Category: Party

percy jackson day

Sponsored by Disney Book Group.

How is your kiddos’ summer reading going? With the holiday we hardly had time to think let alone read, so I am happy things have slowed down a bit! To get us back in the swing and back on track with our reading goal of finishing the Percy Jackson and the Olympians box set we had a whole Percy Jackson day! Starting with breakfast!Percy Jackson Blue FoodsIf you haven’t read it I’ll fill you in on this little inside joke slash piece of backstory! Percy doesn’t know his father growing up, but his mom has a grumpy new husband. He thinks he’s pretty awesome and loves to make arrogant remarks. One of which was that he was certain there were no blue foods. Instead of arguing with him she proceeds to bring home blue foods whenever possible.

Percy Jackson Blue FoodsSo blue food becomes a theme throughout and we took the challenge for breakfast this week. Want to see?

Blue mason jars make everything look blue, so that’s an easy shortcut!

Percy Jackson Blue Foods

Blue Smoothie bowls (yogurt + fruit!)

Percy Jackson Blue Foods

Percy Jackson Blue Foods

And one of Hayes’ favorite parts of the book is Camp Half-Blood — basically the summer camp of any kid’s dreams. There are 12 camp teams named after different Greek Gods and so the boys chose theirs and made their very special flags. Capture the Flag is a huge deal at  Camp Half-Blood so we thought it would be fun to play with our own flags!

Just have them choose their flag shape, create their crest and write their team name! Raleigh of course wanted to be involved with the scraps. 😉

Concentration face!

 

Their finished flags!!

We brought our flags to the park and somehow realized we had never played before with the kids! Tragedy. But they loved it!

We are about halfway through the 2nd book so we gotta step up the pace to finish the series this summer!! You can grab the box set right here, it’s 30% off right now and $5 a book!

baby shower!

I threw my sister and her wife a baby shower a couple weekends ago and it was SO fun!! They got absolutely swamped with gifts and seeing how many people love and support this soon to be trio was so heartwarming. Baby Shower TipsZurchers was so nice to donate materials for this one and you can find everything I used in store and lots more online! This is how the wall started out and with it your first tip: don’t overfill mylar balloons or they split open and deflate. We went from Oh Baby! to Oh BB. Ha!! Wish I had grabbed good pics before that happened, but these will do right?Baby Shower TipsThis wall was so impactful for the price. All of these fringed streamers together was under $12. And this wall is enormous! Baby Shower Tips Bethany and Lauren have super modern and minimal style and I knew that the gold and rose gold was stretching it as it was so I wanted to keep the table centerpieces simple. I got this monstera pack, and this palm frond pack and mixed them up in glass vases and bam! Done! Baby Shower MustsWe had acai bowls, a bagel bar, juice + mimosas and these plastic champagne flutes ended up being perfect!!Baby Shower MustsShower games can be tricky and I didn’t want any to feel cheesy (or inappropriate slash weird, like this mix and match game I shared a few years ago.) “Guess the Baby Tune” was super fun, we used this printable and I made a special “This or That” where the guests guess this or that and the winner gets prizes.Fun Baby Shower Games

So fun to have my other sister in town and lots of family there!! This company has a whole collection of gold glitter flatware, perfect acai sized bowls, plates and cups, for such a steal!

Another easy backdrop for a good price! We had a gold and rose gold theme going and these dots had rose gold metallic detailing! So pretty! See all the rose gold options Zurchers has right here!  They also have a shop by color option that makes it so easy to find what you need!

They got 1,000 gifts but I was so happy to see her reaction to mine. I knew how much she wanted this Freshly Picked backpack and was stoked to deliver!! They have the best taste and this is my fave as well.Baby Shower Tips

Going to a shower where the baby is a miracle of one or more donation:

  1. The couple might not actually want to discuss who the egg / sperm donor is. If you have questions maybe ask “I’d love to know how the selection process went if you want to share!” — privately I might add, and not in a group setting.
  2. Avoid games or scenarios that discuss genes, genetics, who the baby will look like etc.

Anything I missed?

swim party favors

Sponsored by © Monedelez International Group. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve got two summer birthdays right in a row with Raleigh’s in June and Cal in July! We tend to have at least one of their parties at the pool and this year is no different. SWEDISH FISH and SOUR PATCH KIDS candies created the perfect pool-themed treats just in time!

Pool Party Favor Ideas

Heads or Tails, you get a new flavor! SOUR PATCH KIDS HEADS and SWEDISH FISH TAILS combine two flavors into one candy, and they were the perfect addition to our Swim Party-themed favors. I grabbed mine at Dollar General and right now, they’re buy 1 SOUR PATCH KIDS Heads, get 1 SWEDISH FISH Tails FREE (8 oz.; max. value $2.00) – Click here for the deal! All these other favor ideas are easily sourced online with 2-day shipping, too! Of course, Dollar General has so many fun options for summer treats and party ideas, too!Pool Party Favor Ideas

I love giving party favors that actually benefit the party-goers while at the pool and something fun to take home, too. Pool Party Favor Ideas

Sunglasses…cute photo-op alert! // A floatie is a pool must-have, and these small soda can holder ones are inexpensive to buy for a crowd and not too bulky to bring home! // A limited-edition candy that they’ve never tried is sure to get kids excited. SWEDISH FISH candies are Cal’s favorite (the raspberry mango flavor is bomb!) and SOUR PATCH KIDS are Hayes’ (he loves anything sour!), so we’ve got our bases covered! // Stick these sea creatures in water and kids can watch them grow when they get home. // Goggles are a must (buy them in bulk online!) because someone always forgets theirs and it seems to cause contention. Goggles for all! // No matter what the age, bubbles are a hit. These smaller tubes come in bulk as well and are just enough fun for the afternoon. // Packing a few other snack options for them to eat is sure to keep everyone happy and away from the concession stand.

Swim Party Favor Ideas

Cal is getting so big, and this year is a big birthday for him and our family! He has done so amazing this past year, making new friends and being brave, and it will be fun to have them all to the pool to celebrate!

Pool Party Favor Ideas

Did I miss any pool favor ideas you love? Be sure and try out these Sour Patch Kids Heads and Swedish Fish Tails and tell me what you and your kids think!

Swim Party Favor Ideas

CLICK HERE FOR THE COUPON!

father’s day 2019

Father’s Day and Russ’ birthday have become huge deals over the years because Russ just doesn’t buy himself things. He very rarely spoils himself, so we take it upon ourselves to spoil him when we have the excuse! We got him a Traeger grill this year and I know it’s not going to be a purchase for everyone but, this is the one we got from them! It’s a smart smoker meaning that you can control most things right from your phone. Check temperature, timers, recipes, all right from the app. SO rad and I couldn’t wait til June to give it to him so we’ve been smoking every week and he’s in heaven. This DIY from years ago still reigns supreme on Pinterest, so a DIY idea that your kids can do for him, too! 

Here are some other gift ideas that he’d be so excited about as well!

Father's Day Ideas

VINTAGE SPORTS GEAR

If your man has a team he loves, chances are he has for awhile and takes a lot of pride in being their fan. Vintage sports tees, hats and memorabilia prove he’s no fair weather fan! I always start a search on Etsy and eBay simply typing in the team + vintage!

This store Vintage Sports has a curated collection of vintage, replicas and remakes. Their baseball hat section is huge and would be rad to wear or display in their office. We got him this hat! Love their gym bag collection and their black sports balls, too.

I’ve shared my love of Le Labo colognes before but I’ll say it again. They also have perfume oils, grooming kits, candles and more so you can try out a scent without committing to the price. We love Noir 29 or Santal!

Quip – We love these toothbrushes, not only do they clean better but their brush replacements are automated so it’s one less thing to have to remember at the store (or lets be honest, forget completely and use a less than effective brush head.)

Iniki’s are an Adidas classic and I think one of the most versatile sneakers. We have friends from all walks of life, with different styles, and the Iniki is a common denominator for all of them!

Airpods – If you haven’t yet, do it. This is Russ’ most used gift I’ve ever given him! Its supposedly coming soon in black, so keep your eye out for that.

Mother’s Day DIY

Is it just me or do you love getting spoiled by your significant other AND then something handmade from your kids? I think it’s the perfect combination for a lovely Mother’s Day. Rounded up some pretty DIY ideas your kids could pull off!

My very favorite thing to get and super easy to print off and send to grandma’s (Grandma version here!) far away — SURVEYS! This one is the cleanest style but you can find a million options on Pinterest that fit your aesthetic! Like this pretty floral one.

This one would get some funny responses, too!

DIY Mother's Day

A raw, assembled bath soak! Have bowls of ingredients out and let the kids concoct away!Mother's Day DIY

Bath Soak //

Bath bombs — with the correct molds these are actually pretty easy to make!Mother's Day DIY

Bath Bomb //

Isn’t this gorgeous? I’d love to have this out on my desk!DIYs for Mother's Day

Pressed Flower Art //

My kids love a good craft and this is super easy! Paper towel rolls cute and folded down and then painted!

DIY Mother's Day

Paper Bouquet //

Got really little kids? Any age can participate in this! Fingerpainted stems and leaves, too!

DIY Mother's Day

Handprint Flower //

As much as I love a cold waffle soaked in syrup, I wouldn’t say no to açaí! Have kids cut up the fruit to help and then bring an ingredient list to choose from and mama can order her own!

DIY Mother's Day

Acai Bowl Bar //

dinosaur party ROARRR!

Zurchers Party Store (one of three stores that Small Fry basically runs on) is working with us this Summer on bringing some of their beloved party themes to life! First up, a ROARRR party fit for all your dinosaur lovers! Zurchers has made it super easy to recreate this theme or find products and elements you love from today’s party by housing them all in one place — find them all here!
Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.15.35 PMThey have this incredible cardboard line of brightly colored dinosaur party accessories from Meri Meri that instantly adds that festive flair. The Dinosaur Cardboard Centerpiece is so rad and looks great even as nursery room decor post-party. They come with Dino Party Hats seen below:Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.28.19 PMAnd then of course we whipped some up with their standard party hat, too. We like the idea of the birthday boy or girl getting a special hat and these razor sharp party toppers are super easy to make!Dino Party!Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.15.07 PMThe food is always super important and for this party we decided to go healthy as can be. All in the name of those veggie-sauruses!Dino Party!A party activity that the we and the boys died laughing over was “Eat like a T-Rex!” Slip their arms into the shirt sleeves and watch as they eat their party food with their stubby T-Rex arms.Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.13.26 PMOnce they were convinced that dinosaurs eat all manner of leafy greens they didn’t even ask where the donuts were. We also had green smoothies (dino juice), easy sandwiches and more veggies! (Milk Jars + Straws // Plastic Dinos + Plates)Dino Party! Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.14.35 PMWe didn’t skip ALL sweets though, we had a cake and cupcakes, too!Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.16.24 PMThese toppers from the Cupcake Kit match the hats and we love the origami folded paper look!Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.16.05 PM Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.15.44 PMWe love that Zurchers carries these mini balloon letters. They have them in several colors and even though they’re crazy inexpensive they’re reusable so you can get quiet a collection going!Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.15.16 PMThis line also has a ton of wall decals which are great for more color and interest at the party, we turned them into a Feed the Dino (Pin the Tail on the Donkey) game.Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.14.57 PMAnother easy party game is to make your own Dino paleontologist style.Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.12.52 PMThey have a million party favors so sending each guest home with something ferocious like these Dino Grabbers was a breeze and so fun to pick out!Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 4.13.44 PMWe’re so happy to be recreating these themes with Zurchers and if you have any parties you want to see brought to life Small Fry style, let us know!

SOURCES

Dinosaur Cardboard Centerpiece // Silver Letter Balloons (find all available colors right here) // Plastic Dinosaurs // Dino Party Hats + Basic Party Hat // Party Favor Bags // Dino Cupcake Kit // Dinosaur Piñata // Glass Milk Bottles + Orange Striped Straws // Dinosaur Tablecloth // Roarrr Invitations // Dino Grabbers // Dino Plates

halloween class party ideas

Who’s signed up for class Halloween party volunteering? I signed up for the “book/treat”, not sure what that means, but I am bringing both just to be sure! I asked Cal what treat would be fun and he requested Spaghetti. Can you imagine a worse snack for 25 kids?Monster Spaghetti

Here are the MOST checked out Halloween books according to an Elementary Librarian! Halloween Class Party ReadsThere Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat // Clifford’s Halloween // Room on the Braaoom // Little Old Lady Not Afraid of Anything // In a Dark Dark Room (scary stories) // All the Lovely Bad asOnes (scary stories)

Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Pretzels

Halloween Treat DIYMonster Bark – there are 1,000 versions of this online but I love that this one used multi colored chocolate! Such messy fun.Halloween Treat DIYPudding Cup Bats – I’ve seen this with juice boxes (covered in white cheese cloth for a ghost), apple sauce pouches (wrapped in crepe paper like a mummy), String Cheese with eyes and a mouth for a ghost, faces on Clementine Oranges like jack-o-lanterns. I like these ideas because it doubles as a craft and isn’t opened so it’s less germy as they handle their food.Halloween Treat DIYScary Donut Ideas Scary Donut IdeasAnd a few cute treat ideas to add to these 8 we found a couple years ago! Also still stand so hard behind this Healthy Halloween Lunch I posted 6 years ago, ha!

And if you’re in charge of activities here’s a few easy ideas! ALL of My Mind’s Eye Halloween Decor is on sale! For smaller groups, rotations or maybe a fun price to win this Monster Magic book would be awesome to have them each do a drawing.

Print off one of these nine Ad-libs! // Sheets of stickers to make faces on small pumpkins! // Spider Ring Toss 

buy or diy: easter

BUY OR DIY? THE EASTER EDITION! Where I scan the web and filter out the nonsensee to give you the best in DIYs and what you should probably just BUY.

First, NOTEWORTHY DIYS!

MODERN BRUSHSTROKE EGG

Best Easter DIYs

POTTED EGG PLANTS (I can’t link to this site because the ads displaying are freaking sketchy. But it’s called Godfather Style)EASTER DIY IDEASMODERN DECORATED COOKIESBest Easter DIYs SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMERSBest Easter DIYs BUNNY EGGSBest Easter DIYsSCANDI EASTER TREEBest Easter DIYs Best Easter DIYs RICE KRISPY NESTS (swap those eggs out for Cadbury stat!)Best Easter DIYsPOM POM WALL HANGING / WREATH – Spring Wreaths are rough for me. It’s hard to find something youthful but still sophisticated. It’s either great grandma style or too juvenile. Ya feel? Best Easter DIYsBUNNY BUM GARLAND Target sells this banner (in the carousel below) but if you’re color palette picky or want a fun craft to do together this post is awesome!Best Easter DIYs

BUNNY CUP DIYBest Easter DIYs

And now for the BUYS!easter buys

Easter Themed Dessert Sprinkles (on sale today!) // Egg Molds // Easter Color Palette Fans // Speckled Egg Wreath // Olive Leaf Wreath

And a few more options!

 

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letters to santa party

Sponsored by The Elf on the Shelf.

I am SO glad our friends at the Elf on the Shelf launched this darling Letters to Santa activity because I am officially making it a family tradition and am sad I wasn’t able to start sooner! Now that I got my love for this out of the way, let me tell you about it!Letters to Santa - Shrunk down to an ornament!We had our cousins in on the fun and made it little party! We gifted them with their own box which comes with everything you need to get your letters ready and a sweet little book to explain it. Your kids may wonder how to get their letter to Santa AND if he actually reads it, I know mine do at least. First, you write your letter to Santa. Then our Elf Max P. (named “Maximum Presents” – my son is SO seven years old right now) needs to get it to the big guy but it’s a little large for his tiny elf hands. Letters to Santa Next you need to shrink your letter so your Scout Elf can deliver it! Put it in Mrs. Claus’ magic press and voila! It will be perfectly shrunken down so Max P. can deliver it.Letters to Santa - Shrunk down to an ornament!Then the big day was here – Max P. arrived! So we threw him a little welcome to the family party (this fun kit is filled with games, party favors, decor and more!) and that night donned him with the official Christmas Lists! Sure enough the next day Santa sent it back with him so you KNOW he read it and then you can keep it as a keepsake ornament!   I will be doing this every year and can’t wait to see the ornaments all together over the years and how my boys’ interests change as they grow. Letters to Santa - Shrunk down to an ornament!I really love this idea, way to go Elf on the Shelf!

Find your own Letters to Santa kit here!

modern kid party ideas

Such good party ideas from around the web lately! I’ve got parties on the brain with my soon to be 6 year olds birthday tomorrow! You can catch all Small Fry’s original party ideas in our Party tab but here are some of my favorites: Dinosaur Party // Big Hero 6 // Cal’s Favorite Foods.

This Party Animal party is perfection. Layered to perfection and graphic pops galore! Via Project Nursery.Modern Kid Party Ideas From the hand lettered banner, to the animal balloons, the “tails” on the chairs…Modern Kid Party Ideas This random mix of sprinkles is such an easy hack to make it feel extra special. You can buy these sprinkle mixes on Etsy or at local party stores!Modern Kid Party Ideas Dead over this Modern Super Hero slash David Bowie vibes party via 100 Layer Cakelet.Modern Kid Party IdeasMy favorite detail are these acrylic cake and cupcake toppers! Its got my head spinning with ideas. You can buy them at Creative Muster on Etsy Modern Kid Party Ideas Another amazing layering job. If you can get the table scape right you’re basically there for a beautiful party. Via Catch My PartyModern Kid Party Ideas

Modern Lego Party – I love all the details and shapes! Via Style Me Pretty5416a1ed5c3b3$!900x