The Candy Shoppe Party

On the morning of Haley's big party, we wanted to wake her up with a bang (or pop).  I found the idea on Pinterest:  tape plastic (we used a sheet with tacks) on the door and stuff with balloons.  When she opened her door, she was welcomed by an avalanche of balloons.  (photo courtesy of Pinterest).

Our little girl was turning four.  So I thought . . . what does Haley like?  Princesses, Barbies (she calls them ladies), clothes, shoes, etc . . . . all the girly things.  But what does she love?  CANDY.  That began my Google and Pinterest search for all things candy.  :)

My vision:  a beautiful candy shoppe, set under a white tent, where the kids can "shop" for candy after earning Haley Dollars through playing games.  Unfortunately, the weather did not agree with my vision.  After taking 2 hours in the morning to set up the shoppe in the backyard, under a white tent, I checked the radar to find showers were moving in for the start of the party and continuing through the night.  I'm a girl who takes a long time to recover from her plans not going as planned.  But alas, we had to make due.  So, Haley's Candy Shoppe was set up in the garage, where it would be free of the rain, but not sawdust.  **Try to see beyond the ugly concrete floors**.

Hmmmm . . . . let's see.  We had Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids, Chalk Lollipops, Jelly Belly Jellybeans, Candy Bracelets, Gummy Worms, Spice Drops (what was my husband thinking?!?), Swirl Lollipops, Marshmallow Lollipops, Skittles, Double Bubble Gum, Peppermint Sticks, Rock Candy, Tootsie Pops, Mike & Ikes, and Caramel Creams.  I decided against chocolate thinking it would be sitting in the sun and just melt.  Ha!

I LOVE this bunting!  I made it using scrapbook paper and it was so super easy.  I stored it in a ziploc bag so I use it again for other parties. I plan on posting a little tutorial on how to make it.  SO EASY! 

So I found these soda pop hats, as I couldn't think of what a candy shoppe scooper might wear.  Then I decided to add some dorky names to them.  My husband was Sugar Daddy.  Haley wanted to be Sweet Mama, but that one had my name written all over it.  :)

Painted the back of an Ikea box for her sign.

And the kids filled the bags, to the exasperation of their parents.  But I did include toothbrushes!!

Note:  I googled this photo because I forgot to take my own.  UGH!  But I wanted to include this idea for a cute candy decoration.  I just blew up a ballon, wrapped with colored cellophane and tiled ribbon on both ends to make it look like a wrapped candy.  So cute!

 

The plan was to have the kids spend their Haley Dollars at the candy shoppe.  My little lady helped to decorate her face.

Check out the amazing cake made by my friends Kristy and Tina, of KrisTina's Kreations.  Haley asked for lollipops on her cake, and they didn't miss a beat.

 

 What's a party without paper-striped straws?

I think the party girl was happy, doing her little jig.

So, the games included obnoxious husbands running them. SCORE!  First was a ring toss.  We used a pool diving ring and beer bottles.  Yeah, we're trashy that way.  You ring it, you get a buck.  Got get em' Will!

Next was the can toss.  Drop the peach can, and you've got yourself another Haley Dollar.  Get it Zach!

Here is Pin the Lollipop on the stick.  My little take on the good ole' donkey game.  Two bucks for getting it on the stick!  You go Callen!

Finally, we had large pieces of candy printed on paper, taped and hidden in the backyard. This kept the buggers busy for . . . oh. . . . five minutes tops.  ;)

Blowing out her candles. 

So, it's probably been about 8 weeks I've been thinking about this party.  I don't like to work last minute; I'm a planner.  I do a little here, a little there.  But in the end, I think the kids had a great time.  I doubt any of them had been to a candy party before (and I doubt their parents would let them go again).  So, when asking Haley what her favorite part of the party was, of course I was expecting her to say the candy, with all it's fabulous details.

THE WATER FIGHT.  The impromptu water fight.  Instigated by the husbands.

The birthday girl gets caught in the middle

Ouch.

She definitely didn't see this coming.

Now that I think of it, perhaps this was my doing.  Sugar = sugar high.  Sugar high = impromptu water fight.

So, if you are thinking about a Candy Shoppe party in your near future, expect a sugar high closely followed by a water fight.  Or snowball fight.  Perhaps tricycle drag racing.

Anyway, everyone had a great time with memories in the bank.  And isn't that what it's all about?

Happy 4th Birthday Haley!!

Debbie

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