A Royal Celebration

We decided on a "double princess party" this year to celebrate Gracie's 4th birthday and Ella's 2nd birthday. It certainly was a royal celebration, and we had so much fun with our family and friends. The cake table looked precious covered with lots of pink and green treats fit for a princess.

Another delicious and beautiful cake from our favorite bakery.

I wish I'd taken a close up because they were so precious, but part of the favors were wand cookies. They were delicious homemade sugar cookies on sticks that my mom and sister stayed up making with me very late the night before (4 dozen of them!).

We also made these yummy crown cookies, and they didn't last long!

I love this picture of Gabby with Ella. Funny story--Gabby usually doesn't wear makeup during the week and she generally wears "nanny clothes" as Grace calls them (aka t-shirts, comfy pants and other kid-friendly gear). We're not used to seeing her all dressed up like this (isn't she beautiful), and when Ella saw her, she didn't recognize her at first, hence the look on her face. She kept pointing to Gabby's lipstick and saying, "I no like it. I no like that. Take it off!"

Happy girls.

Happy girl and happy, distracted boy.

Grace was entirely too busy playing with her friends to stop for a picture. That bounce house was great entertainment for everyone!

Sutton enjoyed being passed around. He loved his Aunt Cynthy for a good while, then Dory, then a host of others (but I don't have pictures of everyone, sorry!).

The biggest hit of the party? Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Snow White! Ella answered the door with me. She broke out with a huge smile and declared, "Oooh, Pincesses! Barbie!" (sorry Sleeping Beauty, but she couldn't tell the difference). Grace was thrilled, although not surprised since she had invited them months ago. She later said to me, "Mommy, I'm so glad Sleeping Beauty and Snow White were able to make it. I didn't invite Belle to my party, but she was nice anyway."

The princesses started off with some face painting...

A little one-on-one time...

Another funny story--in this next picture, Gracie's friend, Dagny, was excitedly telling Snow White, "Remember when I saw you at Disneyland?" And, instead of playing along, Snow White replied, "Did you?" I mean, what true princess wouldn't remember meeting sweet Dagny last summer? Don't these princesses have to go through some kind of training?

Then it was time for some crafts and a little beading...

And, finally, a treasure hunt...

After all that excitement, it was time for cake and blowing out the "tandles."

We wrapped up the party with pinata fun. After all the kids had a turn and didn't make a dent in it with the princess bat, our cousin, Diana, took a golf club to it and released all the goodies. Ella was noticeably absent from the scene until the candy came out. She has no patience for games :)

Once our guests were gone, the girls opened their presents. This is the only picture we got, and I figure you're all probably tired of pictures by now, too!

It was a super fun party, and I think we're all partied out for a while. Thank goodness we have six months to rest until Sutton's first birthday bash!