One of my closest friends, Lauren, and I teamed up to throw Chase and Claire a sixth birthday party because these two sweet BFFs requested a combo birthday party like the dragons and unicorns pool party we threw for them when they turned three… THREE years ago. Man oh man, time sure does fly.
Lauren and I divided up party planning duties, catering to each of our strengths, and it made everything a breeze. Combo birthday parties are the way to go!
(CALIA Hat / Tie-Front One Piece Swimsuit / Tkees Sandals — color is Cocobutter / Skirt is Aerie but old — this is the updated version / Chase’s Rash Guard / Chase’s Swim Trunks)
(I told you this ridiculous palm tree drink pool would become a party staple for us. It’s just so perfectly tacky.)
I ordered matching small cakes in an ombré teal beach wave design for Chase and Claire and a bunch of cupcakes from Publix (all of the toppers were from Amazon) and cannot recommend their cakes and cupcakes enough! The two mini cakes were so affordable (I think they were only like $15!) and Chase and Claire seemed psyched with how they turned out.
The party took place in Lauren’s backyard which is just a dream for hosting a bunch of kids. We had a giant water slide bounce house set up — great for beating the July heat! — and the kids had fun splashing around, taking turns whacking a piñata and running all over the yard.
When I asked Chase about his favorite part of his birthday party, he didn’t miss a beat and said, “Catching a toad.”
Not the bounce house. Not his friends and family. Not his cake or presents. The TOAD. He is our Creature Man through and through. His comment also serves as a perfect reminder that kids don’t need a lot to be happy. Just give them some sunshine and nature!
Our two younger boys had fun celebrating their older brother in their own ways… Ryder by eating fistfuls of icing and Rhett by napping through the whole party.
It was such a fun day and we loved celebrating Chase and Claire!
As for the rest of the weekend, the boys were in heaven with Nona in town again.
She surprised Chase and Ryder with a water bounce house for their birthdays proving, yet again, to blow their minds with her creative and generous gifts.
It was so great to have her in town not only to attend Chase’s birthday party and celebrate with us but also to just have more time together after a year of not seeing each other very often due to the pandemic.
We also managed to sneak in a few fun activities after Chase’s birthday party and on Sunday morning we took our gang to Discovery Place in the city.
(Free People Bodysuit (old — this one is similar) / Old Navy Wide-Leg High Rise Jeans / Madewell White Sneakers)
We recently renewed our membership and our boys just adore this place. Rhett was in total monkey see monkey do mode and tried his best to keep up with his big brothers and do everything they were doing. He’s a baby on the move these days!!
On Sunday evening, we wrapped up our weekend with some post-dinner swimming in the lake.
Our boys were in heaven when a little girl let them borrow her kid-size yellow kayak and they paddled all over the place!
We wrapped up our weekend with homemade fig ice cream and it was the perfect way to round out our Sunday.
Yum!!
And now I’m off to get this weekday rockin’. We have a pool playdate planned with friends today and Chase’s *real* birthday is on Thursday. My friend Merri is also coming to visit later this week so it should be a good one all around.
Have a great Tuesday, my friends!
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Happy Birthday Chase & Claire!!
That kayak is too cute. 🙂
Thank you, Reenie! <3
Looks like Chase and Claire had a really fun birthday party. Happy 6th birthday to the BFF’s. Also -you might now have a good Christmas idea for Chase and Ryder – a kids’ kayak! They look like they did really well on it. Have a fun week!
It’s definitely on our radar! They loved it!!
I can’t believe their last joint birthday party was three years ago!! It feels like it was just yesterday! Whoever said that the days are long but the years are short was so right!
What an amazing birthday! Julie, you don’t need to publish this comment if you don’t want, but I want to warn you to please stay out of indoor places like Discovery Place until Delta rates go way down. It’s just too dangerous and your littles aren’t masked. The Delta variant has such a high viral load that vaccinated people can even pass it along! We don’t know yet if covid-19 can re-activate in the body like Herpes Simplex or Shingles. We do know it can have neurological and cognitive effects, and your boys are too beautiful and wonderful to risk that. I’ve been reading your blog for years. I think you’re great. This isn’t judgey hate-reading. I genuinely care.
How are you dealing with taking the kids place and balancing covid fears? We’re in Durham and basically back in lockdown mode with the delta variant and our kids. It makes us so nervous! Not judging you at all, just curious on your thoughts. My daughter would love that kids kayak!