First Birthday party - Taylor- Oh the Places You'll Go

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Decorations:

• I got the Cake- of course
• I'm going to use various solid color tablecloths
• I've ordered a few poster-sized pictures from the book.
• A sign post with arrows pointing in various directions- with different life stages printed on each (i.e. going to Kindergarten, high school, college, get a job, etc)
• I found a picture of centerpieces for a wedding that are hot air balloons-- I would love to do something similar to this, but I'm having trouble figuring out how they made the weaving that goes over the balloons to hold them in place (look below):

•  I've also got pencils, mini storybooks, and bookmarks that will be spread around and given out as party favors
• bright colored streamers and possibly balloons- it is in an outdoor picnic shelter, so I'm not yet sure about the balloons

Here's a few activities I'm thinking of:

• Give each child a "passport" made from several rectangles of paper stapled together as a booklet. The kids can write their names and draw self-portraits on the first pages, then collect stickers or stamps at each party station they visit. 
•  I'd like to have two different craft tables with themes from the book- 1) Taking Flight: kids will make and decorate cut outs of paper air planes and hot air balloons (that they can take with them) and 2) Oh the Place's Taylor will Go! where each child (and adults if they want to) will be asked to pick a place they think Taylor should go and color a picture of it or write about it- At the end I will put them all into a book I have made for Taylor to keep.  I will have the Oh The Place's You'll Go! pencils at each of these craft tables for people to keep after they do each activity.
• Oh, and of course- this will be a family cookout with Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, fixins and CAKE!

What?!? It's not on the internet???

OK- I've picked a theme for Taylor's 1st birthday party, but I'm coming up short on ideas for decorations and activities...

So, I do what I always do when I need more info-- I search the web... what do I find--- NOTHING (at least nothing particularly helpful).  So, I'm coming to you:

The theme is "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss.  All that I find in internet searches is ideas for graduation parties- and a few baby showers.  Nothing really for a child's first birthday-- but, if you've ever read the book.. it makes for a great theme for a one-year-old.  Life's possibilities are limitless, you'll go where ever you want, do what ever you wish to or dream of... that sort of thing...

If you've got any ideas to help me out-- decorations or activities (most of the children there will be from 2-8) so I'm trying to gear towards them... please post in the comments section
Thanks!!

Phlegar Farm Old time music jam weekend (Saturday)

Hwy 100

 Saturday, July 24, 2010- I packed up the car, loaded up the two kids and set off for Giles County, Virginia (almost to West Virginia). With the exception of a small traffic delay on the interstate, which led to a beautiful detour on the backroads of Virginia. After about 3 hours of driving, we arrived at Phlegar Farm. 




We set up the lawn chairs- Jackson made several friends,
and spent hours playing in the sandbox...
Taylor joined him for a while (until I had to rescue him from himself). 
He ate handfuls of sand... after each one he'd grimace, then grab another and shove the sand into his mouth.


 

and Taylor took to driving the car like a pro...
He had each of us pushing him around the yard... even several of the older children took turns giving him a spin around.
I was amazed at the amount of time he sat in that car- whether it was moving or not.  He turned the wheel as if it actually steered the car, a smile on his face the entire time!




 With the music in the background (as I do not play...) we settled in for a peaceful afternoon.  There were groups of players set up in various nooks of the yard and overflow parking lot. The dinner was chopped BBQ (Yum!!) with a huge variety of potluck sides and desserts. There was a funny version of Old MacDonald that I'm struggling to remember now.. but it had a stuttering horse, a narcoleptic pig, and a split-personality chicken/duck... had us laughing! Below is a video clip from one of the groups playing on Saturday:

Music and dancing after dinner

Thank you to Tom and Barbara Phlegar and the many other Phlegar family members for hosting this music weekend!