Independence Day – Birthday Weekend Fun

We just ended our 4th of July weekend, celebrating the birth of America and the birth of our daughter, on the same day, which has it’s perks for sure. The most obvious being, the whole family is off and available to celebrate. That said, every year I host two birthday parties – one for the kiddos/friends and one just for family on the 4th. I spent all day Thursday decorating my outside covered pavilion at our farm, Autumn Acres – and as promised, here are some highlights.

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This will be the food table area once everyone arrives and our drinking jars are ready to be filled.

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We put a refrigerator outside in our party pavilion, so it would make serving food and drinks a lot easier, which it has.  However, to hide it a bit, I leaned this old chipped antique door, attached a paper towel holder, and screwed a dollar store frame into it, for a dry erase board to write menus or notes on.

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Here is just one of the many party decorations I made.  Also pictured is our swing, which when sitting in it, overlooks our horse pasture and Glassy mountain. (A smaller mountain located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.)  Look at Miss Autumn all festive and ready for the day.

 

We started the party at 1:00 pm and served a buffet of food, there were 23 of us.  Then we had Autumn’s favorite cake (strawberry with lemon icing), which I make for her each year, along with her favorite homemade smoothie pops (blueberry and strawberry). Afterwards the kids played games, threw a whole bunch of water balloons, which even the hubster got involved with, and played with the animals (kitty, our new puppy, bunnies, and the horses).  After all the cousins had fun driving the farm mule around the yard, it was time to go to the movie theatre.  We went to see the movie AMERICA – which I highly recommend everyone watch.  Even the kids watched this movie.  It was an amazing documentary on the history of our nation and why America is so great.  I was so taken in by it, as it was beautifully done… very intriguing, very informative, very eye opening.

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These were the party favor buckets.  I filled them up with cheddar popcorn, movie candy with a movie ticket attached, patriot accordion cooling fans, drink mixes/water bottles, flags, firework wands and sparklers for later.  The second bucket is one I made up the night before, for our family, so I could grab it when it was time to go.  It had extra sparklers, supplies etc, and a lighter of course.

 

After the movie, we went out to get a quick bite to eat, before heading downtown Greenville for the annual fireworks.  The city of Greenville host an amazing event every year, where they close down main street, which is adorable by the way, and they have vendors, bands, food, things for kids etc.  That being said, it’s pretty crowded and since I’m not one for crowds, we have learned a little secret.  We come in the back way, head into my husbands office parking garage, and go to the top.  It’s there where we set up our chairs before the sun goes down, bust out all the fun things for the kiddos, and watch them run and play.  Then at night fall – the show begins.   It was a fabulous family day!

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The next afternoon (saturday), after cleaning up from the day before, we went out to the lake, just the three of us.  Autumn and her dad did every water activity imaginable.  Kayaking, swimming in the lake, swimming in the clubs water slide pool, jumped on the lake trampoline, her dad scuba dived trying to find his lost sunglasses :), and lastly took out some paddle boards. I however, sat in the shade, with my sun hat on, and took pictures.  I think I got in a little pinteresting too.  After a long sun filled afternoon, it was time to have dinner.  We headed to the other Cliff’s club on the lake and ate out on the veranda.  It was a Napa Valley themed tasting dinner, and Autumn had three plates of seared tuna.  After dinner, we decided to move to the far end of the porch, behind where the band was playing, to be alone and watch the sun set.  I captured this moment of Autumn dancing with her father on my iPhone.  Our little girl turned eleven and is growing up right before our eyes.  Before you know …………… I can’t say it,  I already started tearing up 🙂

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I hope you and your family had a safe and Happy Fourth of July!!!