Campout Party!!

We decided to do a camping theme, complete with two tents set up, for Abby Jane's 3rd birthday. When it started sleeting Thursday and rained all day Friday, we started making plans for setting up a tent in the garage... though it wouldn't be quite the same. However, Saturday dawned COLD but clear, and all the party guests were great troopers with the weather! We only invited family and a few families with Abby Jane's "big kid" friends- she's around the babies and their friends so much that we wanted her 3rd birthday to be a big kid party.

Our first arrivals were my sister's family, who made the drive from Chattanooga (we're celebrating with my brother's family when we go visit them in a few weeks!)

Katie and Ian with the little girls...

Our first activity was decorating jars...

to catch (plastic) bugs with on a bug hunt! (Any fantastic pictures on this post and the one prior are courtesy of Lindsey and that jewel in her hands below... thanks for sharing your talent, Lindsey!)

Birthday girl with a bug jar in her camping-themed birthday dress. I know an owl is a stretch for a camping theme, but I couldn't find any camp-style design that wouldn't look ridiculous on a girl.

Paul with the boys "catching bugs"...

Our first friends in Kennesaw, Kristin and Maddy...

Next activity was pin the tail on the bear, design courtesy of our Mimi with a degree in art! My performance in a New Year's Eve game of Pictionary proved that I definitely had no business attempting to create this on my own. My big 7 yo niece Katie showed the younger kids how it was done.

Here is sweet newly-turned-three Fallon giving it a shot...

I had big plans for a potato sack race next, but I think the two and three year olds had enough of structure by that time, so I'm just going to have to save that for when we do one of these shindigs again at some point. There are so many fantastic camping party ideas out there that are perfect for 6-7 year olds! Be watching in 5-6 years for a twin camping party... ;)

Aunt Betsy and Luke, bless his bundled little heart!

Precious Blythe and Joy had a funny day- for the first time EVER they chatted and told jokes to each other ALL AFTERNOON NAP LONG and didn't sleep the whole afternoon! But they still were in great spirits when party time came and put up with getting passed around until they both suddenly called it quits at 7:15, about 30 minutes later than their normal bedtime! They spent a good deal of time with Grammy pulling them in circles around "the campsite" in their wagon...

Finally the long awaited moment for Abby Jane- she's been amped for her birthday since the twins' party in October...
Blowing out THREE candles!

Look how everyone has grown since last year!!! Though Blythe and Joy look about as unimpressed with the whole affair as they did then...

Then came the s'more making. This was another good reason for the party to be big kids only- I can only imagine if all 10 or so of our baby friends were crawling around by the chimnea... there would have been nervous mamas!

I was glad to see Granny Joan making a s'more- she and Grandaddy seemed to constantly have one of their great-grandchildren on their hip or doing something else helpful- we sure love them!

Finally we moved the party indoors, and family stuck around for an after-party hot dog dinner (Trader Joe's hot dogs do not gross me out, though I know they can't be much better for you than other brands...)

Then once again, my no-presents birthday party had some present opening, though mostly from family who were "allowed"... and of course Abby Jane needed all four assistants to help her!

All our little happy campers left with some goodies!

We were so grateful for a precious day celebrating our big girl. I notice as I finish this post that I have very few pictures of our parents at the party- that's because they were behind the scenes entertaining twins, helping clean up, helping get out food, etc. THANK YOU for everything, parents!! A 3 year old post to come soon!