Camping Out, a look inside the tent~

The invites went out, the guests arrived, the party was a hit!

Now here's a closer look at all the little details, the behind the scenes of Camp Jammer. I should mention that we didn't have a big budget for this shindig, but we always enjoy making, thifting, recycling whatever we can so the $0 small budget wasn't really a concern. The majority of the money was spent on food, as is usually the case. Speaking of food...

Mini bags of Better Made Chips proudly on display
(It's a Michigan "thing")

S'more Trail Mix Party Favors!
{Honey Graham cereal, mini marshmallows & chocolate chunks}

"Puffed" Pop Corn Movie Treats
"Camp Jammers' wants to Thank You for 'poppin' over"

Oh yes, a baking combination that is S'MORE right than you know!

And here's how you make it!

I made Old-Fashioned REAL lemonade
& pre-filled Mason Jars ready for the taking.
We also offered Water & a cooler full of Beer. 

-Roll cutlery in a napkin
-Take a plate
-Punch a hole in the side
-Attach napkin roll with ribbon
-Sit back & marvel at how smart people will think you are...

It wouldn't be REAL camping if Duct Tape wasn't involved somehow...

How could I NOT make this sign when I had giant
pieces of poster board lying around the house?!

Thread+needle+ballons=Easy Ballon Garland!

No Camp would be complete without a Swimmin' Hole

And don't forget about Arts & Crafts!
We prepped our collection of milk cartons with white spray paint,
cut a hole in the side, hot glued on popsicle stick shingles
& attached a twine loop to the top.
Then the kiddos got to paint their new bird house, it was a big hit!
We even included a bag of seed to take home :)

Sheet Fort:
Bags full of old sheets- check!
Rope & twine- check!
Ladder- check!
Clothespins- check!
Feeling like a kid again- Check!!

We topped of the festivities we a movie outside!
If you can get your hands on a white sheet
& a projector then you are good to go!

'J' even had his own little camping chair to sit in :)
And since it was HIS birthday we
watched his favorite movie, Cars

And last but not least, the Kiddie Camper Packs!

At "check-in" each Kiddie Camper recieved:
a personalized Camp shirt (tshirt was thrifted, then I jazzed them up)
a personalized water bottle (Michaels Crafts- $1)
a bubble wand/glow necklace for the older kids (Dollar Tree)
binoculars (Dollar Tree)
chalk (Target Dollar Spot)
snacks: AirHead, raisins, fruit snacks
Bandana (Handmade by my mum)

Here's what the back looked like:
"MALLOW out & have S'MORE fun!"
Camp Jammer, 2012

And there you have it. Well, you get the general idea at least.
We hope you enjoyed your stay at Camp Jammers, ya'll come back now ya hear!

Has it already been 730 days?

Wow.
That went fast.

I mean, I know they say
"You just watch, before you know it they'll be grown"
"They grow in the blink of an eye"
"They aren't that small forever"
and the like, but it's incomprehensible until you are face to face with it-
time flies.
But man, have we had fun.

*Warning: Quick flashback mini monologue approaching*

'J' was not an "easy" pregnancy, neither before nor after. We faced some issues actually getting pregnant, then faced more issues staying pregnant near the end, then he was stuck sideways & needed a cesarean section to get him out, THEN I had a severe allergic reaction to the medical grade liquid adhesive they used on my sutures & it was a very uncomfortable recovery. And I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I cherished ever single day of his pregnancy. Because I was given the most amazing reward for it all, my little Dude. His presence has changed more than just our lives, he has changed the lives of everyone around us.

Ok, back to the present.

This little dude amazes me on a daily basis. I swear, it's like the clock struck 24 months & he added a truck load of new words to his repertoire. He is speaking in small sentences now & understanding (almost) everything coming out of my mouth. We have conversations, guys, CONVERSATIONS. And he also thinks he's funny now, which in turn ends up being funnier than what he was doing in the first place. And smart! You can see the wheels turning in there non stop. He knows his ABCs, can count from 1-10 & is fantastic with problem solving & puzzles. And this was all well before he even turned 2!

So in honor of this wonderful occasion we did the only appropriate thing parents can do, we partied. We said before having kids that the 1st birthday would be BIG, everyone we know on the invite list kinda BIG. (And man did this dude have a sweet 1st birthday party, people are still talking about it. Full blown mini MAN party with mini food, 'staches & ties all around!) But then just immediate family after that, until the 18th Birthday. But just because the guest list is cut short doesn't mean the party is.

CAMP OUT


That was the theme. A good ole' fashion Camp Out party in the backyard.
Please don't ask how I came up with it, I literally have no clue. It just popped in my head & I thought "Ya know, that could work..."
Did people stay overnight? No.
Were sleeping bags involved? No.
Was there a tent? If you count covering most of the backyard in a GIANT sheet-fort a tent...then YES THERE WAS!

Here are some of the Highlights:

*I know you are dying for the details, so click *HERE* to get the low down!

You know that moment right before the guests arrive when you are checking off your mental list/hoping you didn't forget something/trying to get the last minute things done/crossing your fingers it doesn't start thunder storming like the Weather Channel predicted/running in circles/wondering if they will have a good time & if it will all work out like you imagined it? I hate that moment. Being the Type A person I am, I loathe that moment. Of course there are going to be bumps in the road. Something unplanned ALWAYS happens (thats why I actually plan for it so that I freak out less when it happens), in our case we lost power on Wednesday, it didn't come back on until Friday & we lost all the meat for the party & had to re-buy it all friday evening. THEN friday night the Fire Dept showed up because the transformer in our next door neighbors backyard was leaking & smoking. THEN they were calling for severe thunderstorms & 100* heat for Saturday, party day. But we forged on, preparing Plan B, Plan C & Plan D just in case.

But it all worked out!
No rain!
Everyone survived the heat!
And most importantly, 'J' had an amazing day!

And the 'icing on the cake'?
'J' got to have his first piece (EVER) of Birthday Cake! I made a completely Dairy-Free S'mores Pie-Cake that knocked it outta the park.

Some people may look at all this as 'Over the Top'. And that's fine. Everyone's different & so are their priorities. But the way we see it, is that we had to work real hard to have our kids, & by golly we're gonna celebrate them as much as we can. Their birthday is an Anniversary of the day they fully entered our lives & our family, & that is definitely deserving of 'Over the Top' in our books.

So here's to you, 'J', two years down & many more to go~

-OUT OF OFFICE-

Last week was busy, & this week is gonna be CRA-AZAY!

So I'm thinking ahead & am pretty darn positive that there won't be any action from me on this here little blog this week.

BUT

I will be back next week (hopefully) with a BIRTHDAY post, a KITCHEN UPDATE & maybe even a PORCH FINALE POST!!!!

And if you're good little girls & boys I may even toss in a new Cookin' in the Kitch post! Do you know what you get when you take 4 main ingredients toss it in a cup & micro that baby? No? Well I do so you'll have to wait until next week to see (*Insert evil laugh here*)

Wish me luck, fingers crossed I can survive the madness that lies ahead...

DUN DUN DUNNN