![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuYSU3zEnyOhHYS9HQVkFSUP1FOQzL9fh-Vql-T4igh1NK5xUt03acJIaVsV_tQ517cT62JpKTfd9YR-Fw_SNQxSKFkGzkZVsW5M_GxRSdC2LheuRXOwL270r1ZNYCIQ-TxD52xzhC145/s400/065.jpg)
The birthday girl before her big party.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiC6QeT_O5vQbUUyuA5TzoakPn-zmdFAYzuh3zjBPHLl5Gtgdc8gge671hz6F3E85ZBbkGb2A0VcdvNSrkDHnT3HQxYAhkB4M_J1lqN1NmAF5ZmlfV3PjtBFoJilQmMyx-bi0gG1avo6Se/s400/066.jpg)
To decorate, I tried to go really simple, but it ended up taking longer than I thought.
Tissue Poms are MUCH more time-consuming than one would think.
Plus those paper lanterns take time, too.
Thanks to my dad and Greg for helping hang all these on Thursday before her party on Saturday.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60rRh-OCOKEhOCPoRqT0878dmcC_DRQ830l1o1f79vrvOWdRR_Hg8MTNbrGZHHP9In4I2xt0FuVRgWcTzXemlBOJ9atoDeXfTtyuVPiW_RHahtMapwYr-2Iuacg8OaOQh8QXwgaax8oBq/s400/017.jpg)
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I just got those cheap butterflies at Hobby Lobby. I guess they're used for floral decorations, but to adhere them to her decorations, I ripped out the wire and added a
3D foam dot to the back. Worked like a charm!
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Everything was light enough to hang with fishing line onto the light fixture.
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Her cake to dive into, which really just annoyed her because it made her hands messy.
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Party favors (all pink), but some were for boys and some for girls.
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The big cake, which BARELY fed everyone that came. Greg said I went overboard inviting everyone, but it was so hard not to. Plus only 2 families that we invited didn't come, so we ended up with over 60 people here. It was CRAZY. And wonderful.
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My favorite part of her party was the photobooth. Mom and I hung crepe paper streamers to create a backdrop. Then I set out various props (easy to find around Halloween) and these are just some of the examples of what we ended up with.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYp6KT5iz-w4jKAer0oPo69xtDZ_0rXUcYcM8m5RDt9f24b4AUX0VMguFJaEbrnew2ShDQAbRh1ETX6QAkqEFBzylggN1UIZgbgXr-rBmz3kpGpK3rX6QwsE2cazZMrkYpgTjXgOzieeNe/s400/024.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQM3iSVmoNZWUtp_JtATsT35Ab4eh-_0jBCywBI1IbssUWJvHHF943DO9vQStZfkFaLds9LrOWHgEBrYKtknIhzQqpokG17Q64jOclFX9lhx1eKHrJR0MA5pzFym6_P8E1Xp6XcLtPtCN/s400/photobooth+2.jpg)
Clockwise from top: Claire (of course), me, Mom, Greg
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Clockwise from top: Ryan & Christine, Grayson & Deryck, Roan (boy with the biggest vocabulary and imagination you've ever heard!) & Jennifer (my IVF nurse, so it was WONDERFUL she could come celebrate with us!), Garrett, Jackson, Tim & Chantal, Beau (who I used to baby-sit), and Grayson (Claire's betrothed)
After taking the photos, I printed them on the
pivi Instax printer (you can only buy this off ebay), then let everyone put their photo into Claire's birthday book and write her a message. LOVED how this turned out. Even the boys had fun...trust me!
In hindsight, I should have gotten the regular Instax camera, because the printer takes time to transfer data from the camera. But, using it to my advantage, it gave me a chance to visit with everyone while working on their photo and album page.
I'll be back later with photos of the smash book.