Rhys' Little Man Party (Part 2)...

Part 2!  I bet you couldn't even sleep last night.  What with all the anticipation.  I know.  

The food was pretty simple for the Little Man Cave.  I wanted it to be...well...little man approved.  What do little men (really, all men) like to eat?  That's where I started when I planned the menu.

There were several versions.  And lots of directions I could have gone.  I wanted finger foods and small enough for little fingers food.  In the end, I went with pizza bagel bites, mini ham sandwiches, fruit salad, pasta salad (admittedly, not a "man" food but I wanted it, so there) and chips.

Desserts were easy.  Cupcakes for all.  

Drinks were easy too.  Sweet tea, water or juice boxes for the kids.  I really wanted to have bottled root beer but to be honest, there was no money left for that.  Have you priced bottled sodas recently?  And I was expecting 30 + people.  No way that fit into my budget.

The food table was super fun to decorate.  I moved our kitchen table in front of the window to 

1) create more space for people to wonder around and 

2) to make pretty pictures.  

Really.  It's all about the photo opportunities, y'all.

And here they are!

I realize it's not all that little man like to drink out of mason jars with paper straws.  But it is festive, fun and, well, there was a purpose.  

These mason jars come from three wonderful women.  My grandmother, Chris' grandmother and "Aunt" Linda.  All three women have shaped us and will therefore shape Rhys.  As I was washing them and putting them out the night before, I got a little teary wishing our grandmothers were here to meet him.  What wonderful women.  But I know they are with our embryos (who are three and four now) praising Jesus so I suspect they are blissfully content.  

Aunt Linda will be around for years to come.  Hopefully, she can teach Rhys how to listen to the still small voice just like she did me.  And how to say, "Okay" when things don't go as planned.  It's a powerful little word, y'all.  

If you look closely, you can see the bow tie on the sweet tea lid.  Might have to squint.

And here are the cupcakes!  Chocolate and vanilla gluten-free with buttercream icing.  So yummy.  I made the cupcake toppers with scrapbook paper, letter stamps and green and blue paint.  I used a "1" on one side and an "r" on the other.  Aunt Carrie gave me the stamp set for Christmas years ago and I have used them like mad.  It was nice to know she was there too!  A little piece of her with us.  

And, of course, the bow tie on the cake stand.

Rhys's little cake went on display in the dining room.  I have three large round cookie cutters.  You can use them to a three tiered mini cake.  Which I have never done but should the urge strike, I'm prepared. This was vanilla cake.  I figured it was less likely to stain his clothes.  

More of Jennifer's vintage awesomeness.  Cameras and the Coca-Cola crate.  Which is from Oklahoma.  Which ups the awesomeness factor even further.

If you squint...again...you can see the blue and navy pillows in the window seat.  I've had them for years but for reasons I cannot explain, I only have one of each.  That makes them almost useless.  Unless they're going in a window seat.  Then I look brilliant.  And that takes serious effort.

The navy table cloths were on both the dining room and kitchen tables.  I found this ridiculously large remnant of fabric at my favorite thrift store.  $4 to cover both.  The green runner is fabric Rhys' GG gave me to craft with.  I have used it for that and still have plenty left.  It was the perfect color green.  GG was there too!

Ah, the pasta salad.  Of course, it was bow tie pasta.  That kind of cheeziness I never pass up.  It was also gluten-free and had to be ordered online.  Making this the "World's Most Expensive Pasta Salad Ever."  It was good regardless of the cost.  Even had folks asking for the recipe.  Except my dad who just can't seem to get on board with g-free pasta.  I don't even remember what regular g-filled tastes like anymore.  

I adore this sweet photo.  Jennifer, Carrie, me...all together.  I know, you (and by "you," I mean my mom and my husband) are thinking I'm putting too much weight on the "stuff."  But when precious people in your life have to miss these big events thanks to distance and summer business, "stuff" has meaning.  

Alright, so we're close to being done.  Maybe.  I still have approximately two weeks worth of photos.  Not sure how I'll get them all on the blog.  I might have to do a whole post of Rhys eating, or rather not eating, his birthday cake.  

More to come...