!

  

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The 'Big 5' - Oh! What a day!

For nearly the whole month of June, the anticipation has been steadily growing, 'aided and abbetted' by the 'garbage truck tree'.  A little Christmas tree in a former life, now decorated with miniature 'garbage bags' filled with chocolate treats, and labelled for each day to count down to the big birthday...

The 'garbage truck' tree!
The invitations were sent...

Birthday Invitations
The big day arrived sunny and warm.  The balloons tied to a garbage can, and the bunting decorated the yard...

Five-star balloons for the Birthday Boy!

Newpaper Bunting
The little guests arrived and donned their newspaper party hats...

Newspaper Party Hats
After feasting on 'dumpyard chow' 'sanitation subs' 'mud and banana rollups' and 'worms in dirt'...

Dumpyard Chow

Sanitation Subs

Mud & Banana Roll-ups

Worms in Dirt
...a fun time was had picking up 'garbage' with special little grabbers, and creating 'pizza box' art, for each guest to take home...

'Pick up the Garbage' game

Garbage Grabbers for little people!

The 'Pizza Art' table
Time for Birthday Cake!!  THE 'one and only' garbage truck birthday cake!  Wearing his special garbage truck T-shirt and newspaper party hat, Aidan delighted in the singing of 'Happy Birthday' as well as blowing out his candles...

The one and only...

...garbage truck birthday cake!

Chocolate cake & green frosting!

The Birthday Boy
After some water-play time, Aidan's guests each received a special garbage theme loot bag to take home, hopefully with happy memories of a fun party and a special birthday boy!


Loot Bags
 What to do for the next birthday party?  I have a whole year to think about that (and hopefully, the little love of my life will find something other than garbage trucks to obsess about)!!!!


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

I Feel a Birthday Coming On!

Just a few more days until the big party!  Aidan is turning 5 years old!  Where did the past five years go?  Our 'little baby' is just a wonderful memory, and our 'little boy' now graces our lives every day.
I am so grateful to have been blessed these past five years with such a wonderful little grandson.  He is truly the light of my life.  He brings laughter to my big grown-up world.


And so, the big number five!  What to do to celebrate that will leave lasting memories with a special little boy? Hmmm!
After scouring the Internet for ideas, the obvious presented itself.  This child is obsessed (and I use the term lightly!) with garbage trucks!  His little life revolves around seeing all the garbage trucks on garbage day!  He owns three garbage trucks!  He has garbage truck videos and books!


And so the search was on.  There isn't much out there on 'garbage truck birthday parties.'  But, much to my delight, I did find some blogs with some wonderful ideas.  And what a relief to discover my little Aidan wasn't the only child obsessed with garbage trucks!
So plans for the big day are in the works, and so far so good.  My dilemma now is making a birthday cake that looks reasonably like a garbage truck!  Oh, the stress of it all!


Stay tuned for all the photos and links to the blogs with all the wonderful 'garbage truck party' ideas!