Hot Diggity-Dog!

Ally LOVES "mouse". She doesn't get that his first name is Mickey - she is cool on the field and yells out his last name only like he might reply "Strader" in his squeaky voice. It seemed a perfect match to have a Mickey party to celebrate Allison turning two! Ben and I still marvel at our little family and feel so blessed to have the exact two children we need to complete us...

Natalie was very excited, and an excellent sport about planning a big party for her sister. She helped in the decorations, baking, and goodies bags. Of course now that Ally's party is over she is already announcing her plans for party, in SEPTEMBER!

We rented a jump house and I quickly discovered how stressful this task could be. After some panic and a VERY early alarm the jump house finally was being inflated in our front yard. As that big addition was getting set up Ben, my Mom and Aunt Di were busy answering my orders to mix this, set up that, and PLEASE - be careful of the cake!

My sister and her friend came early to construct the balloon arches - what fabulous talent our teens have these days.

One of the details I cherish about parties for the babies is that they include the nearest and the dearest. Ally doesn't have her own group of friends yet and she certainly isn't barking who is on the invite list so I still get to include all the special people that have been loving her before she was even born. The family and close friends that celebrated truly LOVE our Ally and that is after all what is special about BIRTHdays anyway.

I had so much fun designing and decorating the cake. I used a great secret weapon - Sweet Layers, I called and placed an order for a delicious cake but I didn't want any flowers, or balloons or even a name written on the cake - I just wanted a delectable confectionary that everyone would enjoy. However, for the design of Mickey's Playhouse, I started days before...I attempted my first shot at full fondant and I have to say it was a lot of fun! I bought premixed fondant and that made it it a lot easier! It was like playing with play doh, first the hand, then the windows, and last the yellow shoe that happens to have a door on the sole. Those set for 48 hours and on the day I added a chocolate bowl cake wrapped in red fondant, a swiss roll cake wrapped in black to hold the hand (watch out for the toothpicks). I also bought a few figures to add and when all that was assembled, including the huge mickey styrofoam ears I was deciding where to put Ally's name - I wanted it on the wall of the cake but while getting help from my neighbor Stephanie, I fingered the cake wall and left a divot. Stephanie suggested polka dots and fortunately I had bought teeny tiny circle fondant "cookie" cutters. And then there were polka dots....lots of them...it was fun!

For favors I went a little Mickey and made Rice Krispey treats with chocolate ears and sprinkles...what a great and easy favor, you just need a cookie cutter to match your theme.

I also used the cookie cutter to make watermelon Mickey's for the kids fruit...I plan on making pancakes in the future:)

Lots of love and of course a minnie tutu to add to the fun!

Happy Birthday Sweet Ally....