Our Castle

We recently celebrated the sixth birthday of Princess Ella. She requested a princess party, but not one like the princess party she had when she turned four. Here is how I pulled it off:

I began by visiting our local Lowe's and collecting refrigerator and washing machine boxes. These boxes are HUGE! I then took box cutters to them and made doors and windows in order to create a castle. Ella and Eli had a blast coloring the outside of it and playing inside it. (The castle was allowed to stay up until we got our Christmas tree.)

I made a castle for her cake.

Ella's birthday party was really fun. We started with some princess pampering. I did princess makeovers with lip gloss, eye shadow, glitter, and fingernail polish while the girls colored pictures to hang up inside Ella's castle.

Next we played games. Our first game was Snow White's Poisoned Apple. It is much like Hot Potato but when you get out you lay down and pretend to sleep. The winner gives everyone Hershey Kisses to wake them up. (Note the two princesses laying down in the picture.)

We then played Cinderella's Missing Slipper. Ella and Eli hid the mates to shoes in our back yard before the party and each princess had to go outside to find their missing shoe.

After the shoes were found we played Snow White's Wishing Well. Each girl had five pennies and a small jar. The goal was to drop the pennies from their noses into the jar.

Sleeping Beauty Says (think Simon Says) was our last game. Each girl had a turn to be Sleeping Beauty. It was extra funny because they kept forgetting and said Simon says instead of Sleeping Beauty says.

I'm rather pleased with the cake so here it is again...

Ella's real birthday was two days before Thanksgiving. As per tradition she had pumpkin pie instead of cake.

Ella is now six years old. She loves school, biking, reading, coloring, barbie, princesses, singing, playing with friends and playing games with her mom and dad.

I love you Ella.