Squeak Turns ONE!!! The Dish ...

 We planned this birthday soiree from 10 AM until noon. We picked that time because August is HOT and mornings are usually cooler. Our backyard is better to host a crowd, especially kiddos. Plus, I am really good a cooking brunch (as in, I can only cook brunch and bake sweets!). The irony is, I only ended up making the cookies - I picked everything else up. Ha! Here is what we served:

 

 Cake! A friend of a friend made this most delicious, three tier cake that was gorgeous!!! The top layer lifted off for Squeak's smash cake. I looooved the colors of this cake - it was sooo fun. I didn't have a cake stand big enough but the Lilly Pulitzer monopoly board was the perrrfect "stand."

I followed the blog Sweetopia's recipe for the cookies and icing. I really wanted those super duper cute Lilly Pulitzer shift cookies in a thick cut with thick icing. They did not turn out quite as beautifully as I had imagined but oh-my-goodness were they delicious!!! These cookies were a labor of love: a day for the dough, a day to bake, a day for the first layer of icing, a day for the second layer of icing, and a day to dry. Next time, I won't serve cookies and cake - too many sweets too early! But, these would make the perrrrfect party favors. The circles were easy peasy but the shifts were much harder. I'm just thrilled they were delicious!

 

The rest of the food: quiche, pigs'n'blanket, fruit bowl, muffins and cinnamon rolls. The kiddos also had these options: PBJ sammies, animal crackers, juice boxes, and bananas. The beverages were: mimosas, champs, screwdrivers, OJ, lemonade, water, and beer (it's 5 o'clock somewhere ...)!!!

I did two Pinterest projects that were near-fails: cocktail stirrers with animals and the frozen water balloons (a good way to chill beverages and a FUN toy when they melt). I served food inside and outside because it was the hottest day of the year. Surprisingly, most people stayed outside! I loved this menu and would use it again - so easy peasy and FUN!!! Xoxo-BLC

PS: Photography by Rebecca Wesson http://rebeccawessonphotography.com/ !!!