Party Time!

We had a birthday barbecue for Madelyn with several of our neighbors and friends along with Pa Mark and Mary Ann.  It turned out to be a spectacular day!  

I can't thank Daddy, Kaitlyn, Madelyn, Mark and Mary Ann enough for the help pulling it off!

While I worked on Madelyn's cake, Pa Mark, Mary Ann and the girls set up our bird feeder.  The manual said we may not have birds for up to seven weeks, but we lucked out and had birds within a day.  The deer also discovered it (and emptied it) about two weeks later.  

Here comes the cake theme and story...

I decided to make Madelyn a Tinkerbell themed cake per her request (we'd already done Rapunzel).  I planned to make the cake 100% edible minus the support boards, dowels and Tinkerbell fairies.  

I ordered green cotton candy online for the pixie dust tree.  Below are pictures of how the first (notice first) tree turned out.  I used rice crispy treats for the trunk and chocolate melts to cover them and make the pixie dust trail.  

Per a note on the order form that said keep cool, do not expose to cotton candy to heat, I put the tree in the refrigerator.  About forty five minutes before the party when I pulled the cake out to assemble it, much to my surprise, the cotton candy turned into gooey, melted sugar.  It dripped off the tree onto the cake.  Dave and I both agreed I needed to fix it, so he rushed up to a local store that we knew carried cotton candy while I assembled the rest of the cake.

 When he got home, we feverishly added the new cotton candy.  Only problem...it was pink and blue.  Thankfully, I bought some green edible food spray.  We pretty much used up the whole can on the new treetop.  Thankfully, it work like a charm!

If you do not know much about Tinkerbell and her fairy friends, I built Tinkerbell's house as seen in the Lost Treasure movie.  It is a sideways teapot on tree bark with mushroom steps leading up to it.

The two cakes were connected by a fondant bridge and fondant river (my design, not in the movie).  The other cake represents the pixie dust tree where fairies come to life.  They use pixie dust to fly, create the seasons, and anything other magical fair thing.  

Madelyn loved the rainbow cake I made for Kaitlyn's birthday party, so I made both bases of each cake rainbow cake for her too!  I'll admit, I love how it looks!

Have a great party Madelyn!

Can we eat the cake now?  Please!!!

Before we ate the cake, the kids played outside as it was a gorgeous day.  We put the parents to work blowing up the punching balloons.  They were a big hit despite the grass popping most of them. 

The big kids attempted a leap frog race.  Both teams did great!

 Since the party started at four, we opted to have cake at five in order to avoid sugar highs right before bedtime.

The kids went back to playing after cake and ice cream. 

Daddy grilled chicken thighs to go with the pulled pork sandwiches.  

The kids played a bunch, so it allowed the adults to visit.  

Grilled chicken and pulled pork - yummy, yummy!

Our spread...home made cole slaw, two pasta salads, water melon, corn on cob, fresh strawberries (big hit with kids), veggie platter and fresh tomatoes with mozzarella (from a neighbor).  Bon Appetit!

While the parents finished eating, we put on Tinkerbell for the kids to watch.  They loved it and finished out the evening playing upstairs.  

A seriously cute group of kiddos!!