A few weeks ago I shared a post on Facebook that said something along the lines of “Name a movie you can recite from start to finish.” There are a few movies that this rings true to in my mind, but the one that would hand me a gold medal win in memorization is Billy Madison. One of my fellow NOM ladies commented on my post and we began quoting “suntan lotion is goooooooood for me!” Along with “Donkey Kong is the greatest game on Sega Genisis ever…” 

With our conversation continuing on, I had to throw in there that I can also quote The Sandlot the same way. I mean, after 28 years of watching it any time it was on TV or I felt like (which has been more times than I really would like to know) I BETTER know the full script, right?? To be completely honest here, my 6-year-old heart still skips a beat for Benny The Jet Rodriguez…phew! “Yea I do Smalls…Yea I do…” That’s almost as hot as my husband saying “I did the dishes for you.”

Quoting movies made me bring up my son’s 3rd birthday party theme and made her convince me to write a post about my party planning for my kids’ birthdays. 

I have never been a “typical” or popular theme type person. Many of my friends describe me as “extra,” which…well… I’m totally guilty of being. Because of my creativity level, a simple common theme for a party just won’t do, and I will never be pleased in the end. And most of all, INVITATIONS ARE KEY FOR ME! If they don’t rhyme, I feel like I didn’t do my best. (I’m crazy, I know!)

(NOTE: I am the WORST at taking pictures during events, so sorry for that!)

For my daughter’s first birthday, I went super old school Disney, Alice in Wonderland!

 

While yes, this is a basic Disney theme, I definitely switched it up a bit, and thus “Lily’s ONEderland” became a reality. The buffet-style table was complete with a piece of astroturf and lined with all different color flowers. Who needs platters and bowls when you can put chips and dips into teacups! We played croquet (well really just let the kids whack whiffle balls across the yard) with plastic flamingos. And of course my girl’s high chair was decorated in a blue and white tutu style skirt.

 

Much like me, my kids get crazy obsessed with movies for a period of time. For about 10 months prior to her birthday planning happening, we watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original) EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. So what better theme than “Lily Wonka!” I am so sad to admit that I have maybe 3-4 pictures from this birthday party as it was one of my best decorations I ever did. Our entire dining room looked like the chocolate room in the movie. I had a chocolate fountain and candy strung from the ceiling and balloon trees. And when you walked in through our front door, you walked right into the Wonka gates that would open into the party room. While the invitations for this party didn’t actually rhyme I did make an exact replica of the golden tickets in the movie to send out with our information on them. They were also sent out in chocolate brown envelopes and sealed with a gold sticker imprinted with “LW”.

Soon after the Lily Wonka phase ended we jumped into Wizard of Oz. The cupcakes at this party were by far my most favorite idea I have ever used! We all know what is the iconic symbol of the movie other than the yellow brick road. Y’all we live in New Orleans! Where February is that one time of the year (except in 2021) that everywhere else is just Tuesday. This made my life so much easier when it came to getting the perfect cake topper. Every year, on the Thursday before Mardi Gras day, there is a parade that takes place. Perhaps you’ve heard of it…. It’s called “The Krewe of Muses” and their signature item…. SHOES! Thank goodness for these ladies who helped me, because I needed about a million ruby slippers. Since Muses has the high heel bracelet throws, I was able to get about 10 of them and cut the string. I started by spray painting the shoes in a flat red and then topped them off in red glitter spray paint. Each set of ruby slippers sat on top of each white cake cupcake. If you were more of a chocolate lover, I had a set of ruby slippers with white and black striped straws used for legs that laid on the plate, and on top, flipped over was the chocolate cupcake to look just like the wicked witch when the house fell on her. Our gift bags were filled with tin man hats (Hershey kisses) Glenda’s transportation (bubbles)  and a box of animal crackers (lions and tigers and bears…..OH MY!)

 

KEEP IN MIND BART'S REAL NAME IS ACTUALLY JOHN BARTLEY!
KEEP IN MIND BART’S REAL NAME IS ACTUALLY JOHN BARTLEY, III!

For Bart’s parties, he’s really only had 2 that were very notable. (Bad mom here and no energy to go all out like I did for the first child….please, don’t make me feel worse than I already do!) For Bart’s 2nd birthday we had an all-out fiesta! Yes! I’m talking about a Taco TWOS-day party! This is probably one of the most fun I’ve had with a party until his 3rd birthday, but we will get to that one in a few. This fiesta was complete with catering from Dos Amigos, a game of pin the mustache on the mini mariachi, maracas as party gifts, and a T-Mex piñata. I wasn’t able to find a taco piñata locally so when I found a t-rex one, we added a sombrero and maracas and went along with it. One of my most favorite things about this party was when we had everyone present wearing a fake mustache for a huge group photo. We partied like guac-stars.

To bring this whole post back to where we started, Bart’s 3rd birthday is by far my most favorite theme I have ever done. I mean if I’m going to be honest, it was way more for me than it was for him. 

We went through big easy sportsplex and got one of their birthday packages. Bart LOVES baseball so it seemed like the perfect place to have his party. I sat and thought for a LOOOOONNNNNNG time trying to come up with something witty to go along with baseball and I continued to draw a blank. Finally, it hit me like Squints first kiss to Wendy Peffercorn…… THE SANDLOT! How could I ever not come up with this in the first place?! The venue was booked and the theme was picked, but now I had to tie it all together to go with my kid….. whose name is Bart, and super easy to rhyme and pun with, right?!… haha no…. it’s not. 

It took about 2 weeks of watching the movie on repeat and I finally figured it out! THEEEEEEE GREAT BART-BINOOOOOO! So there we had it…. He was basically The Babe. I went COMPLETELY (detail-wise) overboard on this party. From the theme to the venue, to the invitations to the food and gift bags. But more than anything, Bart’s outfit. He walked in like he owned the place in his jeans, green and white raglan shirt, under his custom sewn personalized jersey, LA Dodgers hat just like Benny’s, and of course ACTUAL PF Flyers. We had cookies that were signed by babe ruth and a cake in the shape of a baseball. If I’m going to be honest…I’m debating on making this the theme for my next birthday since it really is my most favorite ever.

Kids parties don’t have to be just for the kids, were spending the money and being the creative ones. Make sure you’re also happy with the chosen theme. Have a fiesta and throw in some Coronas in the ice chest, use one of your favorite movies to plan a theme. Trust me in the end it will make it much more enjoyable for you. 

If you like any of these ideas please feel free to use them. If you need help coming up with your own punny theme….. I’m always just a message away!

Katy Luttrell
Katy was born and raised in Metairie where she still resides with her husband of 7 years, John. She is a stay-at-home mom to Lily, her ten year old TikTok obsessed, sweet and loving drama queen daughter, and Bart, her five year Roblox loving anything with an engine obsessed son, who makes her question daily if she is really cut out for this whole parenting thing. And family caboose, Axel. Lover of wine, crafts, and nap time. She tries to keep the "fun" in the daily dysfunction. Life as an Oilfield Wife has taught her that Life's a Hitch, just enjoy the ride.

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