A whimsical garden birthday party for a one-year-old with DIY details, floral decor, and sweet toddler touches. Perfect inspiration for spring birthdays or girly garden themes.
Read MoreMagical Reindeer food
Advent Printables (I made mine with the app Studio, but got inspo from @oliveandeveco). I used the graphics from Christy Beasley’s monthly subscription. It’s $15 and FULLY worth it for all the fun items she makes monthly. Essential oil recipes, homeschool worksheets and graphics, and more! Here’s the link to join me!
For extra fun, I added a fun book to spruce up our holiday book collection. This touchy-feely one was perfect for Shay - That’s not my reindeer!
These would also make super cute gifts for friends or neighbors. Make them in bulk with these muslin bags or even clear cellophane bags and just attach some pretty ribbon.
Want more fun and magical ways to celebrate the holidays? Here’s 31 simple + meaningful ideas for you.
Our favorite snack mix - A valentines version
This snack mix is one for everyone!! It’s easy and not super sugary, so everyone can enjoy no matter age!
This Valentines version is made with love (pun intended) with the cutest heart marshmallows I ever did see! Don’t skip these because they make the mix! You can always swap out hearts for lucky charms on St Patrick’s day, bunny marshmallows for Easter, Christmas trees for …you get the picture!
Let me know if you make this and tag me on social if you do! @occasionally_perfect on IG!
HERES SOME SUGGESTIONS;
Valentines m&ms
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8myxgccpwx
Popcorn (2)
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8my4cccpwx
Yogurt Raisins
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8my8iccpwx
Teddy grahams 8oz (2)
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8m5kxccpwx
Heart candies
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8m5x7ccpwx
Pretzels (2)
https://rstyle.me/cz-n/f8m54yccpwx
Heart marshmallow
Chex mix
Add a scoop full or two to a cellophane bag and some cute ribbon and you’ve got the cutest little valentines gift there ever was! We made these for Finn’s kindergarten class party and also handed them out to our neighbors and friends! Could be cute for teacher gifts, or even just to have at your next party! Make more than you think you need because it goes fast, it’s addicting…trust me.
Easy, non candy class valentines
Here’s two quick, easy and inexpensive ways to celebrate Valentines Day with your kids friends! Class valentines are always so fun for us over here but we stay away from all the candy because it turns Finn into a crazy person. This year was his kindergarten year so the first year I witnessed what eating candy all day can do to your 6yr old!
I put together one set of valentine grams for the 15 boys and one set for the 10 girls in his class although I feel like both of these could be great for both genders!
Sports squishy ball class valentines
what you’ll need:
printable tags (image at bottom of post)
When I started looking for inspiration I couldn’t find any tags I liked so I made my own! I use the app studio by go daddy. It’s super user friendly and they have free pictures and fonts you can use so the creative ideas are endless!!
Once I designed each version, I just went to Avery.com where you can plug the images into the free templates and you can save it as a .pdf to print at home. Now, printing at home is easy and quick but our printer is currently buried in the garage of moving boxes somewhere. So I tried staples printing and I’ll never go back! It was ready in less than 2hrs, and I printed on 100ply card stock for $.60! Under $5 to print everything I needed with high quality color. I’m in.
What to say:
Baseball: You are a hit with me Valentine!
Soccer: I get a kick out of you Valentine!
Basketball: Being friends with you is a slam dunk!
Football: You are a touchdown in my book!
To assemble:
putting the together was super easy and fast!
I cut out the printable tags using my guillotine paper trimmer.
Added a hole in the corner.
Tossed them in the cellophane bags with some fluff (basket filler) and
Tied the bags with fluffy ribbon I always have on hand — Because ribbon and fluff make everything better!
Here’s a 30 second video HOW TO make your own sports ball class valentines!
Dragons love tacos 5th birthday party
My guy turned the big F -I -V - E!! We had to postpone his original party but still celebrated at home on his actual birthday because he got sick! Let’s rewind 5 years, shall we? Finns first and second birthday were literally spent in empty houses because we were in the middle of moving homes both times! (No, not by choice, it just happened that way). His 3rd birthday, party animals theme is actually still sitting in my blog drafts folder and ready to share but 2yrs late is probably too late to hit publish right? It was super cute and I did all the things. I told myself “it’s ok, he didn’t have a party his first and second year of his life, so this has to be ‘special’. I did throw it all together in 2 weeks, and since it was pre-covid we had over 50ppl (adults and kids) attend. Needless to say this year was v differently, other than the fact that I threw it together in 2 weeks time again. What can I say, I’m a procrastinator.
This time around I didn’t go crazy, I stuck to my theme (which was the hubby’s ideas btw), and put most of my focus on the things Finn really wanted. Because let’s be honest, in the past most of the party must haves were for aesthetics only and finn didn’t even notice any of them. His non negotiables were, a very large bounce house, red velvet cake and ALL of his closest friends. I was nervous to send out the invites because of the stay at home order still happening here in Southern California, but most of the kids who we asked to join us were friends from our small pod school we’ve been attending a few days a week. So, we just went for it! Everyone said yes so we ended up having a pretty perfect turn out!
So here it is a very last minute, casual but exciting
DRAGONS LOVE TACOS 5th (pandemic) BIRTHDAY PARTY AT HOME.
I will be updating this with links and resources for all the fun but until then just comment if your looking for an answer to something specific!
xoxo,
H
DIY ADVENT CALENDAR: 31 simple + meaningful ideas to celebrate the holidays
DIY ADVENT CALENDAR : 31 simple ideas to celebrate the holidays.
Once the first sign of Christmas shows up, i get the daily question from finn, “is it Christmas yet?” I mean I feel him cause it is my all time favorite time of the year! I have the best childhood memories from the holidays at home and have always wanted to create my own traditions with my family. Here we are, the dream is actually happening. I get to celebrate at home with my family of four! A boy and a girl, it can be girly and modern all at the same time!
As much as I love the holiday, I realize it can get overwhelming real quick. Even on Christmas morning, after Finns opened 3 presents he just wants to play with them and not have to open more and more things. So this year, we’re doing a very small amount of gifts under the tree and more fun activities and adventures as we countdown to the big day. Here’s the full list, and then I’ll go through and add pics and resources as the month goes on!
this blog post is a work in progress and will be updated as we open each day!
The complete Advent idea list :
Wear Christmas Jammies
Peppermint bubble bath
Decorate the tree
Set up train (train book)
Holiday Movie Night (popcorn machine)
Make holiday cards (teachers, grandparents, neighbors, friends)
Write a letter to Santa
Visit Santa
Make gingerbread houses
Go through old toys and donate toys for tots
Homemade garland (orange + popcorn or paper)
Build a snowman (fake snow)
Paint filled ornaments
Holiday music dance party
Make magic reindeer food for friends (oliveandeveco)
Make hot cocoa (shopsweetlulu marshmallows + mugs)
Holiday Music Dance Party
Make a snow globe
Do Holiday craft (lacing cards)
Enjoy a candy cane
Photo ornaments for grandparents
Enjoy a sweet treat with a new waffle maker
Homemade peppermint Playdough
Have a snowball fight (faux snowballs)
Salt dough ornaments
Read a Christmas book
Paint wooden trains or nutcrackers
Santa stop here flag wand
Xmas lights drive around town
Bake cookies for Santa
Game night around the tree (candy land)
Wear Christmas Jammies
Favorite Holiday Jammies Here
Favorite Holiday Books HERE
DIY snow globes
Make snow globes
holiday garland: orange or popcorn strings
homemade reindeer food (printable below)
Just finished making 20 little bottles of reindeer food for Finns class, and I’m in love!
bottles linked here:
cork top bottles or mini mason jars
Layer it all on a advent calendar and add numbers to each day
Reindeer Food Supplies — Oats | Silver Glitter | White Glitter | Container |
Advent Printables (I made mine with OVER, but got inspo from @oliveandeveco). I used the graphics from Christy Beasley’s monthly subscription. It’s $15 and FULLY worth it for all the fun items she makes monthly. Oily recipes, homeschool worksheets and graphics, and more! Here’s the link to join me!
For extra fun, I added a fun book to spruce up our holiday book collection. This touchy-feely one was perfect for Shay - That’s not my reindeer!
These would also make super cute gifts for friends or neighbors. Make them in bulk with these muslin bags and just attach some ribbon.
Go get your Christmas tree (use this book as a hint)
Hot cocoa party. Make it fun by creating a hot chocolate party tray filled with marshmallows, sprinkles, cookies, and other sweet treats!
Hot Chocolate Party! — Mugs | Hot Cocoa | snowflake Marshmallows | Smash Mellows
I love adding a tiny bit of peppermint essential oils to mine for a fun adult peppermint Hot Chocolate.
holiday scented playdough
Peppermint + Christmas Tree Smelling PlayDough —
you can make your own playdough easily with items from your pantry, and add essential oils to make them smell super yummy! RECIPE HERE.
Or you can turn ordinary playdough into Holiday playdough with a few drops of Christmas Spirit and Northern Lights Black Spruce oils. I love this non toxic playdough from @shopbitte.
And to be extra you must grab these perfect wooden clay rolling pins, they are SO FUN and amazing quality for the price! The cookie cutters you grabbed for salt dough ornaments work too!
Salt dough ornaments with mini cookie cutters
Have a snowball fight (in warmer states use these fun snowballs)
These are on sale and we’ve had them 3 years!! Snowballs
Cookies for Santa
Paint filled ornaments
Paint filled ornaments
Photo ornaments for grandparents
write a letter to Santa
We’re going to see elf on a shelf (a drive thru experience) so I kept our elf on a shelf in one of the boxes until that day.
My Family’s favorite Friday-night dinner. These grilled burgers are quick, customizable, and picky-eater approved—even if your house eats five different ways like mine.
A whimsical garden birthday party for a one-year-old with DIY details, floral decor, and sweet toddler touches. Perfect inspiration for spring birthdays or girly garden themes.