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Colorful Birthday Party (Kole turns 9!)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  We lucked out with perfect party weather and Kole’s 9th birthday party was a hit!  When I asked him what he wanted for a birthday party this year he said he really wanted everyone to come over to our house to jump and could we please get a bouncy house.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

So that’s exactly what we did. :)  This boy of mine still loves to jump which makes me happy because I know our bouncy house days are numbered!

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

He didn’t want a specific party theme like Star Wars or anything so we decided to just decorate everything with the colors that were in the bouncy house he picked out.  This colorful castle was the winner because it had a slide. :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Pops of blue, yellow, red and green!

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

We had an extra table so we just used it for gifts.  We always have our kids open gifts later after the party which I love because we can take our time and I can jot down info. for thank you cards.  Funny to remember how different that is from when I was young and half of the party was all about opening presents!  How do you do it with your kids?  I don’t think I’ve been to a party where gifts were opened in years!  I’m wondering if that’s a San Diego thing or just the way everyone does it now?

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

We set out three tables for food.. a blue table, a red table..

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

and a yellow table.  Then we used the opposite colors of plates on each to stand out.  I loved that my yellow and red flowers all started blooming so pretty just in time for the party and I had blue pillows on the lounge chairs!  Not planned to coordinate with the party decor, but I’ll take it. :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

I can’t take all of the credit for this cute party.  My darling friend Vanessa was a huge help!  She is a close friend of mine and I hired her this year as an “assistant.”  I’ve mentioned before that my 3 kids are in 3 different schools this year and we have a hectic after school schedule every day.  My husband’s job keeps him busy so it didn’t take long for me to see heading into this school year that if I wanted to keep my blog alive and be the kind of mom I want to be I was going to need some help.  Or give up sleep completely.  I can go on about 5 hours a night but giving up more than that just wasn’t an option. ;)  She was so excited to work with me and it has been a blast!  Every week is different and it’s usually just a few hours here and there but I’ve loved having her help with things like taking pics I need to be in (so nice to not have to wait for the weekend when Kenny is home!), some of the administrative blog stuff that I get buried in, or last week.. party planning and then heading to the store to get ALL things colorful for Kole’s party.  Plus it’s just more fun to do things like this with a friend. :)  I laughed that we both showed up in green and yellow coordinating with the party decor.  Kenny showed up in camo.. he obviously didn’t get the memo.  Ha.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

I’ve never been a huge fan of goodie bags after a party.  We all do it – I’ve given them out after my kids’ parties for years, but I sometimes feel like they are a waste of money because the kids chew the gum and maybe use the pencil, but a lot of times they just get trashed!  So we decided to give each of the kids a ball when they left (you can see them in a cooler off to the left of this table.)  Kole is always bouncing a ball around so it seemed like a fun and practical gift for this age for about the same price as a goodie bag.  The kids played with them at the party and then each got to pick one to take home after!  A fun party favor and it worked with the colorful polka dot theme we had going on.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Vanessa painted simple crate boxes and then we used gumballs in a mason jar with a polka dot ribbon and colorful balloons as table centerpieces.  She also found this cute dog that all of the kids signed with a pen for my party boy to keep and remember who came to his party. :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Then I about broke my neck hanging colorful lanterns from the back porch light over the food table.  But priorities.

I can’t believe my baby is 9!

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Costco run for all of the food!  Flowers were for me. :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Vanessa also painted the cute KOLE letters and then I put a picture of him in a frame on top of another crate.  We got pizza and then I just served easy snacks.  We also added gum balls in cute bowls everywhere because.. why not?  :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

All finished setting up!

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

I love this smile.  It’s his fake smile that says “humor mom for 5 more minutes with these stupid pictures and then I get to finally have fun with my friends.”  I know that smile well because his dad does it all the time too.

They’ll thank me someday.  I just know it.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

We also added a cute banner up on the balcony!  With painters tape.  But you already knew that.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Every time I share pics of our yard I get questions about our umbrellas.  They are the older model of these Cantilever Umbrellas and I honestly can’t say enough good things about them.  A splurge but they are worth every penny!  So easy to adjust to the sun and they’ve held up great.  (I’ll link to backyard sources and similar items below.)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Oh yeah.. friends are starting to arrive.  It’s party time. :)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

This party was so easy after set up because the kids just jumped and swam and played in the yard!

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

I didn’t take as many pics when all of the kids were here because I was monitoring the pool, bounce house and trampoline making sure everyone was safe.  Boys stress me out!  Their “play” always feels like a broken limb will happen at any moment.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Happy Birthday Kole!  You’ve got great friends who love you so much.

Boys Colorful Birthday Party (Sunny Side Up)

Mom and dad are kinda crazy about you too. :)

(Keep working on those smiles boys)

{OUTDOOR SOURCES}





xoxo, Erin
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10 thoughts on “Colorful Birthday Party (Kole turns 9!)

  1. This looks like the perfect party–reasonably low key, and tons of fun for the kids! Though all parties kind of stress me out, haha. Though I think I’ll miss them when the kids are done with these kinds of parties.

    I also HATE goody bags. i always give out a full sized chocolate bar or two (or more for siblings at home, ha) and a small toy like a lego man or something. I think the other parents appreciate it, and so does the world ;)

  2. So awesome! Looks like a fantastic time was had by all. Glad you and your assistant survived. What great ideas for decor and party themes. So happy to hear that Mother Nature cooperated, too. Whew! Thank you so much for sharing, Erin! Can’t believe Kole is 9!! Time is flying!

  3. Hi Erin,
    This was a darling parry theme. Can you tell me where you got the crate boxes that were painted? I need a bunch for a theatre set I’m helping with.

  4. I totally agree about party favors and always try to do something that will actually get used! Last year, we had a Little Mermaid party, so everyone got a large sand pail with a big ball in it (both from the dollar store!) – score. I hate when my kids come home with those little trinkets/junk that just goes in the trash b/c they don’t play with them! We’ve also made bracelets as favors for Princess party themes. Or given sunglasses. Last week my daughter came home from a party with a Highlighter (among some kit kats!) that was given as a party favor, which I thought was adorable! They use highlighters in kindergarten all of the time and Stella was so excited! We can all get excited about the right office supplies! LOL. Kole’s party looked like a blast!

  5. What a great party Erin – I bet he loved it! And what a brilliant idea to sink the trampoline! We had one that size when my boys were growing up, and I can’t tell you how many twisted ankles and flights into rose bushes that would have saved. If we ever get another, that’s what I’ll do. Thanks for the great ideas and inspiration!

  6. What a blessed little boy! One of the hardest parenting challenge is wanting to give your child everything they want but also to want them to appreciate each and everything to the fullest. I know, I know … a total contradiction or is that conflict? :) Thanks for sharing Kole’s special, happy day. It is a joy for me to read your blog and I do appreciate all that you share. BTW – I ordered the pirate tub clings for my two year old grandson – he loves them! They are such a great quality too at a reasonable price! Thanks for the suggestion!

  7. Oh man I can’t believe he is nine!! Where has the time gone?! Seriously! It doesn’t seem that long ago you were pregnant with him and then we were coming to SD to see you when he was a chubby little baby. Why do they have to get so big so fast?!
    I can’t believe you don’t open the gifts at the party! It must be a San Diego thing for sure, all the parties here that is half the fun, the kids are so excited to open gifts and even the givers love watching all the presents get opened! It’s half the excitement! The kids would think I was crazy if I suggested otherwise! Looks like a perfect party, your back yard is a dream! And I agree about random goody bags, I always try and do something that goes with the theme, even if it’s a treat to take home. This age is so fun when they talk about their birthday all year long, happy birthday Kole!

    1. I wondered if it was just a San Diego thing! NOBODY opens gifts at parties here! So strange. And I know.. crazy that he is 9! Our kids are getting way too big. :( Thanks Josie! Can’t wait to see you guys this summer! xo

  8. What a fun party! I love that it’s not over the top/pinteresty. Just fun with fun colors. And what a neat idea to give away a ball. Its true that goody bags are just filled with cheap toys that get thrown away. Then you have those parents that give goody bags for like every single holiday at school (eye roll).

    I actually prefer to open presents during the party. I feel like so much of the joy of giving a gift is seeing it opened and the happiness it brings the receiver. My boys (8,6,2) are super disappointed if the birthday child doesn’t open the gifts. I know its super coatic though. To each his own : )

    1. Thank you Emily! Happy you liked the party decor! And yes.. no time for over the top here. :) I totally agree about the goodie bags! xo

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