TWINS' BERENSTAIN BEARS PARTY

These two turned two last week, and they love books and animals, so when I was brainstorming on a theme, I tried to mesh those things.  I LOVED the Berenstain Bears books when I was a kid, and two is the last age where you can throw whatever party you want to throw without input from your children.  So, I seized this last opportunity for a theme that I wanted.




And it was so much fun to execute.  I ordered a bunch of books through eBay and hung them everywhere.  That was the main decor.




I didn't have any extra family in town to help in the hours leading up to the party, but John took all the kids all morning while I finished getting stuff set up which was hugely helpful.

I didn't realize that our street would be a bit chaotic on birthday day.  We had new neighbors moving in across the street, and it was neighborhood garage sale day.  We like to keep life exciting.  You can see the giant orange truck reflected in the door windows of our "Spenst Family Treehouse."

Here's a peek at the Watering Hole.  Birthday Express is the only place online that has Berenstain Bear party related stuff, so I got some stickers from there for the cups.

I went with a picnic/bear theme on the table and did a lot of our usual party food, which almost always includes CFA Nuggets and popcorn.  I also added in a bunch of Teddy Grahams and Gummi Bears.  I found Berenstain Bear fabric through Etsy for the table.

For activities, we had the bounce house going upon arrival.

After eating lunch, I read the first Berenstain Bear book published, The Big Honey Hunt.

After reading, I handed the kids the first Honey Hunt clue and sent them on their way!  I had hidden members of the bear family at different spots around the outside of our house and sent the kiddos running for them.

After the Honey Hunt, I broke the children into two groups as they did Berenstain Bear puzzles.  I geared the activities to the older kids I knew that would be there, and I knew the twins would just like having all the other kids around.




Then, it was time for singing Happy Birthday and candle blowing and cake and cookie eating!






The birthday boy was a little clingy but willing to smile for pictures, though I couldn't get a picture of the twins' smiling with the big girls in their cute shirts that my friend was able to do last minute.




Since I ordered the books pretty randomly, I got whatever came.  Funnily enough, I got four of "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday."  By the time everyone left, both William and Violet had had Too Much Birthday and nap time was around the corner.



All in all, it was a great day with great family and friends in attendance.  I'm so thankful to have had two years with William and Violet, and it was a real privilege to celebrate their lives!