This weekend our deck was filled with people we love, gathered to celebrate our four-year-old. It felt wonderful to have so much connected outdoor space—the sunroom-turned-veranda and the big deck that overlooks the grassy backyard made hosting everyone easier than in our last house, where guests were split between a sunroom and a two-tiered patio. Since our previous home was where we’d hosted every other Clara birthday, it was both strange and delightful to hold our first big birthday here. Most importantly, Clara had an absolute blast.
We usually post a little party-prep piece before the main recap—sharing invitations and small details—but this time we combined everything into one full post. The invitation we sent out reflected Clara’s initial idea: “all full of pink and gold everything… with glitter.”
The theme didn’t stay strictly pink and gold for long. It quickly absorbed nearly every thing she loves: flamingos, fairies, princesses, Lego, cupcakes, Pez, castles, polka dots, treasure, bubbles and water. We shortened it to the “pink and gold everything party” because it really did include just about everything.
We embraced the chaos and pulled out decorations from previous celebrations—paper lanterns and floral tablecloths—then added a few new touches like dollar-store flamingos, gold tinsel fashioned into a sparkly table runner, and polka-dot balloons. Mixing old favorites with inexpensive finds kept the look festive without breaking the bank.
To create more seating in the not-yet-furnished sunroom, we used an old pedestal table and wicker dining chairs (they work great outdoors) and set up kid-friendly zones: our water table, a borrowed water table from Grammy and Tom-Tom, tubs of toys, bubbles, and even a sprinkler on the lawn.
The weather cooperated perfectly—sunny and warm enough for water play, but cool in the shade. We didn’t even need to run the fans.
Food was casual and kid-friendly: watermelon, chicken nuggets, sliced peppers, caramel corn, chips & salsa, and a few pizzas. We kept things simple so adults could graze while watching the kids play.
We added grocery-store blooms and gold mason jars filled with pink and gold Twizzlers for an easy festive touch.
The little flamingo cups were dollar-store finds. The chocolate coins and pink jelly beans disappeared fast—before the pizza was even touched.
We also found flamingo stick balloons at the dollar store and tucked them into the potted ferns around the deck. Kids loved taking them home at the end of the party.
Highlights were the cupcakes made by our friend Justine. After Teddy was born she offered to bring a meal and somehow that turned into making cupcakes for the party. She embraced the eclectic theme and created handcrafted toppers—from glittered castles and Lego heads to tiny “fairy Clara” figures with little wings. The cupcakes drew an audible “oooh!” when they were presented.
One cupcake even showed “Queen Clara” in a big pink-and-gold dress—exactly her style. Justine really went above and beyond.
When we asked Clara to name her five favorite parts of the party, the first thing she said was “MY CUPCAKES!” (followed, somewhat unexpectedly, by “when Sam hit me in the face with the beach ball”).
For the first half of the party everyone lingered on the deck eating and playing around the water tables—about a dozen kids and twenty adults. Later many of the kids migrated to the lawn to chase bubbles and run through the sprinkler.
We set up a small bubble blower and then John brought out a giant bubble maker that amazed everyone—until some kids proved they could blow bigger bubbles on their first try.
The sprinkler entertained a crowd of kids filling cups and containers with water, which made for some funny scenes.
Water tables stayed busy, so it was helpful to have a few activity stations while adults chatted nearby and kept an eye on the fun.
Teddy didn’t join the water play, bubble blowing, or sprinkler antics, but he charmed many guests. Here’s John’s mom sporting a flamingo headband—love the enthusiasm for a theme.
Party favors were simple and fun. Since “Pez” was on Clara’s long list, we picked up dispensers and filled pink and gold containers with small treats—affordable and kid-approved.
We also bought a pinata and nearly forgot to use it, but the guests who stayed had a blast. One kiddo even rocked a gold chain and sunglasses and brought the moves.
After lots of swings the pinata finally burst and the kids scrambled for the treasure.
As tradition, we took a family photo—a rare event since someone is usually behind the camera. This one was extra special: the first photo of all four of us together. Took us a month to get it, but worth every second.
Can we pause for Teddy? He’s impossibly sweet. And that little lady in John’s arms—when did she get so big? I tell her she isn’t allowed to grow anymore, but she keeps ignoring me.
Did you have any gatherings this weekend? Have you ever hosted many parties at one house, moved, and wondered whether a new place would feel the same? A home truly comes alive when it’s filled with the people you love. Even though we’ve lived here almost a year, this house didn’t feel fully “ours” until Saturday. Seeing everyone on the deck and our kids running in the grass made it feel complete—laundry piles and all.