As mentioned earlier, my little girl turned one last week!  Never a person to turn down a chance to throw a party, I still wanted to keep it simple (because after all- we are the only ones who will remember it, right?).  With a balloon as our only piece of decoration (that ended up getting popped by grandpa, oops!), and a simple menu,  we enjoyed a nice backyard picnic.  It felt like a fun family get-together rather than an over-the-top birthday party.  

Here are some snippets from R's day:

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I am officially not the best at icing a cake, but I tried to make up for that with her cake topper and the DIY party hat I made for her.

R enjoying her day.....these wooden maracas were the best $7 I ever spent.  She wouldn't put them down!

Here's a small tip that I have learned- when the menu is simple, presentation is key!  It makes everything seem more special- and your guests will overlook the fact that they are just eating sandwiches, fruit, and chips, and sipping a lemonade.