As soon as she had seen the movie Emma told us she really really wanted to have a Frozen party for her birthday. Honestly I love that movie and so I was really excited she chose that theme. She loves Elsa!!! Elsa is the first princess that has rivaled Ariel. Since Christmas she has slept will Elsa along with Ariel every night. I started looking up fun party ideas and came across a picture of a cardboard castle on Pinterest that a mom had made. I told Deke we had to figure out a way to make Elsa's ice castle out of cardboard for her party. Thank you Home Depot for giant sheets of cardboard, spray adhesive, and enormous amounts of glitter. We cut it out, painted, glittered and zip tied it together.
We got to the park early and got it set up. When we brought Emma over and she saw it, the way her eyes lit up made me soooooooooo happy!!!!!! It was a moment I won't forget. Just being able to make it all "come to life" for her was so fun for Deke and I. We love projects and making things and have such a blast doing stuff like this for the kids.
The first activity was throwing snowballs at Marshmellow. Thank you Bahama Bucks for the super fun and very affordable premade snowballs.
Some of the little girls thought it was too cold to throw and didn't want to do it. All the boys were definitely game and Emma, Kate and Ellie had fun with it.
Next we had made up some batches of "snow dough" which is pretty much just playdough with glitter in it and had the kids us different items to create their own snowmen....
Playdough is always fun and the kids all made some great snowmen. I love the one with the twigs sticking up for hair :) By then everyone was itching to play in the castle! We had brought over all of the girls dress up clothes and everyone got dressed up and started playing Frozen princesses.
A few minutes later we had brought a whole bunch of sewing batting and had Hunter and Avery help us throw it in small piles down into the castle like it was snowing. To which came girly squeals of delight, "it's a blizzard!!! it's a snowstorm!!!!" they piled, tossed, collected and threw the "snow" until we called them for cake.
We made Elsa crowns for the girls and Sven antlers for the boys....
We made blue glass candy for the cake which was super easy and looked really cool.
The birthday girl blowing out her candles....
After cake and presents the rest of the party was spent playing the castle. Emma was cracking us up the whole day. I am not sure if it was the costume, the castle, or the fact that all the kids were calling her Elsa but she was definitely in character the entire party. She walked in a regal way and kept holding her arms out like she was make snow or creating things out of snow. At least three times she saved the princesses from Marshmellow and sealed the castle doors shut with ice. Honestly when the girls started yelling, "Queen Elsa save us!" Emma completely went into Elsa mode and started swirling her hands around. I could not stop smiling. I don't know if I have ever seen a happier kid than this little girl. I know it sounds silly but I think for her it all seemed magical.
It wasn't the activities, the decorations or the cake it was their play and imagination in that castle that I think made it so special for her. They played and played. Moms came and stayed and an hour past the original party time we were all visiting and the castle play continued. It was a great day. I can't believe our sweet Emma is four. She is my baby girl, my little shadow baby. I love how she has transformed from this shy toddler to this social, outgoing preschooler. She is so girly, happy, such a peacemaker. She is so gentle and pretty much just adorable with her mannerisms and little voice. We love you so much Miss E. Happy Birthday!!!
