Pool Party Hawaiian Luau

Another birthday party to report on!  Eliza had a great 8th birthday - we had the best summer weather Scotland has ever seen in the weeks leading up to her party so we planned a paddling pool Hawaiian themed luau.  Typically it wasn't as warm as every other day we had but the girls all still braved the cold paddling pool water and had fun running in and out of the house with their music blaring.

Crepe paper background and wooden crates, lots of umbrellas and a few buckets this was an easy theme

 The usual savoury selection hotdogs, pizzas    and sausage rolls.


                                                                            Cocktail sausages

  Salt and vinegar fish and chip                    crisps 

 Beach theme: Rice krispie bars dipped in blue candy melts with an umbrella and a sweety frog

                   Pink dipped marshmallows

                                Foam shrimps and bananas

Rubicon sugar free juice - a token gesture really as there were a lot of sweets on the table this time!  I laid this on top of a tray of sand which went with the theme but also helped with the drips we always get using the juice dispenser at parties.  Will need to accomodate a sand tray in every party theme!  

Pineapple and strawberry mini biscuit cookies.  These took so long to decorate I don't usually put in so much effort but they fit the theme so well.  You can imagine my disappointment when my 2 year old found these and loaded them up as a 5 high sandwich and bit through them all before the guests arrived....never mind! 

He couldn't have selected the very dodgy flip flop biscuits I made that were a total flop could he?!  Can't fault his good taste 🤣

He also particularly liked the dipped marshmallows

 Mars bar krispies with token umbrellas

Sweety kebabs didn't work very well sweets all fell apart :(
 The cake this year was a last minute decision - I am pregnant with my 4th child and I really lacked motivation so I am really happy this party all came together.  Watermelon cake didn't completely fit the colour theme  I was going for but I was happy with how it turned out.

All the guests were given a grass skirt and lei to wear as well as star sunglasses but you really get what you pay for the lenses in the glasses all popped out and they were not a good fit on the 8 year olds who came to celebrate.

 Party bags this year of course involved felt - watermelon keyrings.  But I made them in advance no last minute sewing!

Inside I put a little hula dancing girl - she is so cute!  She has a solar panel and she does get pretty irritating because she ticks all day while dancing but she is addictive to watch!  Also a family stamp set, a tiny purse, a highlighter nail polish pen, pencil, flip flop keyring and some fruity sweets.

 All the hula dancers having a great time to their music

We had lots of inflatables for this party - will need to use this theme again so we can use them all again.  I'm sure an inflatable flamingo will come in handy some day??!!

The next day we flew to France - had to leave all the leftover cake to my sister!  Gutted.  I love eating birthday leftovers for days later but this was our last chance for a holiday before the baby here so off we went Eurocamping!  It was great fun and I'm glad we did.  Now it's the middle of August and the sun seems a distant memory........