Luau Birthday

For quite some time, Meredith has been determined that she will be a Hula girl when she grows up.  Actually, she is going to be a hula girl that owns a pizza shop.  Which we actually think could play well together, but that is a different story!  So, this year, she decided she wanted to have a Hula Girl birthday party!  It was perfect since Neal and I were so focused on Hawaii already, so we ran with it!  

Her other request was a cookie cake. I decided to make them myself, so I dreamed up a design that included a Hula girl we bought in Kauai and flowers from a lei. I decided we might need 2, so even though I pretty much a control freak when it comes to party details, I decided (after lots of begging) to let Meredith decorate one cake.  I figured this way, I would have mine for pictures and she could have fun with the other one. 

 My cake, I was pretty happy with how it turned out.  

Then, Meredith went and proved me wrong and showed me up with this one!  I helped her to squeeze the icing because it was hard to do, but she led my hand and told me exactly what she wanted - a hula girl (complete with very detailed additions like flowers on her ankles, etc), a 6, waves, a turtle, and "aloha!" After we finished this one. I almost decided to only put IT out because I was so pleased with it and proud of her!  And guess which one all of the kids wanted at the party - yep, hers!  Maybe that will teach me to relax a bit on party details, but probably not!

The party cups I decorated with each kid's name on the front and the Hawaiian version of their name on the back.

 Between some steals at the dollar store and a great tub of stuff my friend gave me, we were Hawaii central!

 Meredith proudly added this.  She heard us talk about pig roasts in Hawaii, so she found her piggy bank and a stuffed pig and put them on top of a paper fire.

 One of our surprises for Hawaii for the girls was a How to Be a Hula Girl movie.  It taught a couple different Hula dances so we put it on for all the girls -they had a blast in the super cute skirts and Leis!

 Seriously into "Pearly Shells"

More hula!

 Time for cake!

 My sweet birthday girl!

A fun game of Limbo

 More dancing, complete with fashion courtesy of Ella.

The Hula party ended and then we transitioned to the next part of the celebration which had been another big wish of Meredith's - her first sleepover.  We had 6 girls decide to stay the night (plus my two).  We weren't sure how it would go since none of the girls had yet to have a friend sleep over before.  We put them to bed with popcorn and a movie, which they loved watching from their sleeping bags.  Around 11, we turned off the lights and the only tears we had were actually from the birthday girl!  Everyone did great - we had no late night runs to houses or phone calls to mamas!  And best of all they had a great time!  We finished it off with donuts the next morning and a little more playtime before the girls headed home!  

Little cuties in their sleeping bags for their first sleepover!