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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Kensington, Parties ·

Kensington’s Trolls Swim Party!


On Friday, we celebrated Kensington’s 9th birthday with a Trolls Swim Party.
I’m pretty sure I mentioned this last year…but back in the day, I loved planning out my kids’ birthday parties.  I loved coming up with the themes and painstakingly searching Pinterest for ideas, and I always cringed at the thought of them growing old enough to have an opinion about their parties (any other mamas out there like this????)…but then they did and it happened and you know what?  IT IS GLORIOUS!  They say things like “I want a Trolls Swim Party” and you go BAM.  Easy.  Done.  It really is soooooooo nice to give up control of things like this 😉 .
So, that’s what Kensington said she wanted.  With a bounce house.  Sounds like fun to me!  We invited over her friends for an after school party, served pizza and cupcakes and it was as easy as that.  She told me it was her favorite party ever (and I never once searched Pinterest 😉 ).
Here are some pics from the whole day.  I still can’t believer our girl is NINE!
A few years ago, she asked if we could do a scavenger hunt the morning of her birthday to locate her presents.  And that tradition has stuck!  None of the other kids want one, but we all think it’s fun to participate in Kensington’s.  I put Andrew in charge of the clues…
Kensington had requested green pancakes for breakfast.  So, before we woke everyone up, I whipped them up.  (I bought lime green food coloring to make them more fun!)
The night before, they all slept in their sleeping bags in our room…because she said it would be more fun to wake up together.
These two.
And off they go on the scavenger hunt!
We found the gifts, we opened presents, we ate our pancakes and then we got ready for school…
Nine.
Later that morning, we headed up to their school to have lunch with the birthday girl…
She had requested fried rice for her birthday and a cake pop.  Ha!
A lot has changed in the last 9 years.  Nine years ago from that moment, we were at the hospital and I had been in labor since the night before.  Our sweet baby (who we did not know the gender) was bound and determined not to come out (she would come at 2:34 PM via c-section…because if they wouldn’t have gone in after her, I swear she would still be there today 😉 ).  We had that one baby we had prayed and prayed for.  That one child that, in our hearts at that very moment, was enough and we thought that would probably be the one and only (because just getting that one seemed so hard).  Things sure can change in nine years.  How crazy cool is God?!
The perfect fortune to get on your birthday.
Meanwhile, that afternoon at home, I got ready for her party.  Thank you Amazon for having tons of Trolls stuff 🙂 .
  We had our annual birthday sign (an updated post on these signs coming soon!).
Earlier in the week, Kensington had put gift bags together with some fun stuff for her friends (pencils, silly glasses, etc).
And then some very nice fireman who own a bounce house company, came to set up the bounce house.  This picture should be titled “the calm before the storm” 😉 .
The party started right after school, so Kensington hurried home and got ready.  I found her this Trolls headband off of Etsy.  Isn’t it cute?!
And then her friends started to arrive (along with our family!) and the fun began!
Everyone was having fun!!  (And because you can’t be too safe, I asked a lifeguard we know at our church to come and keep her eyes on the pool at all times.)
Kensington has requested my Fruity Pebbles Bundt Cake for her dessert (after we ate pizza), so I made her a mini bundt cake and everyone else cupcakes.  I you want to modify the original recipe, then bake cupcakes about 18 to 20 minutes or mini bundt cakes about 20 to 22 minutes.
Her smile!!  She was having the best time!
And just like that, she’s nine.
They swam, they bounced, they ate, they had fun.  It was the perfect Trolls Swim Party 🙂 .  We, of course, had the soundtrack playing outside during the whole party.  I’m pretty sure I had Timberlake stuck in my head the rest of the weekend.
Happy birthday to our sweet girl!!  I can’t wait to see what this year holds!!
To see Kensington’s parties from years past, here you go…
Kensington’s Spa Party
American Girl Birthday 
Kensington’s British Bash
Kensington’s Pumpkin Patch
Kensington’s French Bistro
Kensington’s Tangled Up Birthday
Kensington’s Cider Mill
Kensington’s First Birthday
To see Smith’s parties from years past, here you go…
Smith’s Hunting Party
Smith’s Dino Day 
Smith Stadium
Camp Smith
Smith’s Surf Shop
Smith’s Ski Lodge
Smith’s First Par-tee
To see Ashby’s birthdays from years past, here you go…
Ashby’s Princess Party
Ashby’s Popsicle Party
You are my Sunshine Party
To see Madeley’s first birthday with us, here you go…
Madeley is Two Cute
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Comments

  1. Erika Slaughter says

    I’m so glad Kensington had such a special day! The Trolls theme was too cute! And Ebby Lee couldn’t stop talking about all the fun!

  2. Beth says

    What a sweet girl! Still amazed at her leadership and consideration for her younger siblings! What great things God has in store for her!

  4. Bethany says

    I love this! Kids seriously just want the simple things that we often make so huge. She seems like the sweetest little girl!

  5. Laura says

    What a fun idea for a party! Love that you didn’t have to search Pinterest. 🙂 What sweet pictures of the kiddos waking up and helping with the scavenger hunt. Looks like a great day!

  8. Narci says

    What a great birthday!! Kensington is precious in the Trolls hat! So cute! Presley had the best time celebrating with your precious girl! The party was a big hit!!

  10. Kelly says

    This looks like a fun party!! But I ain’t gonna lie… I absolutely LOVED seeing your well-planned Pinterest parties!! They were so cute!!! Kensington is such a beauty!!

  11. Lesley McFarland says

    What a fun party!! I too loved planning my kids party down to every detail. It stressed me out to no end but LOVED it!! And your right…when they are old enough to plan their it’s even more fun…..like AWESOME. and way less stressful. because really at the end of the day who cares…just have fun.
    But now I plan my besties kiddos party so I still get my planning parties fix.

  13. Lauren says

    Kensington is such a pretty little girl & seems kind & loving, too! What a fun party! Good call on lifeguard. So many times parents are “hosting” or visiting with guests, accidents can easily happen! I used to lifeguard for private parties often & will definitely hire additional lifeguards for future kids parties!

  16. Amanda says

    Sounds like she has the best birthday! I’m super impressed that y’all had time for a scavenger hunt, present opening and pancakes before school! Was always a rush for me in the mornings. Actually, still is!

  17. Dana says

    Looks like a lot of fun! And what a great idea to hire a lifeguard to cut down on the stress of making sure no one accidentally slips in the pool!!

  18. Angelique at FourPointsMom.com says

    We’re doing a scavenger hunt for my son’s birthday party this year too. I’m nervous about my rhyming skills … lol. Kensington’s birthday board this year is incredible! Your friend is so talented. As are you with that cute party. It looks like they all had a blast!

    http://www.fourpointsmom.com

  20. Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams says

    What a fun birthday!! I love all the bright colors for the trolls theme. Pinning those fruity pebble cupcakes! So glad Kensington felt special on her day 🙂
    xo
    Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams

  22. Crystal says

    Looks like a fun party! I love planning my kids parties too, but boy it can get stressful. I’m sure it was nice to just relax and have a good time without worrying about every tiny detail.

  27. Angela Ellingson says

    Super fun!! I love party recaps! My daughter Clara will be turning 7 and has requested a Trolls party as well!

  28. heidi says

    What a sweet fun party. I love too that my kids tell me what they want. . It makes the pressure so much less!
    Love it!

  29. Jennifer Partridge says

    Where did you get your kid’s sleeping bags? I’ve been on the hunt for some and just haven’t found any that don’t look and feel like they belong outside in a tent!

  32. Melody Byrd says

    So cute & simple! Love the idea of asking a lifeguard friend to come over. Since we now have a pool & my kids love swim birthday parties, I think I’ll be doing this! We are out of school today for P/T conferences and enjoying a lazy raining day inside! Enjoy your Monday!

  33. Melissa P says

    Y’all always have the cutest parties!! Is it weird if a 38 year old now wants a troll swim party? Asking for a friend ; )

  36. Adrienne says

    I love the idea of doing a scavenger hunt to find her presents. Makes it more special.

    I am normally a pinterest Mom. My daughter turns 6 in a few weeks and this is the first birthday that I am not doing a pinterest inspired party. It makes things so much more relaxing, and we holding it at the bowling alley so no mess for me to clean up.

  37. Katie says

    I totally feel you on planning a cute, Pinterest-y party before your kiddo(s) are old enough to have their own ideas/opinons! We just threw my son’s 2nd birthday party this weekend, and it was The Little Blue Truck theme! I had so much fun putting together all of the ideas and decorations!

  42. Jen says

    Cute Party! I have to say, I do love me some Trolls soundtrack. I often listen to it at work when I want to really get stuff done lol. Try it : )

  43. Lindsay @ Lindsay's Sweet World says

    What a fun party!! Our kiddos are still obsessed with Trolls so they would love this!

  45. Tina says

    Such a cute party! Quick question…What size does Madely wear in Matilda Jane? We still have a tiny bit of room to grow in the 18-24 month stuff we have and I’m afraid to size up to a 2 (she’s in 24m or 2T in other brands). We bought ours at a festival while on vacation. So, I don’t know a local rep who could let me see sizes in person. I’m just going to order from yours.? TIA!!

  47. Bekah Bruce says

    What a sweet girl! Love her simple party! It is so nice when they start to have an opinion and you can just let go!! Her face looks like she had the best time!

  48. Nicole D. says

    What a great theme! The bundt cake looks so good. Happy Birthday Kensington!

    Ps – I was born at that same time too 🙂

  50. Kim Hayes says

    Hi There!
    I have been following your blog for a number of years but don’t think I’ve ever commented. My husband and I are empty-nesters so seeing your pics and family fun help me to relive fond memories and bring joy from your littles. I’m also a former elementary teacher and it’s refreshing to see Kensington enjoy something silly like trolls rather than pushing to grow up too quickly. Blessings to you and your sweet family, Shay. Thank you for sharing your kiddos with us!

  51. Jennifer Atmore says

    Such a sweet party! My son will be 10 in May, and I too have decided that big “Pinterest” parties are not mandatory anymore! May Kensington have a great 9th year, and an awesome year in 3rd grade!

  52. Sarah Shaneyfelt says

    This is THE MOST precious party ever!!! And love that your Fruity Pebbles bundt went perfect for this! Trolls is such a cute movie and Kensington did a great job picking it out as her theme!
    MeetTheShaneyfelts

  53. Erin Port says

    So cute and our kids are at the age where they pick too so I have a Shopkins art party coming my way on Saturday ;). xoxo ERIN

  56. Nicole says

    What a fun party! And sweet birthday girl. ? So, I have a pretty random question ? I love your nap and daily routine posts from awhile ago, I have young kids at home and they have great advice! I know you started working out with your kids while they were newborns still, and keep up with a busy and active lifestyle…I’m wondering what your approach was during the newborn stage when they almost nap hourly, did you stay home? Have a schedule/routine? Were you flexible? I need some guidance. ?

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      My babies always took a morning nap (typically an hour after they woke up) and then an afternoon nap. They would catnap while we were out, but I was always home for those two naps. Enjoy this baby stage!! It goes by quickly!!

  59. Detroit Duchess says

    Happy Birthday Kensington! That Trolls headband is the cutest – I have to get one for my niece!

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