Pack Your Bags!

Tripp's birthday party was a huge success and I think/hope everyone had a good time! The theme was SO original - TRIPP is going on a TRIP. All food, decorations, etc. were relative to a state (Allen thought I should have gone global -Italian lasagna, Mexican salsa- but I just wasn't that ambitious.) The menu included:

Wisconsin Cheese Ball

New Mexico Salsa

Kentucky Fried Chicken :-) (thanks Mom & Dad)

Nebraska Cornhuskers Casserole (THANK YOU Mamie & Judy!)

Idaho Potatoes au Gratin (taken from the pioneerwoman's blog - do any of you read her blog? It's very interesting & her recipes are D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.)

Massachusetts the Baked Bean State (thanks for the help, Papa-sita!)

California Cobb Salad (and Allen Vinson owned this salad - every time I turned around he was chopping something)

Minnesota the Bread Basket State (w/ butter)

Georgia Peach Cobbler (thank you Meme!)

Ohio Buckeyes (poor Lindsey & I tried, but only Mom could get the chocolate just right - they were a hit!)

Mom did the front decorations, using Tripp's embroidered suitcases, a Christmas gift from the Vinson's - they were perfect decorations, despite the fact we kept having to got out there to get some of Tripp's clothes...ha! Next time, we'll just unpack our decorations.
Tripp's month pictures in frame from Lee Perryman. Everyone filled out a questionnaire about their favorite trips, how many states each person had visited (Kim Turner, the winner-all 50!), etc.
This "station" (as mom kept referring to them) was New Mexico (salsa & chips) & Texas (cowboy hats). Notice Mrs. Stacie helping out with a few last minute decorations - we were putting everyone to work!
The gift boxes, with the Kansas sunflowers. Each gift box had a Florida orange, some candy, a picture of T-man, & a CD with songs about Alabama "for the ride home".
Hawaii leis...
Louisiana mardi gras masks...






Tripp wearing his "1" shirt - thank you Mrs. June!
Unexpected thank you hug & kiss - hands down, my favorite part of the party.
And the cake - this boy loves sweets!

Poor, broke dad & tired, worn out mom...
"No more parties!" But she knows she loved every minute of it. Right, mom?
We were all a little crazy by the end of the day...
And all of this made it back to Pensacola! My house is a disaster!!

What a fun day it was though! And Allen & I appreciate everyone's help! The food you helped prepare, the yardwork (that means you, too Will-bo), helping with the presents, Allie & Natalie, picking up tables & chairs, Uncle Allen, Mom & Dad for letting me "borrow" their "party place", all the out-of-towners who drove quite a distance to celebrate with us, a big THANK YOU to everyone! You're all invited to Tripp's 2nd birthday party hosted at McDonald's - I'll bring a sheet cake & a bucket of ice cream from Publix. Sounds good to me~!