What an awesome day and a labor of love for all of us since JANUARY. Yes, January. That was when I offhandedly asked what kind of birthday party McKinley wanted this year. He instantly answered, "Golf! I want a GOLF birthday party, with a real golf course and a golf cake and lots of golf balls." Immediately my brain went into overdrive. Honestly, I don't think on the way home (we'd been out for dinner) I was able to think of anything else. I set out to brainstorm and search the internet for unique ideas since McKinley had chosen such a unique theme - which I LOVE. Suffice it to say, I didn't find much. I did find golf ball cake pops and eventually a back yard mini golf course, courtesy of Martha herself. Cary and I discussed our plans and moved forward with them. It was such a joy to create a day like this for McKinley, we were all so excited for the theme and McKinley loved having input on everything! My favorite thing has to be the invitations...I had a vision of what I wanted and was able to execute it with the help of a graphic designer in California. What she put together was exactly what I asked for. I could not have been more pleased. I was so happy in fact that she and I worked together to design the printable paper products (signage, etc) for the party and I'm so happy with how it turned out. The only problem was I was so excited for the entire day that I never took the chance to snap photos of the decor or set up or anything. I'm so upset, but that wasn't the point anyway...McKinley, our friends and family all had a wonderful time. Seeing the smile on that boy's face was enough to make me have a party like that every single day. But, oh, would we be tired...As guests started to arrive the kids immediately took to the 'make-your-own station' that I always enjoy putting together. This year it was a golf visor...apropos, no? And all the guests were invited to take a guess as to how many golf balls were inside the candy jar. We chose one adult winner (who won the Caddy Shack DVD) and a one 'youth' winner (who won a big selection of toys and games chosen by McKinley). Brent (my Godfather and McKinley's "Papa") won the Caddy Shack DVD when he chose the EXACT number of balls inside the jar! I was shocked when he won because I have fond memories of watching that movie (parts of it...) in my Godparents home on a particular visit. Brent always loved that movie, so I was tickled that he won. Our nephew Logan was the 'youth' winner and was pretty excited with McKinley's little bag of goodies.
We asked Brent to lead us in prayer again this year, it's a nice little tradition and we so enjoy the efforts made by our friends and family to share this day with us, so it's nice for us to be thankful for that as well. We had a golf club-ish lunch of "Club" sandwiches, pasta salad, chips and veggies and dip.
As everyone finished ma
ny of our guests - especially the kids - played in our little back yard golf range. We had a putting range and a chipping range and clubs for everyone! While they played we got the piece de resistance ready...McKinley's AWESOME golf cake (that he picked out himself!) and the adorable cake pops that were truly the most difficult thing to find (mold ordered from amazon, turned down by 3 local bakeries, turned down by cake pop maker in Indy, quoted $100 for 12 by a cake pop maker in Memphis, Tn., and finally able to place the order four days before the party with a new cake pop maker in Indy --
Sticky Sweet Cake Pops--, shipped the mold to her, had my Godmother pick them up from her home and drive them here! They were NOT $100...Ha!). Cary had been the one to pick up the cake from Baesler's and he could NOT believe the attention this cake had gotten. Apparently the entire bakery had been enthralled by this cake as it was being made and decorated, so much so that they even took photos of it and the owner of Baesler's himself carried it out to Cary's truck. It was awesome, more awesome than I had pictured...when McKinley said he loved the photo I'd found he was certain it's what he wanted. When we walked out with that thing there was no doubt in my mind he was happy. He couldn't stop smiling! He was squealing with delight! It was a good moment...
ny of our guests - especially the kids - played in our little back yard golf range. We had a putting range and a chipping range and clubs for everyone! While they played we got the piece de resistance ready...McKinley's AWESOME golf cake (that he picked out himself!) and the adorable cake pops that were truly the most difficult thing to find (mold ordered from amazon, turned down by 3 local bakeries, turned down by cake pop maker in Indy, quoted $100 for 12 by a cake pop maker in Memphis, Tn., and finally able to place the order four days before the party with a new cake pop maker in Indy --
Sticky Sweet Cake Pops--, shipped the mold to her, had my Godmother pick them up from her home and drive them here! They were NOT $100...Ha!). Cary had been the one to pick up the cake from Baesler's and he could NOT believe the attention this cake had gotten. Apparently the entire bakery had been enthralled by this cake as it was being made and decorated, so much so that they even took photos of it and the owner of Baesler's himself carried it out to Cary's truck. It was awesome, more awesome than I had pictured...when McKinley said he loved the photo I'd found he was certain it's what he wanted. When we walked out with that thing there was no doubt in my mind he was happy. He couldn't stop smiling! He was squealing with delight! It was a good moment...I think it was the photo booth that really brought out the humor in everyone though. We always enjoy taking photos with McKinley and his guests and I've recently become obsessed with photo booths, so we put together an array of mustaches and other "on a stick" items along with props and a chalk board. I LOVE how they turned out! We have some really creative friends and family!
We sang Happy Birthday and McKinley watched his candles (that I had to continuously light due to the stupid wind...) and his cake with intent. He blew his candles out after making a wish and everyone dug into that yummy cake! Oh it was so good.
Things began to wind down as McKinley opened his gifts and we once again brought a special birthday to a close. It truly is the happiest day of the year for Cary and I - and so worth the absolute exhaustion from the weeks and weeks of work we lovingly put into it.
Fourth birthday party down, one happy, happy boy as a result...and two parents full of love for their precious boy!
So...too early to make plans for #5??????
Lynn
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