Little Kids Birthday Parties

Dear Diary,
Please do not make me throw or attend one more little kid birthday party.  While I love my children dearly, I detest kids birthday parties.

 I know I seem like the biggest "Debbie Downer" mom, but I am just not a huge fan of them. They are usually scheduled at the worst times, often weekend ruiners.  Even my kids are, on occasion, not too thrilled about going to kids birthday parties.

However, when it comes to my own kids' birthdays I am never off the hook. So, I've had to get a bit creative on throwing a fun, yet simplified birthday fete.
My daughter turned 5 in February. We hosted her birthday party at Denver's chic floral boutique, Bloom Denver.   This year my daughter invited 5 of her pals to Bloom to participate in a floral arranging class. Each of the girls made their very on floral arrangement and then brought the finished arrangement home.  The class was taught by Bloom's very talented, incredibly patient and very beautiful, Kristin Hatgi. Kristin prepared the flowers and the materials in advance and the girls were able to get to work on arranging right away.

The birthday girl, and company

You can see how proud they all are of the finished product.  In fact, the girls all talked about the importance of "turning" the container  as you arrange the flowers. It was such a fun birthday and the best part was that it was a small group of young ladies. We adjourned across the street for dinner at Noodles and Co. and feasted on mac and cheese and cupcakes from Big Fat Cupcake. Delish!

I'm not sure when or where my dislike for kid birthday parties arrived because I do love to entertain. In fact, I entertain adults often. I do not mind hosting a dinner party for 30 in my home. However, when it comes to entertaining 30+ kids, I become paralyzed. One year, during our son's birthday party, my husband found me upstairs in our bedroom hiding from the chaos that was ensuing in our front yard.  Pathetic on my part, yes, I realize that I probably could toughen up a bit. And this year, I think I found my answer.

We pulled together a lovely little board on Pinterest, complete with party favors, goodie bags, decorations, and more! Follow the link for more hassle-free and fun birthday inspiration.

Wayfair, Way Fabulous

For those of you haven't heard, Wayfair is an online retailer super-super-super store for all things home, from dog beds to dish rags, and high-end furniture. They literally have it all, with over 5,000 brands and nearly 100,000 orders shipped every week. Who doesn't love a place where you can buy a Ikat blanket and a chain saw all at the same time?  With so many choices, this mega-site is almost guaranteed to have something that suits your fancy, but the task can be a bit daunting sifting through thousands of options. We decided to do the dirty work for you and highlighted a few of our favorite standouts. I was too torn about which chainsaw I liked best so I'll leave that pick up to you.

Eco Ikat Blanket in Blue, $115; wayfair.com

Rock the Casbah: This Moroccan-inspired print will liven up any space with Middle Eastern flair, plus, it's made of eco-conscious material. We're particularly fond of the blue.

Rosebud Planter, $87; wayfair.com

Spring Fever: We can't say we're usually the biggest fan of faux stone. We're purists. But these sure look like they could be "found" at a flea market. Would love to see them filled with succulents or ground cover such as small clover ground cover

Light Bench, $790; wayfair.com

Bench Warmer: This bench is truly a conversation piece designed by Pablo Pardo, known for his innovative lighting and furniture combinations. The lucite legs support an acrylic light box top that gives off an incandescent glow. Use it as a seating option or a cocktail table. 

Washed Beige Indoor/Outdoor Rug, from $484; wayfair.com

Tailored Tapestry: We love this multi-function rug. It's super-durable, made for indoor/outdoor use and trimmed in Sunbrella fabric, eliminating all worries of being bleached in the sun. Use it on your porch or in high-traffic areas. The sturdiness makes it very kid-friendly. Rub and scrub all you want and it should withstand the wear and tear.

Doolin Trough Planter, $195; wayfair.com

Rock Star: This trough has an unfinished, rustic sensibility about it that would be lovely in a garden. It's perfect for planting spring lettuces like arugula and butter leaf since the basin is three feet long. 

Bamboo Picture Frame, $19; wayfair.com

Bamboozled: You can never go wrong with bamboo, whether it's accented on a vintage secretary, printed on a pillow (click the links for GDS shop's bamboo offerings!), or trimmed on a frame. We're loving the burnt finish on this one.