Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Birthday Party

A Not So Scary Party for an October birthday. We combined his love of Disney & Halloween for the perfect spooktacular celebration. Scroll down for links to mentioned items.

I cannot believe my big boy is three! The past few months Easton has taken his love of all things Halloween and Disney to a new level (which might have something to do with him seeing the Halloween decorations up at Magic Kingdom while it was still August). So when I asked him what kind of party he wanted for his third birthday he told me a "Spooky Mickey Party". While it might seem random to some, Easton has been watching the Haunted Monster Musical episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on repeat since June so I wasn't surprised in the least bit.

I've always been a sucker for a good theme and I may or may not have gone a little bit overboard when it came to planning his party. I had to talk myself off the Amazon ledge a few times to keep myself from ordering 10 foot tall Mickey Halloween inflatables.

We went with an afternoon party and served light finger foods including Mickey Chicken Nuggets, Spooky Spinach Dip, Peanut Butter & Jelly Bones and a haunted cheese platter. I used my Sharpie skills to turn mandarin orange cups into pumpkins which served as both a snack for the kids and a great table decoration.

I decided to go with the traditional Not So Scary colorway using black, orange, neon green and purple for most of our decorations and tableware. There is a real lack Disney branded Halloween party supplies so I mostly stuck with solid colors or basic seasonal decor with small Mickey accents where I could. I used a black plastic table cloth to cover up our usual dining room canvas to create the perfect backdrop for additional party decorations.

For Easton's cake, I did go all out and ordered a custom sprinkle mix made to match the Magic Kingdom's Not So Scary Halloween Party theme and I'm pretty sure it was the best $8 I've spent in a long time. His cupcakes were from Sam's Club and I just had them made with the solid colored icing and added my own Wilton sprinkle mix when I picked them up.

I wanted something simple looking for the boys' outfits so I ordered them solid black shirts off Amazon and then ironed on Mickey pumpkin patches and paired them with shorts from our favorite- June & January.

I set out some basic Halloween crafts for the kids to do on the back porch and had a color your own "Club Candy Corn" cardboard haunted play house for them as well. These cardboard play houses have become a bit of a tradition at our parties and the kids never seem to tire of playing with them. For favors I was able to find the perfect Disney Halloween sticker books at Micheal's for each kid to take home with them.

A huge thank you to my aunt, Maria, for making Easton's birthday banner and name sign. And to Justin for putting up with my party insanity and not asking questions when I gave him a list of things I wanted to do for the party.

Boys' Outfits:

Black V-Neck tees

Wasabi shorts: June & January (get 20% off your first order!)

Iron on patches: Ebay

Cake:

Custom sprinkle mix on the cake: Sweet Treat Stencils

3 Candle
Made with the Barefoot Contessa's recipe

Decorations & Tableware
Glitter pumpkin stack
Halloween sectional party trays
Halloween Napkins
Table coverings
Solid colored tableware
Beverage tub: Target past season

Food:
Mickey Chicken Nuggets: Sam's Club
Cupcakes: Sam's Club
Halloween food picks
Bone cookie cutter

Playhouse and crafts: Micheal's in store only

Some of the above may be affiliate links. Nothing in the contents of this post was sponsored. All opinions and ideas are always my own. 

Big Announcement/Where I've Been

You may have noticed it's been a little quiet around here the last few months. And that is because our family is very excited to be welcoming Baby Boy #2 early this November. We are overjoyed and feeling so blessed to be able to give Easton a sibling.

We really wanted to build on Easton's Disney pregnancy announcement but by the time we felt ready to take photos the weather had already gotten a little warm for a pregnant lady and toddler to try and take pictures in front of the castle so we decided to take some photos on the beach locally and incorporate a little bit of Disney for good measure. 

I designed the sign in PicMonkey (basic version is FREE) and had it printed up on card stock at Staples. We attached it to wooden dowels to get it to stay up in the sand. 

While taking these photos seems like it would be easy it was a disaster. Every time we tried to go to the beach to take them it would either rain or winds would be blowing 20 MPH. And to top it all off, Easton decided to be a true toddler and refuse to cooperate. I had grand plans of different styles of pictures but these were the best we got so we rolled with it. Such is life. 

I was excited that we got to use Easton's June & January anchor tank shorty for the photos. I actually found J&J but seeing images of their original anchor print from when they were formally Little Hip Squeaks. I followed the image from Pinterest to their new website only to find out it had been discontinued. So naturally I spend weeks on the BST pages tracking down old LHS anchor items and when they announced that anchors would be re-released this summer I made sure to grab a few things in Easton's size. New to June & January? Use this link and the code it takes you to for 15% off your first purchase. And Easton's outfit is on sale which is even better! 

We've had an amazing summer as a family of 3.5 and I can't wait to start blogging again after a relaxing break. Hope you have all enjoyed relaxing and restful summers too!

Check out of first Disney Pregnancy Announcement below!

SaveSave

Toddler Beach & Pool Bag Must Haves

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BlueLizardSummer #CollectiveBias

Being a Florida baby, Easton has been going to the beach and pool since he was about six months old. For years Justin and I got used to being able to throw a few towels and chairs in the car and head down to the beach for a full day of relaxing. Now that we are parents our beach prep has changed quite a bit. To say we need more than a few towels and a cooler would be an understatement. 

The first few times we brought Easton to the beach we brought WAY too much stuff- 3 outfits, 5 diapers, multiple bottles and snacks. Then we went through a phase where we brought not enough with us and would end up having to leave way earlier than planned due to a hungry baby or a lack of extra diapers. 

I would like to think that over the last year we've gotten pretty good a packing a baby/toddler for the beach or pool and we have a pretty good checklist of our must haves to make getting ready for a day of fun in the sun easier for everyone. 

Our Toddler Beach & Pool Bag Must Haves

• Blue Lizard® Australian Sunscreen - Baby: Sunscreen is our #1 must have for a day in the sun with Easton. I love Blue Lizard® products because they have a unique zinc oxide formulation and provide broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. The Baby formula is SPF 30+ and paraben-free and fragrance-free
• Long sleeved rash guard top: Even though we always apply sunscreen the long sleeves are great for longer days in the sun.
• Dry change of shirt: Sometimes the rash guard can make Easton cold so I always pack a dry shirt in case he wants to take a nap or relax under the umbrella
• Sippy cup with water: We learned the hard way that trying to keep your toddler hydrated with only bottles of water ends up with a lot more water spilled than consumed. Bringing his own zippy cup means he stays hydrated a lot easier. 
• Beach & pool toys: We have set of beach/sand toys that always stay together for beach trips and a few smaller toys that we bring with us for the pool. This way he is entertained no matter where we are. 
• Snacks: Even though Justin and I bring our own snacks, I always pack Easton's in his own separate snack cup. This way his sandy hands stay out of my pretzel bag. 
• Pre-cut fruit: I love packing a little container of pre-cut fruit. I always make sure to prep it before hand so it is as easy as possible for Easton to snack on without bringing along utensils. 
• Extra swim diaper: We learned the hard way that one swim diaper isn't always enough for a trip to beach or pool (believe me you don't want the details). Having an extra with us means our time in the water doesn't have to be cut short when unexpected accidents happen. 
• Hooded towel- I always bring Easton his own sized, hooded towel. It cuts down on the bulk of bringing an extra regular sized towel and the hooded one stays on him better when we are drying off and getting ready to pack up. 

Getting ready for summer with your toddlers? Be sure to stop by your local Walmart and stock up on  Blue Lizard®.  I purchased mine at Walmart and was able to find it in the dedicated sunscreen display. Also be sure to check out Blue Lizard® Sunscreen's Patented Smart Bottle™ technology. The bottle changes color when exposed to l UV sunlight and can be used as a great teaching tool for kids on when to re-apply sunscreen. As will all things be sure to consult with your pediatrician before using sunscreen on a child younger than 6 months old. 

Even better? Right now you can earn $4 cash back when you join iBotta and purchase Blue Lizard® Australian Sunscreen - Baby, 5 oz. bottle only. iBotta is one of my favorite cash back apps so I was thrilled to see Blue Lizard® products included in their most recent cash back offers. 

Do you frequent the beach and pool with your babies and/or toddlers? What are you beach/pool bag must haves for summer? I would love to get some new ideas from your suggestions!

SaveSave

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Eggo Wafflers

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EggoMyWay #CollectiveBias

I can safely say that breakfast is Easton's favorite meal of the day. Fruit, yogurt, cereal, biscuits, toast, pancakes, waffles- he loves it all. Recently he has been on a bit of a pancake kick eating as many as five mini pancakes in a sitting. Usually I just throw a few frozen Eggo Buttermilk Mini Pancakes in the microwave and serve them to him plain but on weekends we have the time to get a little more creative with our pancakes and waffles. 

While in Target last week I grabbed some Eggo Buttermilk Mini Pancakes for Easton's breakfasts and  grabbed a box of Eggo Wafflers Brown Sugar Cinnamon Roll for snacks too. I was happy to notice that Eggo has a new formulation that is free from artificials. All Eggo products are now made with colors and flavors from natural sources which means that my childhood favorite is now an even better option for Easton. (Be sure to look for products with the green banner!) 

For a fun weekend breakfast I decided to dress up Easton's usually mini pancakes with a few things I already had on hand. You'll need:

• Eggo Buttermilk Mini Pancakes
• Blueberries
• Strawberries 
• Vanilla Yogurt
• Juice

1.) Microwave the Eggo Buttermilk Mini Pancakes according to the directions on the package and stack them on a plate. 

2.) Thin out the yogurt with a little fruit juice to make a sauce.

3.) Drizzle yogurt sauce on the pancakes and top with diced strawberries and blueberries.

4.) Serve to your child (or yourself) and watch them clap with excitement. 

Easton was so excited for his special breakfast that he just kept saying "wow" over and over again. He usually reserves that exclamation for Christmas decorations and theme park shows so he was clearly pretty pumped. 

Inspired by my breakfast success, I decided to try and make myself an afternoon snack later that day. The Eggo Wafflers Brown Sugar Cinnamon Roll smelled delicious on their own but I'm not known for subtlety in the kitchen so I made a little topping for them. This topping looks like it would be complicated but it is actually really easy and only takes a few minutes. I used:

• Diced up apple slices (these came from a bag of pre-sliced apples in the fridge) 
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• cinnamon 

1.) In a small saucepan melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar. 

2.) Add in the apples and coat with the the sauce. 

3.) Sprinkle in a little bit of cinnamon to your preference. 

4.) Let the mixture simmer on low until the apples are soft.

5.) Top toasted Eggo Wafflers with the apple mixture. Optional: add sprinkles for fun

This was so good I actually thought I was at a carnival. The crispy Eggo Wafflers were perfect under the cinnamon apples and while they wouldn't have needed syrup the brown sugar sauce made the dish. Easton noticed what I was eating and so I was a good mom and shared with him but honestly I would consider this a snack adults will love as much as kids. 

This week Eggo products are on sale at Target so be sure to stock up. This offer runs through the last week in February with Eggo products for $1.99 each so check your local circular ad for details. 

SaveSave

What Easton Wore: June & January At The Beach

Some photos from an evening at the beach in one of our favorite new June & January outfits. 

Sometimes I miss having seasons. Other times I realize how lucky we are that we can head down to the beach any day of the year, even in early February. 

Easton currently thinks he is 5 years old instead of 16 months old and is obsessed with climbing the stairs at the beach boardwalk even though he hasn't quite mastered the skill completely. If we even dare to go to one of the many parks near a beach access he will break off into a sprint and head for the boardwalk and proceed to have an epic meltdown if we don't let him go down to the sand. 

These pictures are even more special because they are at a beach that Justin and I have been going to ever since the summer of 2004 when we first started dating. It was the first beach we took Easton too after he was born too. I'm pretty sure he and Justin swing by there once a week to "check the waves" while at I'm work. 

If you follow me on social media or know us in real life, it's no secret that June & January is one of my current favorites when it comes to Easton's wardrobe. I am loving this combo of teal striped tank and poppy lounge shorts on him and can't wait to dress him in one million different versions of this outfit all summer. 

And, yes, I know he needs another hair cut but I just can't bring myself to cut those sweet little baby curls again yet. 

Easton's version of fierce.

Bubbles are life. 

Sassy "cheese" face.

Skinny baby arms in tank tops kill me. 

Those cheeks though.

New to June & January? Make your first purchase through this link and get 15% off your first purchase!

SaveSave