Goodness! Once again I am writing this post just before Emmalee's party so that I don't miss out on sharing this celebration. But, I have to keep a record of this party. It was one of my favorite of all time.
Let me break it all down for you.
I fell totally in love with that tassel and pom poms garland, and it looks even nicer as decoration in the girls' room. It was pretty simple to DIY.
Got the backdrop idea from several pinterest pins. Loved the Inca looking mountains. I drew the llama from an illustration on pinterest and the girls had fun painting it. They also had fun helping me watercolor the cactus in the backdrop. We let our creative juices flow.
The best part of a pandemic party is that the guest list is short, so it lends itself for more personalized items. Loved these boxes.
Canon Creative Park never lets me down with their paper models, and most of the cactus paper models you'll see are from them. I still have them in my living room. They're too cut to throw away.
Loved the terracota pot cupcake wrapper that made my succulent cupcakes come to life.
I tried different colors and designs for the succulents.
I actually intended for the cake to be a little more subdued, but the color explosion could not be contained. It might not have been as polished as I would have liked, but it is so cute.
There were three llama piñatas made, and I am happy to report that all three are alive and well. Two hangs in my daughters' room and one in Adri's.
Llama lollypops
For Covid protection, we are always writing our kids' names on their cup. This time it was personalized for them.
These cactus cookies where so easy to make. I have a little youtube tutorial for these and my llama cookies in my channel Linda Zelaya.
Those meringues where a nightmare. I might try to do meringues one more time, but I don't know what I am doing wrong. They were firm and delicious when I put them on display. By the time the kids got them, they were squishy and sticky! :(
Got these llama paper models for free online. So cute.
These are the other cookies included in my tutorial. Can you believe I made the cookie cutter for these out of an old cookie cutter reshaping it with tweezers?!
Served some llama ears (orejitas)
This is the llama I made for the llama plushie tutorial on my youtube channel.
I love that the latino flair is so festive. We had tostadas for lunch!
The photo booth. I had so much fun painting this.
Easiest photo prop ever!
This is what my mom's living room looked like!
Prizes!!! Loved finding those cactus napkins and this llama photo frame at the dollar store!
The llama adoption station was a bigger hit than I expected.
Again, small guest list, better favors!
The kids really loved filling their llama adoption certificates. These were found for free online.
Filling their adoption certificates and naming their llama. They took it quite seriously.
Painting their mini pots for a mini cactus favor.
Making toys with Perler Beads.
No llamas where hurt in this party, not even the piñata llama.
My girls have the prettiest, cutest, sweetest grandma in the world. I feel jealous!
The respective cookie shot.
These two are the best friends!
Moms also wanted a picture with some treats. These meringues where the only ones that held their shape and texture throughout.
I love this picture.
And this lovely family God has given me.
Enjoying their new babies.
And their mini cactus.
Dear Kaylee,
Oh baby, I can't believe you are seven and by the time I am writing this seven and a half. But you are still my baby, I think you really enjoy that title. You almost got into a fight with your best friend Adri because she didn't want to let you be the baby while pretend playing. Oh the silly things you fight about. But what we most enjoy watching is how fast you forgive, make up, and keep playing. If only us adults could be more like you. You are my little math whiz. You really have a knack for it. You no longer struggle with reading and writing, but it is not your favorite subject. You are struggling to speak and read in Spanish. You and mommy share a few tears almost daily while doing Spanish, but I know we will get there together just like we did with your English. You are so amazing, my little bug. Mom will forever envy your limberness and flexibility. You enjoy your ballet class, take your piano class a little more serious, and still enjoy your little kids cartoons' as well as bigger kids' cartoons. You are one of the friendliest little girls I know. I haven't seen anyone being able to withstand your charm and attention. You give your friendship freely and tenderly to every kid you meet. Watching you socialize brings me so much joy to see all the goodness and kindness in you. You love playing with kids of all ages, but you feel more at home hanging with younger kids. You have a very maternal love to your treatment of others. I can't wait to read what I'll say about you in the coming years, and look back at these letters and see how much you changed and how much you stayed the same. Your personality and character has been pretty consistent through the years. We still struggle with your temper and your duck face when you're mad, but each year it is easier to get out of that mindset. You are still as loud and silly as ever. I wished I would have allowed your sister to be as loud and silly as I allowed you to be. I hope I never repress you or your sister again in being whoever you want to be. I am sorry for the times I bring your light down by making you behave more "ladylike". I know I must teach you proper manners, but at the same time I don't want to box either of you on what the world has deemed appropriate for girls. You have no idea of what "kicking like a girl" is. You and your sister do everything without feeling limitations. While you are quite the little daredevil, you took your time in learning to use the scooter or the bike without training wheels. But you don't let anyone put any pressure on you. I tried by telling you "your friends already took the training wheels off", but you where your own person not caring what others did or what mommy told you should be your expectations. Thank you for teaching me. You teach me to seize the moments, to laugh out loud without reservation, to enjoy being silly, to enjoy being friendly without fear, to jump at any moment, to dance at any moment, to imagine and smile. I'm just imaging doing all of the above and my heart jumps with joy. You are the joy of my life, my little jumping shrimp. Thank you for existing and being by my side.
Love you forever,
Mommy
