Princesses & Pirates 5th Birthday

For Eloise’s big 5^th birthday, the theme was Princesses & Pirates party.  She actually asked for a different theme; with her Princess-itis starting fade (already?!), I thought this might be my last chance to indulge in a girly-theme.   And, boy was it fun to put together!

Be Our Guests

Ma chère mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you… {Beauty & the Beast}

 

e tu designs

Here was the best response we received to the invitation (I couldn’t keep this to myself!)

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo {Cinderella}

Guests were asked to come as a princess or a pirate.  After much deliberation (read: eenie meenie minnie moe) she decided to be Princess Tiana (Princess & the Frog).  Her Fairy Godmother (me) picked up this gorgeous dress in Hong Kong and made a belt to complete the dress (I didn’t like the one it came with).

 

"Where is my little Birthday girl, hmmm?
I'm going to gobble her up when I find her!" {Brave}

 I kept Eden’s costume simple as there is no telling what he will and won’t wear.  I dusted off my trusty sewing machine to make his shorts with material I already had, and added matching pocket to a $4 tee shirt.

Mr H and I hired our costumes for the day.  And here's what happened at the costume shop:

BOO!

Head Pirate & Snow White

"It’s Only For Today, It’s Agony to Wait, Tell the Guards to Open Up the Gate {Frozen}

From the front door to the back door, I transformed the house into a palace (and ship-wreck) for the day.

Guests made a purple carpet entrance, complete with Eloise’s monogram.  By now you know I love a door wreath!  Each door had a Princess and Pirate door wreath.

Once Upon a Time & A Pirate's Life For Me

I used a roll of plastic table cloth to do the draping

I created a split Princess and Pirate table, just in case our guests forgot their tiara or eye-patch, or just needed some extra sparkle.

Cinderella's Dressing Table

Jasmine's Jewellery Shop

Pirate Booty Shop

The dining area was decorated with a Chinese good luck lion and lanterns for Mulan’s Royal Banquet (see below).

This has now been passed onto the pre-school
for their Chinese New Year celebrations

A few more princesses were sprinkled throughout.  The princess clip art used on the table tents was designed by Dragonflytwist (purchased from Etsy).

Tiana's (Gummy) Frogs

Belle's True Love (Hershey) Kisses

Outside, Eloise’s old play tent was resurrected as a ship-wreck.

“Mom, you'll never guess what I did today” {Brave}

To keep our little princesses and pirates busy during the party, we had face-painting, a treasure dig, trampoline/ jumping castle, piñata and photo booth.

Face-painting was done by Kylie-Anne at Happy Faces.  She is so talented!

We finished with piñata fun (a special request from the birthday girl).

Frenzy! after Pirate Jordy broke the piñata

Eden showing me the best place to store his loot

The photo booth printables were designed by Melbourne-based, Upon a Time Design (purchased from Etsy).

Get Yer Mug Shot Here
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest...

Princess and the Frog

The Royal Banquet

Lunch was inspired by Mulan and Eloise’s favourite- yum yum dim sum (as she calls it).  Guests dined on beef  fried rice, chicken chow mein, har gow (prawn dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), spring rolls, and cha siu bao (BBQ pork buns).

Ariel's Dinglehoppers (for eating, not your hair)

Yum yum dim sum

Happily Ever Afters

I made a castle cake for her this year.  See, purchasing the Wilton’s Romantic Castle cake set was an investment!  I kept it simple this year with a vanilla cake with white chocolate ganache and fondant.  I borrowed supplies from one of my lovely mummy friends (who makes ah-mazing cakes) and it cut down the frustration, tears and threats of the garbage bin.

Additionally, we had a watermelon pirate ship and the chocolate fountain flowing.

Cream puffs, strawberries, bananas, rice crispy treats
and marshmallows were available for dipping

Oh!  Goodie (Bags)

My favourite part of parties!  Our princesses danced away with their very own sparkling wand, light-up ring, pirate pouch filled with jewels, chocolate coins and fairy floss.  Our pirates walked the plank with inflatable swords or beach balls, light-up ring, pirate pouch with jewels and fairy floss.  Our younger guests received a princess bracelet or crayons to replace the pirate pouch with jewels.

I re-set the split table for goodie bags

Princess favor

Pirate favors

All guests received one of Snow White’s apples.  I got them from this old woman walking through the woods.  They were not poison, but contained a little toy and chocolate.

The End

It was a happily ever after ending for us; not bad for only starting to plan 2 weeks prior to the party!  Note to self: plan Eden’s 3^rd birthday earlier.  And get a photographer!  I know it seems I had a lot of photos from the day, there were photos that I missed like the cake table and us in costume!  BOO!

We appreciate those who came near and far (South Coast, NSW) to spend the day with us.  And thank you for the generous presents!  Eloise is one happy 5 year old!  We are lucky to have you in our lives!

Now it’s time for Snow White to take a bite of the apple… and sleep!

Happy 5th Birthday Eloise!

Click the link below to check out Eloise's slideshow for 4 years old!  {Music: Run The World (Girls) - Beyonce}

Eloise's Year in Review Slideshow

The Silly Season

A mostly Christmas post… ‘tis the season!  

Christmas in Sydney

While Pau-Pau and Gung-Gung were visiting us, we spent a day in Sydney visiting our usual Christmas spots – QVB, Myer train and David Jones’ Christmas Cave. 

QVB

David Jones display windows

Riding the Santa's Express train (Myer)

Santa Photo 2013

Meeting the Big Guy in the Red Suit

The Official Santa Photo 2013

Christmas Parties

Dinner at Flying Fish (me)

HH Christmas Party (family)

The two E’s had a super fun Christmas party with a petting zoo, face-painting, carols (kind of) and a visit and gift from Santa.

Santa: Eden

Eden: (waiting patiently) IT’S MY TURN???

Me: Yes

Eden: Does a little dance.  YAY! (All the parents laughing)

Glamorous at the Star

We had a “date night” at Mr H’s Christmas Party (the first time I’ve gotten to go!) being held at The Star. I was excited for a chance to “frock-up” (frock = dress) and always enjoy an opportunity to get my dance on!   (I wish I had remembered to take a photo of my dress because I kind of loved it.)  Neither of us had been to The Star since the big re-model/ re-brand and wow!

There was food – lots of it, hors d'oeuvres and food stations (dumplings, pasta, satay chicken and rice, and ice cream).  There were lounge singers, DJ’s and entertainers in the main ballroom (Star Garden) and the outdoor beer garden too.

The two E’s had a semi-slumber party with Matthew and Ally with pizza and movies.  Thanks Auntie Lys for being so very brave with 4 kids under 4!

Family

We had an early Christmas celebration due to a few being away at Christmas but even better; most of the H cousins’ were together!

A week later we had a BBQ at the park to celebrate Cousin M’s 9^th birthday and all 7 were finally together!

We went to feed the ducks on the pond.  This is all the boys together.

I had a techie Christmas with a new Samsung Galaxy S4…
this is the first photo I took with it.  Amazing, huh?

All Dressed-Up

Here’s our house decorated for Christmas, inside and out this year!

Eloise "helping"

Christmas lights!

The staircase

Even our lighting was decorated, and our stockings
hung by the chimney with care...

Our (main) Christmas tree
We had smaller ones throughout the house too.

Holly the Elf returned to us too.  If you are looking for what she got up to during her time with us, check out this post.

And here’s my office decorated for Christmas.  I am on the Social Committee at work and brought the idea of a decorating contest within the business units, and we all really had fun with it.  There was a shortage of Christmas decorating supplies at our local shopping centre thanks to us… and packing tape!  We weren’t at all competitive (I’m being sarcastic).

Unfortunately we didn’t win… carollers beat us but there is always next year.

Christmas Fail

“Let’s make a gingerbread house, it will be fun!” said no one ever.  Okay, once upon it was fun… and then I moved to Australia where it’s so hot the 3M command strips melt off the walls, so why do (every few years) I think frosting will hold a gingerbread house together?  2013 was one of the years I forgot this and I sat there holding together our “Outback Shack” for 30 minutes, only to have it collapse when I let go.  Eventually with a little glue (yes, glue) it held together (minus the bits that actually made it an Outback Shack) for long enough for Eloise to decorate it.  Back to the gingerbread men next year!

Eloise's gingerbread house
What you can't see is that the back wall has caved in.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

We are staying digital so here's our card this year:

Christmas Eve
After a half day at work and last minute trips to the grocery store, we dined on our traditional Aussie Christmas Eve seafood extravaganza.  So much yummy seafood!  As night settled in, we visited some local Christmas lights.

Cookies and beer for Santa

And carrots for the reindeer

Christmas Day 
After opening presents, we had our traditional Christmas breakfast of mimosas and my French Toast soufflé.  The kids enjoyed playing with all their new toys and riding their new bikes until their cousins arrived for dinner.

Christmas bikes

Eden's favourite present: Robofish and shark
The perfect present for a mama that doesn't want fish

MissE: Fabulous Four

We had a rough couple of days in the lead up to Christmas, surprisingly.  We think she was reacting to most of her close friends last day at pre-school. 

We are busy with plans for her big 5^th birthday… she is a little “me” and has all sorts of ideas!  She is also inviting the world… thank goodness she doesn’t have her own Facebook or it would be Project X Part 2.

Iron Tiger belt presentation

She did it!  Eloise earned her yellow/ white belt.

Belt presentation

No rest for these Iron Tigers!

MrE: Terrible Two’s

Just in time for Christmas, the Terrible Two’s have hit our house in a BIG way with tantrums and selective hearing.  Without fail, there is a tantrum pre-dinner and cat-and-mouse game for diaper changes.  Potty training is going well during the day; he doesn’t like to wear diapers anymore.  Funny story (kind of), we were in a toy store and suddenly Eden is standing a small puddle saying “Uh-oh, I go wee”.  He somehow managed to pee on the floor, while wearing a diaper yet kept the diaper completely dry.  Or the time, he carried the potty into my room to show me that he went!

 

Eden is very cheeky… and has a lot to say these days!  Unfortunately with the talking, has come the "Why's?"  Yes, that again. 

We aren’t sure where he comes up with the things he says:

One morning, I helped him out of the car and put him on the side walk, then handed him Scout.  He said to me “Thank you mama” then “I’m all set!”

After washing his hair the night before, he was waking up, rubbed his head and said “Oh my hair is soft!”

And when he's not talking, he's singing.  He loves music and singing along to the radio in the car.

On the last day of 2013, Eden saw his first movie… and he was such a good boy.  He was very excited, picking out Smarties at the grocery store and carrying them himself.  He sat in a booster chair for most of the movie, and on my lap too.

MissE and Mr E Says the Darnedest Things

How to Get the Girls 101

I was helping Eloise with her hair one morning.

Eden: What’s that?

Me: Spray for jie-jie’s hair.  When I was done, I sprayed Eden’s hair.

Eden: HEY!

Eloise: Eden, if you smell nice for the girls, they will all come and sit around you!

Mr H: Dating advice, already?

Smells like…

MrE was sitting on my lap and did a poot, poot (fart).

Me: Did you just poot, poot?

Eden: Yes.  I smell like Daddy now.

 

Christmas Edition:

On day 13, Holly the Elf on the Shelf, was found entertaining Snow White and Cinderella at High Tea.

Eloise: Did Holly sneak into my room???

Mr H: No, I think the princesses came downstairs.

Eloise: NO!  Holly snuck into my room.  She is the only one that’s real.

Lady Gaga & the Muppet’s Christmas Spectacular

Eden: Oh my goodness!  What’s that?

Me: Lady Gaga

Eden: That one!  What IS it?

Me: Lady Gaga

Eden: Whoa… what he wearing?

Me

In early December, I marked my 9^th year Down Under!

I also enjoyed nearly 2 weeks off work.  I had a list of To Do's and checked 1-2 off the list.  Slow and steady, right?  Most of my holidays overlapped with Eloise and Eden's so it was nice to be able to take them to the park, etc like I used to.

Until next time…
Preview: Eloise's big 5th birthday!