Cowboys! -3yr- Root Beer Bottle Balloon Weights

I have twin boys that were turning 3 in July and I did not want to do the pool party we had done that already two years in a row. So the boys were really into horses so we decided to have a cowboy themed party. I started months in advance planning the party gathering all sorts of stuff as it was on sale.

The invitations were on sand colored paper, the font was a western font and on the outside it read: Wanted! Cale and Caden for the high crime of turnin 3, Reward 333,000. Inside the invitation read: Yee Haw! Were roundin up all you cowpokes to come and celebrate our buckaroos third birthday party. Come on down to the Double C Ranch at 3:00, we'll have hayrides, sum horse ridin to, and lots of good grub. Tell your maw or paw to mail back the card with a YEE HAW I'll be attendin or a Dag Nabit! I can't make it. Inside each invitation I put the post cards for them to mail back so the boys could check the mail and see who would be coming. I also had the boys cowboy pictures done and attached a wallet sized photo to the inside top flap of the invitation. Along the top of the invitation i punched out holes and ran black suede string. These were a big hit everyone called to say they looked good.

We decorated with a big sign that me and my husband made out of old wood and put it at the end of the drive way that read: Double C Ranch we tied balloons to each side. The tables were lind with blue and red tableclothes found on sale at wal mart after fourth of July. Each table had a bottle of root beer tied with balloons for decorations. I prewrapped all the silverware in red napkins and tied it with string. I placed a bucket with silverware on each table.

Each child that arrived at the party received a cowboy hat (OT) bandannas(OT) and a sheriffs badge. We went to Michaels craft store and bought plain wood badges and painted them yellow and attached pins on the back to pin on the guests shirts. We wrote each guests name on there as they arrived.

The kids then went and decorated a bag to put prizes in. I got western stickers and stamps from oriental trading for them to decorate with. After they got done decorating then they went diggin for gold. I had a turtle sand box and filled it with sand and got rocks that you use to decorate with and painted them gold also had gold coins and rings to dig for. Each child had a sifter and shovel purchesed from Michaels on sale to dig with. The kids had a good time with that.

We also had a display up where the kids could sit on the saddle and act like they were ropin a horse. I stuck a stick pony in the hay bail and they pretended to rope it. We hired a professional photographer to come and take pictures of all the kids enjoying all the activities. Then it was time to eat my husband had a smoker and smoked chicken and hot dogs for the kids baked beans and potatoe salad. We had sweet tea some cokes pepsietc. And root beer.

After everyone ate the horses had arrived. We had a local company bring a pony and a pony and carriage out so all the kids could ride horses. After the horses all the kids wanted to get in the pool. So we allowd them to swim while we cleaned up and got the pinata ready. Then the kids all came and hit the pinata and got the bag they had made previously and filled it with the prized that were inside.

Then it was time for the cake I went to a local cake store and they done a huge cowboy hat cake and the boys each had their own cake with a cowboy boot on it.

After cake it was present time. Once we cleaned up from the presents it was time to leave. As the guests left each one got a hobo bag made from a bandanna and tied to a wooden stick. Inside each bage was a notepad(OT) pencil(OT)paddle with a ball candy sticks chocolate gold coins taffy and a small bag of marshmellow with a tag that read Beware! Rattle snake eggs. I got a lot of ideas from this website and planning ahead of time let us save a lot of money."