How to Host a Holiday Cookie Decorating Party for Kids

Last Thursday, I Jackson had the pleasure of hosting his first ever cookie decorating party for his friends!

If you've been around the blog for awhile, you probably remember me gushing about Jenny Keller and how much I adore her and her incredible parties/dessert tables. I try channeling my inner Jenny Cookies whenever I get a chance (see: Jackson's 1st Birthday Party) and though it never turns out quite the same as one of her fabulous parties, it's still fun and gives me a chance to entertain and be creative.

Jenny is always throwing the cutest holiday parties for her friends and family, which inspired me to throw a Halloween cookie decorating party for Jackson and his friends! I am a notorious hoarder collector of all things holiday clearance, so when I opened up my seasonal box in early October, I knew I HAD to do something with all the half-off cookie cutters, cupcake liners, etc., that I purchased for 50% off November 1, 2014.

That's when it hit me -- Jackson would host his first ever cookie decorating party! Here's how I he did it...

A week before the party, Jackson and I spent an entire morning rolling, cutting, and baking our sugar cookies (this is the awesome recipe I always use) and then popped them in the freezer. Whenever I am throwing a party or having company for dinner, I like to do as much of the work ahead of time as possible to make the day before/morning of much less stressful. Later that same day, we made our way to the Dollar Tree to pick up disposable table clothes, plates, cups, etc. 

The day before the party, I whipped up a batch of Jenny's fabulous buttercream frosting, covered it, and let it set in the refrigerator overnight. I also drafted the help of my husband to line the floor with a disposable table cloth and did a dry run through of how I planned to set up the table the next morning. 

Here's how it looked:

For each place setting, I had a plate with 3 cookies, goody bags with an adorable "design-a-mask" inside, a cup full of the buttercream icing, and 3 Halloween cupcake liners to hold the kid's toppings.

At the center of the table, I set out bowls full of candy corn, gummies, and teddy graham crackers for the kids to use for decorations. 

Once the kids arrived, played for a bit, and refused to take a group picture (gotta love toddlers!), we began the decorating!

The kids made a huge mess and consumed tons of sugar while the moms all got to visit and drink coffee -- so all in all, the party was a huge success :) I think that some of the kids were still too little to get into the decorating (Jackson for one was WAY more interested in the eating than the decorating), but I am already planning the next party in my head... Christmas! Valentines! Easter! The cookie decorating possibilities are truly endless! 

Jackson's 2nd Halloween

October 2015 has by far been the BEST October of my life -- and that's saying a lot!!

Between pumpkin patch trips with friends, attending a pumpkin carving party, hosting a Halloween cookie decorating party (more on that later this week), and trick-or-treating with my guys, this has been the most fun and memorable October of them all!

For Halloween this year, Jackson dressed as a puppy. Originally, we planned to dress him as Steve Harvey (Jackson is OBSESSED with both him and Family Feud), but then decided on Mickey Mouse... and then a kitty... and then, after a friend offered us a hand-me-down costume, we decided on puppy. #welikefreethings The costume was absolutely adorable and everyone got the biggest kick out of the little tail wagging on the back -- so cute!!

Just like last year, we met my parents at my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Rolf's house, who live in Denver's gorgeous Washington Park neighborhood. A couple blocks away from their house is my favorite shopping district, that just so happens to close off the road each year for a Halloween block party/safe street. After venturing around down there awhile and fighting the crowds for candy, we picked up a couple pizzas and headed back to Nancy's, where we ate and handed out candy. 

Once we finished eating dinner, my mom, Aunt Nancy, Jackson, and I headed back out to trick-or-treat up the street, which was the best thing EVER! Jackson was so in his element and got the biggest kick out of going house to house, picking out his own candy (his decision; nobody ever offered, ha), and then saying "BAH-BAH!" (bye-bye -- his version of trick-or-treat and thank you!) We came across several other kids during our trek and Jax was in heaven -- I just love how social/funny our little man is!

After collecting a solid buckets worth of candy, we headed back to the house and watched Jackson hand out the rest of candy. 

We had such a fun and memorable night with family and we hope that you did as well! Happy (belated) Halloween and All Saints Day! 

Baby's 1st Halloween

As I've mentioned in years past, I've never been too big of a Halloween girl..

..however, having a child has completely changed that for me. Jackson's first Halloween couldn't have been better and I'm already making plans for next Halloween :)

My Aunt and Uncle live in the Washington Park area of Denver, so we decided to take him trick-or-treating around their neighborhood and to take in the Halloween festivities on Old South Gaylord.. it was SO much fun and the weather couldn't have been better! The shopping district of Old South Gaylord was blocked off for Halloween and all the shop owners were dressed up and handing out candy. Jax is such a huge people person and enjoyed seeing (and yelling at) all the kids in their costumes. 

After walking around OSG with my mom (who came out with my dad for the evening!), Aunt Nancy, and Jax, we headed back to my Aunt's to eat pizza and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. Unfortunately, Brandon had to work and didn't make it to my Aunt's until after 7:30, but he still got in on the pizza and trick-or-treating action. 

We headed home at around 8:30, took baths/showers and hit the hay--it was such a low key, yet enjoyable day and I can't help but feel blessed for the awesome weather and wonderful company. I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween as well!

Jackson's First Halloween Costume

What another wonderful (albeit short) weekend! 

Friday was full of naps, baby cuddles, Christmas shopping with my brother, and a late dinner with Brandon, Joey, and Jax. 

On Saturday we took Jackson to story time at Barnes & Noble, thrifted, shopped for furniture, played at the park, and had a late night Trailer Park Boys marathon (I forgot how hilarious that show is).

Sunday was dedicated to church, Costco, Broncos, visiting my great aunt & brother, and artery clogging football grub (pictured above).

It was a great weekend indeed. 

The most memorable part though was finding Jax's Halloween costume at Costco..

Stop. It.

$10 later, we're all set for Halloween! We can't wait!

P.S. Costco has a bunch of Christmas stuff on display which makes me very, very happy.

P.P.S. Jax's first tooth made its grand (and painful) first appearance during Saturday afternoon nap.. more on that next week!

Friday Funnies (Halloween Edition)

Today is November 1st!

Happy All Saint's Day to all my Catholic friends and family!

And Happy Turkey Month/Start of Christmas Commercial Season (my fave) to all!

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween--mine involved lots of pizza, candy, and cheesy 80s horror movies!

Here are some funnies to wrap up Halloween--I realize that I should have posted these last week but I didn't have the internet or my computer... but you can still humor me by laughing and pretending the holiday is upon us!

Seriously, just die already!! You, Michael Meyers, and Freddy Krueger!

I can't walk past any candle without smelling it..

You can't do that!

The "Annie One Can Cook" Halloween Extravagaza

..yeah, not really.

This post is actually going to be pretty weak but I felt like I had to do something for Halloween!

Truth be told, I have never been too big of a Halloween fan.. I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved it when I was a kid (you get to dress up and get free candy? umm yeah, sign me up!) but apparently once you're an adult, it's looked down upon to go door-to-door asking for free food.

Psh, whatever.

Anyway, these last few years have been fairly decent and I am starting to actually get more excited for the holiday to roll around (24 hour horror movie marathons on AMC are fun, right?). I'm so excited to dress Baby Sand up as a little lion, Alex from A Clockwork Orange, or something as equally adorable next year! Please know that I'm semi kidding about the Clockwork Orange costume But until then, I will be handing out candy (come trick-or-treat at our house!) and working on assembling a few Christmas gifts.. does that sound like a perfect Halloween or what?!

Here are a few pictures/stories from Halloween's past that I would like to share with you (my parents have all of the cute childhood costume pictures at their house so the following pictures are ones I found on my computer/Facebook).

This isn't really a throwback picture.. this is my husband at work yesterday. He ordered a horse head off of Amazon for $18.. just thought I should share. 

Halloween 2003.
My dad took Jen and me to the video store after school on this particular Halloween to get some scary movies for the sleepover we were having--we were so excited! Long story short, we had a few titles like The Exorcist and Texas Chainsaw Massacre picked out, my dad immediately said no ("Those are rated R. Here, get this one!" *hands us Casper w/Christina Ricci*), I was mortified, threw my 13-year-old hissy fit, and we left empty handed. We were somehow able to talk my mom into taking us back to the video store (she didn't know my dad had already taken us.. not good, I know..) and this time left with Children of the Corn! It was going to be an epic night! We dressed up as little kids (pictured above) and went trick-or-treating so we'd have candy to eat while we watched our movie.

We wound up not being able to sleep that night because the movie scared us so much and I was so grossed out and disturbed that I couldn't eat for the next few days (candy included).. Good call, dad. Good call.

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I don't have any pictures from Halloween 2004 (ugh!) but I have to tell my haunted house story. Jen and I went to (the park formally known as) Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Denver with her church youth group for Fright Fest and we were pumped--we were going to ride so many roller coasters, eat so much greasy carnival food, and go through their awesome haunted house! 

The. Haunted. House. Was. Terrifying. 

Jen and I walked together and held hands the entire time but somehow managed to get separated about halfway through. I was freaking out! I finally found her again (a few rooms later), grabbed her hand, and we continued walking along. "Jen, I'm so scared," I kept whispering over and over. Suddenly, off in the distance, I heard the blood curdling scream of a girl who sounded an awful lot like Jen.

Wait.. It couldn't be Jen.. Was that Jen?? But, if that was Jen, whose... hand.. was.. I.. hoooooooooooldiiiiiiing.. Not Jen's!

Definitely not Jen's!

I had been walking and talking with one of the scary monsters from the haunted house.. and I was holding his hand!

I gave him my most scared/disgusted face, made some weird gutteral noise, pushed his hand away, and ran.

I finally caught up with the real Jen but we were once again forced to separate after one of the actors scared me into a corner and Jen karate chopped him in the throat..

We had to finish the rest of the haunted house separate. 

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Halloween 2008
It was my first Halloween in college (and political season, of course)! Here are a few shots of me as Hilary, my dad as Bill, and Jen and I with "Grandpa Moot." I think I spent that actual Halloween night making dinner with Jen at her townhouse. 

Halloween 2010
Left: Abby, Jason, and I went to a bar (oh, college..) dressed as a mob princess and Greek god & goddess.
Right: Abby and me as Thing 1 & 2 on Halloween night.

Halloween 2012
We spent last Halloween with Brandon's family and had a blast! Mamma Nancy dressed as a vampire, Benny as a scary robot, Baby Sara as a beautiful flower, and Aunt Annie as a mob princess (again). We had such a fun time taking the kids around the mall in their costumes and making smores around the fire pit!

That concludes my walk down Halloween memory lane.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!