Gender Reveal Party

I am THRILLED to announce that my "baby" sister is pregnant again!!!  More like ecsteatic.  I was beside myself when she had her first.  I couldn't wait for another little nephew to join the family.  And I couldn't wait to watch the bond between our boys grow as they get older.   And let me just tell you....my boys are smitten by their baby cousin.  They love him to pieces.  

When I found out Sara was pregnant this time, I offered to host a gender reveal party for them.  I've never been to one and I always find myself in a puddle of tears when I watch the reveal videos.  I (selfishly) crossed my fingers in hopes she'd agree and she loved the idea!  Yay!!  

We hosted our first gender reveal party this past Saturday and went with a simple pink and blue theme. Team Blue or Team Pink....What Do You Think?!  We didn't get too fancy.  I just sent out a quick Evite with a little blurb asking our guests to choose a team and then wear their team colors to the party.  Score.

Chalkboard:  Michaels

I decorated the snack table, the mantle, and that's it.  Everything was pink and blue.  Let me just tell you that I had the best time buying #allthepink.  I love my boys like crazy....and I love all the boy "stuff"... but having a little bit of pink in the house sure was fun :)  

Here's the snack table.  Since the party was at 3, we decided not to serve lunch.  Instead, we had a table full of punch, candy dipped Oreos, cupcakes, candy/sprinkle coated marshmallows, and mommy's cravings...pickles and fruit salad.  We also served baby meatballs, tailgate chips, quarterback queso, and baby corn dogs :)  

Hanging decor, tablecloths, straws, paper goods, scoreboard chalkboard:  Hobby Lobby

Drink dispensers:  Wal Mart

Mini Chalkboard:  Michaels

I know I could've outsourced the cupcakes, but I really didn't want to.  I have a huge problem spending money on things I feel like I can do myself.  I mean, don't get me wrong.  I love a good bakery cupcake.  And theirs most ALWAYS looks and tastes way better than anything I bake.  However, I love making my own.  Less expensive and so much fun and homemade cupcakes are just so darn good.  I cheated...of course...and used a box cake mix as the base...but then I used THIS RECIPE to amp it up a few notches.  Ohmiword.  Y'all.  Some of the BEST cupcakes and frosting I've ever had!!!!  It's a MUST try!!!!  I dipped the golden Oreo's in the pink and blue colored Wilton candy melts then tossed a few sprinkles on them, too. 

The punch was insanely good and they both make the most delicious summer cocktails (with the addition of vodka or rum.  You could even go old school and toss in some Malibu :) ).  

PRETTY IN PINK PUNCH

2 jugs of Simply Lemonade (Raspberry)

1 liter of Sprite

(You can toss in a few raspberries and lemon slices for an extra touch of fun!)

LITTLE BOY BLUE BREW

1 jug of Berry Blue Typhoon Hawaiian Punch

1 liter of sprite

Countrytime Lemonade (I used two capfuls - 4 qts. - of the powder mix)

I found blue & pink cups and then adhered little chalkboard sticker labels to each of them and just wrote "team blue/team pink" on each.  I also found some fun pink and blue straws and set those out by the pitchers of punch.

I also loved the idea of having a little setup of mommy's cravings.  Right now my sister is craving pickles and fruit.  So I set out some Dell Dixies and then a bowl full of fruit salad.  The fruit salad included pineapple chunks...with a little bit of the juice undrained...chopped apples, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.  Then I took a package of instant vanilla pudding and poured about 3/4ths of it on top of the fruit and mixed it up.  It was like a dessert!!!  YUM!!!

We also set up a scoreboard in the middle of the food so that our guests could add their tallies to their team pick :)  

I set out a little "Suggest a Name" station for the guests to fill out while they were waiting for the reveal.  Girl names were written on the pink paint strips or post its and the boys were written on the blue.  It was so much fun reading all of the suggestions.  Even funnier was reading the suggestions from my oldest.  Somehow I don't think "Princess Peach" or " Mario" will make the cut :)

Large chalkboard & mini pink and blue chalkboards:  Michaels

I went really simple on the mantle and just hung a few little decorative circles and a little chalkboard banner that read "Oh Baby".  Then I made a chalkboard of Old Wives Tales gender predictions.  I had it all written out and then waited to complete it as a little party activity with the parents and all of their guests.  It was so fun!

Hanging decor:  Hobby Lobby;  Chalkboard banner - Michaels;  Large Chalkboard:  Marshall's

After we filled out the old wives tales, we headed outside for the big reveal.

My sister wanted balloons, so I picked some up at our local party store and then (very poorly) wrapped them up in a big ol' box.  I decided to weigh the balloons down with a gift bag (full of clothes) so that they could take pics next to the box when they found out the gender.

And....

It's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!  Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!

They decided to wait to find out along with everyone else and they were overcome with emotion :)  I LOVE IT!!!

I couldn't be more excited for them!!!  And I'm SO excited I'll have a baby niece to dress up :)  This side of the family needed some estrogen.  

Before our guests left, they got to take a little snack for the road.  I made some pink & blue sugar cookie puppy chow for party favors.  IT was SO yum!!!!  

PINK & BLUE SUGAR COOKIE PUPPY CHOW

9 cups of Vanilla Chex Cereal

1 cup of powdered sugar

3 cups of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix (in a pouch)

3/4 cup Blue Wilton Candy Melts

3/4 cup Pink Wilton Candy Melts

Set aside two large bowls.  Add 4.5 cups of the chex cereal to both bowls.  In two separate, small bowls mix together 1/2 c. of powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cup of the sugar cookie mix. Melt the blue candy and pour it over one bowl of the vanilla Chex.  Mix until combined.  Now pour the powdered sugar/sugar cookie mix  over the blue vanilla chex.  Cover the bowl (I used Press N' Seal) and shake until all of the cereal is evenly coated.  Pour out onto baking sheet to dry.  Now melt the pink candy, pour it over the remaining bowl of vanilla Chex and mix until combined.  Repeat the process adding in the remaining powdered sugar/sugar cookie mix over the cereal, cover, and shake until combined.  Pour out onto wax paper covered baking sheet to dry.

Such a FUN day and such a precious memory.  I'll never forget the way my sister reacted when she found out they were having a girl.  I can't wait to spoil this little girl rotten...and then send her back home to her momma ;)