The Baker Bunch: Conrad's 6th b-day! Cowboy Party

This is probably the longest single post I have ever, or will ever make. I took 4 posts from my from my restlessrisa blog, and thought I would just include everything, so when Conrad is looking back at the family blog over the years, he can know how much work and time have gone into making his birthday's special, just like he is... I LOVE you Conrad. You are my little buddy. I am SO GLAD I get to be your mommy!

Preparation for this party took a while... I'm not gonna lie. I would say it was all worth it, and went off without a hitch (besides when the horse was hitched up).

When I told my mom I wanted the kids to pan for gold for the cowboy party... she TOTALLY DELIVERED!!! Let's call her RestlessRona - I think she is the one who always encouraged me to be creative, and use my head. I love the way she thinks, and then does!

Here is what she did for the panning for gold activity for the party tomorrow...

She got a bunch of pea gravel from her yard, and washed it about 3 times, and then let them fully dry. Then she put it all in a box to spray. She said putting it in a box to spray worked SO WELL, because she could shake it up, and move everything around to make sure all the rocks were coated.

She used this KRYLON Metallic brilliant gold.

Look how nice and shiny they all turned out!

I have a large collection of pie tins for some reason, and now I finally have a good use for them! I know they can be turned in for money, but I never remember to do it. I thought of using disposable dishes, but the kids are going to be finding the gold in a swimming pool that is full of water and sand, in addition to the gold.

So... my mom drilled holes in all 4 tins at once, and the backs were jagged. We didn't want anyone to get cut, so I pounded the holes with a hammer, and it did the trick.

The holes are a perfect size, so that the gold won't slip through!

Thanks Mom! I am super excited, and everything looks great!

I knew I wanted the kids to be able to lasso a horse for the party, and went to the DI last week, and found a sawhorse (just the bottom part of this - the legs) for only $3! I put it in my cart right away, and this lady kept following me around telling me it would look great in a family room with a quilt draped over it. I think she wanted me to give it to her. I have given things to people in the past if they are drooling over what I have, but I knew I wanted this. I had NO idea how CUTE it would turn out!

So... my AMAZING MOM (restlessrona) brought it to life! She found a picture of a horse head on line, blew it up, and cut it out, and traced it onto a piece of wood. She then cut it out, and hooked it onto a 2x4 for the neck. She also cut out ears, and drilled them on.

My mom hooked the neck of the horse to a peanut shaped piece of wood, and then hooked that to the original saw horse legs.

She drew a face on it with a marker.

Isn't she just so good???

She drilled holes for the mane, and wrapped the end of a rope with tape, then hot-glued them into the holes, and separated the rope.

She did the same for the tail.

I got a small woo hoop, as my kids call them, or a hula hoop as the rest of the world knows them, from the dollar store, and wrapped it with dollar store rope.

Restlessrona used a combination of spray paint and stain, and ended up matching the legs perfectly!!!

It turned out cuter that I EVER imagined!!! Now that the party is over, I need to figure out some way to keep it. Maybe I will use it in the playroom???

Again... thank you mom!!! You're the best!

As each child arrived, they got to get dressed up in cowboy accessories! This is how the table looked before they got there.

Each child got:

a holster,

a hat with a badge on it,

a gun,

a bandana (tip- my mom told me to cut them in half diagonally! I did, and cut the cost of them in 1/2!),

and spurs.

What cowboy would be fully dressed without a belt buckle??? (These came in the gun and spurs set, and I didn't want to waste them.)

It was a cute little set-up!

THE FOOD!!!

This darling fabric from Hobby Lobby was the inspiration for everything!!! I made this cute little runner for the table, and went from there...

Vintage Cowboys.

Appliqued G I D D Y U P !

Vintage Cowgirls!!! Too cute :)

I will get it out for 4th of July, so I have an extra excuse to use it.

THE FOOD!!!

Cornbread muffins...

The boot picks are from Hobby Lobby.

The kids were expecting cupcakes, and I don't think they loved these.

Marshmallow on a stick with chocolate and crushed almonds.

Remember when I made pink ones for my daughter???

You can see them here. This is just a different spin on the same idea.

The only thing I would have done differently, is left a few without nuts, for kids with allergies.

This is what they ate..

Good ole' cowboy grub!

Each kid got a pouch to wear around their neck, to put their dried off gold in. It had a list of what they were going to do.

This is how the other side of the yard looked before the party started

As soon as the kids arrived, they got suited up, and ran around chasing each other with their guns. It was a great pass-time while waiting for everyone to arrive. They were SO cute!

Serious Cowboys and Cowgirls!

GIDDY UP!

The real surprise of the day, was when COWBOY CLINT arrived with his horse!!! The kids were SO EXCITED to see a real cowboy!!! They got to pet and feed the horse.

Cowboy Clint told the kids that good cowboys and cowgirls always mind their parents! I hope it sunk in :)

So excited after getting to pet and feed the horse!!!

Cowboy Clint is a family friend. He reminded my mom that she made him a pair of chaps and a vest when he was little, and that's what started it all!!! My mom also made the chaps Bubby is wearing for one of my little brothers! Again... thanks mom! Thanks Clint!

Cowboy Clint showed the kids the horse shoe, and explained how horses have an extra "heart" that helps pump blood up the legs. I never knew that!

The little buckaroos were intrigued, and so was I!

Bubby felt extra special getting to ride the horse.

Thank you COWBOY CLINT!!!
You're the BEST!!!

The kids will NEVER forget that a REAL COWBOY came to the party!
You made Bubby's whole day!

On to the games...

RATTLE SKEDADDLE!!!

The kids got to take turns tossing a snake into a bucket. Everyone liked it more than I thought. Even the girls ;)

BRONCO BUSTER!!!

The kids got to take turns lassoing the horse! It was just too cute!

NUGGET FEVER

Panning for gold was the hit of the day, as far as the games went! The kids LOVED it. We had about 15 minutes after we finished everything up, for the kids to play before their parents came to pick them up, and most of them chose to pan for gold. My son keeps asking when we can go to California to look for gold!!! How cute :)