PJs and Pancakes Party

On the afternoon of Anneliese's birthday, we had some friends over for PJs and pancakes, and it was really sweet! I wasn't sure if a Monday afternoon birthday party would fly, but it did! It was easy and cute.

Anneliese requested a strawberry cake, with a rainbow with clouds on top. Done and done.

(It's no masterpiece like last year's rainbow cake - which was definitely the peak of my birthday cake makings - but I did make a damn fine strawberry buttercream, so at least there's that.)

We set up the kitchen for a big breakfast-for-dinner: bacon, eggs, yogurt, and milk in cute bottles (I had to drink a lot of frappucinos to have all those bottles ready for the party) (I'm a selfless mom, what).

And, make-your-own-pancakes! They could choose their "toppings" and whatever kind of pancakes they wanted, and we had several kinds of syrup to choose from. PSA: kids do not choose fruit when you give them the option of sprinkles or chocolate chips instead. #themoreyouknow

We let them decorate their own coffee tumblers, and then I put a packet of hot chocolate in each of them. Activity + party favor = easy win.

Because I'm not much of an organized games kind of mom, they spent most of the party playing outside in the yard on the swingset. I'm not sorry. It was easy, and it's fun, and other people's yards are always more exciting than your own when you're a kid, right? Especially in your PJs.

Then we opened presents and sang and had cake and ice cream.

Totally a delightful party. Happy birthday, sweet Anneliese!