My sweet Jackson is officially 11, and my heart simply cannot take it! The one that made me a mom IS 11!! Time just keeps flying right on by and although I do miss the days where he was saying “Mama” for the first time or learning to laugh, I love the relationship him and I now share. Jackson has such an old soul and loves to sit down and chat about all the things especially history, airplanes and sports. Such a teenage boy!
For his birthday this year, he wanted a “simple pool party with his friends”- minimal decorations, nothing over the top and had to be baseball related. So I hit the ground running with finding all the baseball things! Amazon was the perfect spot for most of the party goodies and favors, but I also found some things on Etsy (his invitation, water bottle labels & thank you tags).
For the food table, I loved the idea of elevating this space with the wooden crates. It added just the perfect touch for showcasing all the fun baseball themed snacks. We stuck with the traditional Cracker Jack’s, regular popcorn, chips and of course the Big League chewing gum. With Jackson’s favorite colors being red and blue, we decided to stick with that color scheme to keep a cohesive appearance throughout. I found the “Go Team” boxes from Party City along with the mini foam fingers which were a hit with all the boys. For the serving ware, I found baseball themed plates on Amazon along with the cutest food trays where we put the hot dogs and hamburgers as well as the birthday banner. And of course, we had to serve Amazon Prime Hydration because per Jackson, all boys LOVE Prime!
I wanted to add an extra touch for the food and you all know how much I love throwing together a snack or charcuterie board. I decided to make a “baseball themed snack board” which had more baseball concession classics- nacho chips & cheese, peanuts, sunflower seeds, more hot dogs, candy bars, popcorn and of course salted pretzels. My kids LOVE the salted pretzels! For the cake, I used a local baker that is amazing (CakeTime BG), and I highly recommend her for all your cake needs. I told her my inspiration, and she brought it to life!
For goody bags, Jackson wanted them to have a snack and “something baseballish.” We decided to use cellophane bags and throw in a box of Cracker Jack’s, a bag of Big League chewing gum and a mini plush baseball that his friends could pack around all the time. Food + baseball…a boy’s dream! I found everything on Amazon which worked great because it was shipped directly to my house lightning speed and easy to assemble. With our busy schedules, simple and easy work great!
We ended the party singing Happy Birthday to my not so little son whom I am so proud of! Jackson works hard with all that he does and truly appreciates all that life has to offer. Watching him enjoy time with his friends and end the night with a “Thank you, Mom-that was the best party!” made for a wonderful day!
XOXO,
Tori
