xoxo, the chapmans: Ellie turns 5

Ellie's birthday party was one of my favorites ever! and one of the most hectic/craziest ever! she really wanted all of her preschool friends to come, boys included, which made picking a theme a little trickier (no girly girl themes!)... we finally landed on art - pretty gender neutral - and made a go of it.

let's just say, boys are way crazier with paint than girls are! whoa!

but we had a blast - and Ellie had a blast - and that's all that really matters.

we called the party "Ellie's Art Studio"

everyone got to put on a little smock with their name on it as they came in-

and grab a little paint bucket with treats and a watercolor kit for their favor as they left. they turned out cute!

we had huge strips of butcher paper along our back fence - with "Happy Birthday Ellie" written in bubble letters. there were tons of sponges and rollers that they could use to paint with.

there also were watercolor paint tables.

and i basically served colorful junk food - including pop corn (in cups that i water color painted), rice krispie treat paint brushes dipped in colored white chocolate, skittles, fruit punch and cupcakes. it was very sugary and delicious - but at one point, Colton came to me and asked, "Do you have anything BUT junk food here??" to which i responded, "No, I'm sorry!" And he said, "There's just too many sweets!"

you can never please everybody.

this was the one picture i got of everybody. why, oh WHY must i always forget to take a group photo!!??

the best part of the whole party was when her preschool teacher, Mrs. Perona, made a guest appearance! you guys, this lady is better than any character at Disneyland! the kids were over the moon excited that she was here...and they busily all yacked at her for the entire 30 minutes that she stayed. what a saint, that woman. it really made the party! Ellie was elated.