Happy Birthday, Tatum!

 

 

Fun with the pinata...

Enough fun kids...Daddy's turn. 

 

Of course he knocks it down on the first hit!

Thankfully they continue to attack it on the ground instead. :)

 

 

 

Thanks so much to all who came out to celebrate with us!

Pimento Cheese

This is my grandmother's recipe and I have vivid memories of her and my mom serving it when I was a child.  It's still just as good today!

1 pound (4 cups) freshly finely grated sharp cheddar - grating the cheese in a food processor just before making it really important to this recipe; make sure to use the fine blade
1 cup mayonnaise (eyeball it to get to a creamy consistency)
1/2 cup finely chopped pimentos

Freshly grate cheese using food processor.  In a large bowl, mix in pimentos then mayo, until you get a creamy consitency (it will firm up after refrigeration).  Allow the mixture to come to room temperature  (leave out about 30 minutes) then mix well.  This allows the cheese to breakdown and everything to incorporate.  Refrigerate and serve on crackers or sandwiches.

Happy 4th Birthday, Tatum!

So I was a little intimidated when I decided to attempt this watermelon, but it actually wasn't that difficult.  First you lay the watermelon longways and make a small diagonal incision on one end (about 1 inch in at the thickest part) to allow the watermelon to stand up at an angle without support.  Then draw the mouth on the other end and cut using a pairing knife. Work the knife inside the fruit until you are able to remove the triangular portion (reserve fruit to cube for later use).  Remove most of the remaining flesh by using the combination of the pairing knife, a larger knife and a spoon (this youtube video was helpful for this part - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb_vRwCHd40).  Leave about 1/4 of the fruit in the melon.  Use a vegetable peeler to shave off 1 inch of the green skin around the edge of the mouth opening then use a pairing knife to create the "teeth".  I filled it back up with some of the remaining cubed watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries and blueberries.  Also pin two blueberries on with toothpicks to create the 'eyes'.  Definitely a fun way to serve fruit!

More Birthday Party Decorations

Silverware holder

Items Needed:
Formula Cans

Primer
Paint
Ribbon
Glue or zots to hold ribbon around
Tissue and krinkle paper to stuff inside

Sandwich holders

I took a picture of the boxes before I painted them, but of course, I accidentally erased it.  They were Driscoll fruit boxes from Costco.  Here's the closest thing I could find:

All you do is prime and paint them then line with parchment paper.I also made one for the cupcakes since I couldn't find a platter large enough to hold 4 dozen.

More Surf Party Decorations: Banner

Supplies needed:

• Scrapbook paper
• 8x10 photos printed in black & white (cropped for face only) - I just printed them on regular paper
• scissors
• ribbon for shorts
• pom poms for tops of party hats
• string/rope
• clothes pins
• zots to stick on pom poms or you could use glue
• double sided tape
• hole punch
• card stock to put behind pictures/hats to make them more sturdy (if desired)

All you do is cut half of the scrapbook paper in the shape of shorts and hole punch two holes at the top and line with ribbon.  Cut the other paper in the shape of hats.  I used scraps from the shorts for the border on the hats.  Top with a pop-pom and tape onto a picture.  Tape the entire hat/face combination to a piece of card stock for extra support then arrange everything on a rope with clothespins.  If I have time I'm going to try to spray paint the clothes pins to make them stand out more.  Cute, cheap and easy!  I think I'm more excited about his birthday than he is!

Party Favor: Butterfly Nets and Personalized Bug Boxes

So planning for Tatum's bday and my spring to do list (catch a butterfly) reminded me of the favors from Tatum's last party.  For some reason I've always had this weird fascination with bug boxes.  I think it's because my grandfather loved the outdoors and I have fond memories of spending summers catching butterflies, lightening bugs, locusts, frogs and lizards with him.  He even put lizards on leashes made of string and lightening bugs in glass jars so we could watch them light up in our bedrooms at night.  I found the boxes and nets at Target in the Dollar section and just personalized them with paint pens (I wrote butterflies instead of bugs for the girls).  I notice Target has them again this year. I hope Tatum and Kaylee (and all the other kids that attended Tatum's party) will get as much joy out of them as I did as a child.

Cardboard Surfboards

Tatum's 4th birthday is coming up...oh how time flies!  We're doing his party at the pool so I thought a surfing theme would be fun. I am pretty darn proud of these decorations made out of a cardboard box and some left over paint.  The cutting took a little more arm muscle than expected (thankfully my mom was in town to help).  If I had to do it over, I'd probably invest in a good exacto knife.  But overall it was pretty easy and the price was right - free!  I have a few other ideas in mind so I'm anxious to see it all come together!