Party Panic

Here I sit, realizing that Laura's 2nd birthday party is next week.  I decided on an "Artic Explorer" (polar bear) theme months ago, got the invitations sent out, and... nothing else has happened.  Oh sure, I have tons of ideas floating around my head.  I have an entire Pinterest board devoted to the party!  But all of those cute polar bear cake pops?  Have to be made by me.  In the next week.  Have I mentioned I'm not much of a baker?

Here are some of the ideas floating around in my head:

Cupcakes!  White cake with white frosting.  And maybe shimmery sprinkles!  To look like icebergs!  Using a cake mix, obviously.  Have I mentioned I'm not much of a baker?

Polar bear cake pops!  Because my MIL happened to randomly give me this cake pop maker for Christmas:

Did you know you can make polar bear cake pops?  Neither did I.  But how cute!

Source: midtownsweets.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

So yeah, I'd like to make cupcakes AND cake pops.  In my free time.

Cookies!  I have visions of polar bear and Alaskan salmon shaped sugar cookies.  Maybe as party favors! 

But so many party favor ideas!
Teddy Grahams and gummy bears!

Source: familyfun.go.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

The darn cake pops with cute wrappers!
Homemade snowflake shaped marshmallows!

Source: marthastewart.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

And the decor?
Cut out paper snowflakes, of course!  I would think about white and pale pink (or pale blue) balloons, but two-year-olds with balloons terrify me.  What if the balloons pop?!  The children (me) will be scared!

This morning, my sleep haze thought it would be a great idea to cover our family room area rug with a white bed sheet to make a play glacier.

Then I thought about bringing Laura's slide inside and covering it with quilt batting to make a slide-able play iceberg.

I have also considered setting up white styrofoam blocks (not yet purchased) as an "igloo" with white styrofoam balls (purchased weeks ago) as bowling balls for "igloo bowling."

I have also considered dressing the dog (a strawberry blonde labradoodle) up as a ferocious polar bear.  In all likelihood, the dog will actually spend the party at her BFF's house... not dressed as anything other than a goofy muppet dog.

Did I mention the party is a week from tomorrow?  With this in mind, I have given up my original plans of hand-sewing a felt polar bear for each child.  I have given up my original plans of sewing felt snowflakes.  I have given up my visions of making a felt "ice fishing" station.  I was really into felt for a while there... 

I also gave up my original plan of mailing polar bear postcards (with matching polar bear postage!) as invitations.  Thank you, Paperless Post, for your gorgeous online invitation system!  They had several polar bear options, as well as online RSVP service.  For free.  Isn't this adorable?  I love it!


The moral of this story is that I need to focus my thoughts in the next ten minutes, and get to work cutting out paper snowflakes!  And to take really awesome photos of the creations I do end up with, you know, for Pinterest!