SO...how did it go???

Well I thought it went great!! I stuck to my budget! Here's the breakdown:

Beginning Budget: $75

The following are updated totals. My amounts before were "guess-timates", but I have included ALL aspects of doing the birthday party.

• Gift: $35
• Invitations: $0 FREE using Evite
• Cake & Ice Cream: $2.64 I got the cake mixes free with coupons, I made the icing myself (had all ingredients but the confectioner's sugar and Jello pudding). I also had a coupon for free Turner Ice Cream. I got the "Happy Birthday" candle set free from Wags and then found the other set at the Dollar Store- perfect because it had 3 candles in it: a #1 for the big cake, and 2 stars for each of their cupcakes. As for the cake decorations, they were FREE. A big thanks to my sister for helping me out there!
• Food: $13.18 I purchased Velveeta and Rotel tomatoes for the dip, Tortilla chips & sausage, cheese and Bisquik for the sausage balls.
• Drinks: $1.69 This was the price for ice. I used an arrangement of soda I have been getting free (even PAID to "buy") from Wags all week!! I put the drinks in a large tub filled with ice. Added some color to the mini buffet.
• Plates/Cups/Utensils: $5 from the Dollar store


• Gift Bags for adults: $2 I put 2 gourmet chocolate bars in each (FREE) and a party blower, so all I paid for was the bags and the blowers.
• Decorations: $0 for balloons. I did notinclude the cost of the balloons since I actually bought them for their 1 year pictures and repurposed them. I also took all of their birthday cards and put them in a picture holder I already had- instant center piece!!

GRAND TOTAL: $59.51! That's $15.49 under budget. Guess I'll get myself a birthday gift with that, lol!

Here's the boys in action eating their (delicious) homemade cake. YUM!

The boys had a great time and got some wonderful gifts: books, Step2 wagon, a play kitchen, 2 new big boy car seats (kind of for mom, too) and a xylephone!! WOW! And as for the cake...they loved it. So funny how different their personalities are, and it really came through during the cake eating process! Levi grabbed his with both hands and shoved it in! Noah on the other hand had to analyze it first. He poked at it, wiped at the icing, then picked it up, pulled it apart and made a little cupcake pile. Finally, he got a little taste and decided it was time to dig in as well! When it was time for ice cream, same sort of thing, but poor Levi realized that it all shouldn't go in at once- brain freeze! But it was so much fun, I was pleased at all I did myself and the boys never got fussy.

Thank you to all those that gave us birthday wishes!! I hope you got some great ideas from here!