Celebrating the Young and The Young at Heart

This weekend was packed with fun celebrations of 2 our most special friends.  It truly was such a reminder of how blessed we are to have these people in our lives here and how God's plan is so perfect.  When we moved to Houston one of my biggest fears was making friends and look what God did!  He made "family" for us so far from home. 


On Saturday, we were honored to be part of the 1 year celebration of sweet little Ben Woolley.  Now you may remember from my blog posts HERE, that Ben is the son of my best friend Jen Woolley who we prayed for tirelessly over the few last years.  And now, one year later, we are celebrating his birthday!  How fun to be born on St. Patrick's Day?  


The boys made hats at their gymnastics camp on Friday.  They were so proud of them when we showed up to pick them up and they actually asked to wear them to the party on Saturday!  Of course, mom had to steal those sweet little "Irish" kisses too!

Their hats they made at camp

The party was great.  The boys were wild and had so much fun.  The best part was they are finally old enough to "go play". I did not have to bounce in the bounce house! Whoo hoo! What big boys they are.  Jen had so many special touches that I love.  I have to tell you though that I was in the living room and I was watching the DVD slideshow she made that was playing on the big screen TV and I was just overwhelmed and tears began just flowing down my face.  What God can do in any situation is just so powerful.  What Jen has walked through and the goodness he has brought to their lives through it.  Oh yeah, couldn't quit crying.  Such a sappy  mom I am!  The theme of the party was "One year old in a Flash" Jen is the amazing photographer  that takes the boys yearly (ok at first, monthly) photos of the boys.  So it is only fitting that she has tons of amazing photos of sweet Ben!

Favors were little cookies shaped like cameras

Everyone brought a note for Ben to open on his 18th birthday

How cute are those apples!

Can we go jump!

Look at the garage transformed

My favorite touch - look at the banner made from her photos taken every month!

Month 1 to..

Month 12!

The boys with Ben (and his daddy)

Ben's beautiful mom Jen

Photo booth!  Do you love it?  It had tons of props  and remote control for pictures

Love love this!  Can't wait to the Riley silly pics

Time for cupcakes!

Beautiful Woolley Family

Riley boys in some cupcake action

Dad talked him into touching his nose.. it was blue!

Mommy wash my hands!

Perfect craft.. photo frames!

Beckett and Eli's designs

After Jen's party we headed home so that I could load up and head over to our friends The Fryar's for more party planning action.  Our best friend Curtis (of the Galloway Miracles ) turned 40 last week and we plotted and planned a surprise party for him.  Now Curtis and his family are HUGE Louisiana fans.  Saints, Mardi Gras, Crawfish all of their top favorites. In fact Curtis just took a job in New Orleans (trying not to think about that) so we planned a great afternoon crawfish boil.    McCalle and I were in charge of the "inside " food and the boys handed the bugs.  We had a variety of snacks and a death by chocolate table!


Several of our touches came from Pinterest, but some we thought of ourselves.  

The banner I made, love using tulle with it this time

A bucket of beads greeted our guest

A bottle of "Bin 40" for all the guest to sign for Curtis to take home

Our facts about how old Curtis is!

I scored these little pots 3 for $1 at Dollar Tree and filled them with crushed up oreos topped with a worm.  I printed up cute little tags that said. 40 - Officially older than dirt!  What cute inexpensive favors they turned out to be.

We downloaded lots of old pictures onto my digital frame.  Do you love the buckets on each side!  Ha!

For the boys 1st birthday I did a tree with pictures hanging so we just used that same idea for the centerpiece of our "death by chocolate" table.  It turned out great.  I got the idea for marshmellow pops Our Best Bites.. they are like fake cake pops!  I had the bucket from another party, so with a little craft paper, cricut action, and backet filler from Dollar Tree we were ready to roll on those cute inexpensive treats.  McCalle made the CUTEST graveyard cake.  And... homemade oreo cookies!  A tray of chocolate dipped rice krispy pops from Twig and Thistle finished off a great table!

Justin and Mike had way too much fun cooking up the bugs!  And the kids found them fascinating. Mine called them crabs!

Look at this table.. with holes for the shells made from plywood and Justin's saw

The chef

60 lbs of bugs = 4 coolers

checking them out

Those are some big bugs!

Kids gathered round

Eli chasing mommy with a bug!

And then the SURPRISE!  We pulled it off.  He says he had no idea. He thought they were coming over for a little get together with the Fryars.  

Trying not to scare the kids with our screams!

The Galloway family

And then the party was on!  The bugs were poured, the music turned up, the kids were wild, and tons of love and laughter surrounded the afternoon.

Mike and Curtis's dad

Eli got some beads!

Me and the hot cook!

Justin, Curtis and his dad

Curtis and best friend Riley

Curtis mom and sister

McCalle and CC

Sweet Dax

Fun on the slide!

The pour

The spread

Gathering around and getting down on some bugs

Enjoying my plate from "inside"

Oh yeah! Thats good stuff

Little Beau

Daddy and his little man

Curtis with mom and dad

JUMP

Just hanging with Beau

Curtis and wife Leah

Very special friends!

Sisters enjoying treats

Beckett enjoyed the treats

Fryar girls swinging

Trampoline fun!

Dog stole his cookie :0(

Love this guy!

With his fabulous hostesses!

At the end, the candles were blown out, the bottle was signed, necks were hugged, and everything cleaned up.  We are left with the amazing memories.  Reminders in every smile and every laugh of God's blessings of provisions and God's blessings of friends.  Isn't that what makes life so beautiful?  We loved celebrating these special milestones in our friends lives.  

 Laissez les bons temps rouler!!!

Love, 
The Riley's