Lightning McQueen/Cars Birthday Party: KA-CHOW!

Hey there! I wanted to share a few pics from Ev's recent birthday party. He is FIVE now, I just can't believe that my baby is 5. 

We actually have had quite the week with our little 5 year old... he went to bed as healthy as a horse on Monday night, then woke us up Tuesday morning at 145am totally gasping for air. He was so breathless and losing color fast, and after the 911 operator heard him breathing, we ended up taking our first ever ambulance ride to the hospital. Not an experience that I ever care to repeat, but I have to say that the First Responders/firefighters in our little community were so amazing and kind. We are so blessed here, so many incredible friends too. One who came over to sleep on our couch at 2am so hubby could join Evan and I at the hospital, and another who brought an amazing homemade lasagne meal over the next evening. I have been moved to tears so many times this week. My mom came up and helped me with kid-sitting and cooking and cleaning. So many people prayed for us.... we are just so blessed. God is so good and He had a close eye on my baby Monday night! It turned out to be croup. I had no clue it can come on that fast! Evan had had it to that extreme before, so I knew that it could be that severe, but no clue that it could get that bad that fast. 3 rounds of steroids and 2 x-rays later (to rule out any other possibilities) we got to come home. HOME looks pretty amazing after a hospital visit with your little one. Sure with 3 boys, we have been there several times before, and will likely be there again! But no fun that's for sure.

Anyway, Ev is a kid that just becomes fixated on one thing at a time, and right now that thing is Lightning McQueen and the whole Cars gang. He knows the names of every single car. He is on a quest to find himself a die cast Chick Hicks and Darrell Cartrip. He is going to be Lightning for Halloween. he even convinced the majority of his pre-k class to vote on naming the class fish "Lightning McQueen." LOL! 

So, OF COURSE, his birthday party had to be Cars, there just wasn't another choice! I didn't make as much of the party decorations as I like to do. Knowing how much Ev loves Cars, my Dad's wife had bought Cars birthday decorations to celebrate my DAD's birthday when we were out there. Heehee, I am sure Dad really loved that! ;) haha! Anyway, we brought home some plates, napkins, and a big "Happy Birthday" banner home from Dad's birthday to start us off. Cars is such a popular theme right now that Party City, and even Target had all the party stuff, and I was even able to order a Cars cake from our local Safeway.  

I did manage to make the centerpieces, and the thank you notes. We didn't do invitations this year, I did a facebook message instead. It's a good thing, too. Because I was THRILLED to get this Cars Cricut Cartridge on clearance for only 17$. But was bummed to learn that each car has like 15 layers! Holy smokes, just making these 3 took hours.

And in case you don't know the name of every car... the green/purple one on the left is Wingo, and the little forklift is Guido. ;)

I DID manage to make the thank you notes! This "Team McQueen" was on the cartridge too. My hubby, my other boys, and myself have certainly felt very much like "Team McQueen" these last weeks! A friend asked if it looked like Lightning McQueen threw up in our house? Yes, it kind of does! LOL. But Ev is so cute about it, he cracks me up! :) Here's the cards. I "stole" a few small Lightning stickers from Ev's 40,000 Cars stickers for the front of the cards. ;) 

I gave Ev the choice between the circles embossing folder and the stars. he picked circles, and after I started using it, I realized that was a great choice, since they look a lot like tires. 

We also had a Cars piñata and Cars game....

I made some pretzel pops with this Race Car Pretzel Mold and some red Candy melts. they were really easy! I recommend them for even those who don't have good cake decorating skills, like myself! Just melt and pour. Besides who doesn't like candy covered pretzels? Salty and sweet, YUM! :)

In my opinion, a party just isn't a party without a few helium balloons. truly I think I buy them more for myself! I love them! 

And, that sweet 5 year old who LOVED his party and all his (mostly Cars) presents. :) I love birthday parties! 

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Well, I am really excited because I'm going on a crop this weekend! So I will have lots of fun things to show you next week. Sorry I have been so sporadic. I'm getting in a good groove of returning comments, but it's usually only once or twice a week that I do so. I'm NOT ignoring you and will get back to you ASAP! :) Love you, blog friends! 

Noelle

supply list: assorted solid paper: generic; Cars Cricut Cartridge; Xyron laminating cartridge; Cuttlebug embossing folder; red glitter gems: Recollections; banner die: PTI; scoring board for medallions: Martha Stewart Crafts; pretzel mold and candy melts: Wilton