it's fall y'all

For a few years I've had this dream of having a harvest party. Not a summer bbq in the heat or a Christmas party in my little house but an outside, crisp harvest party during my most favorite time of year. Every year I see pictures of similar parties in my Sunset and Better Home & Gardens and it seems so simple...good friends, good food and some cute sweaters.

Well, this year my party dreams came true (although in my dream it was about 20 degrees warmer) and just over a week ago we had our first annual harvest party.

We had all the ingredients: a group of fun friends, cute kids to take pictures of and a fabulous array of yummy food (none of which I made!). The biggest stress of the party was the weather. A half an hour before the party it was sprinkling, freezing and dark but literally just as the party started the sun came out and we had some blue sky. Everyone was still bundled but it added to the whole "fall crisp"... or that's what I'll tell myself.

Of course it's easy to come up with the plan but I couldn't have done it without help. First of all to all our friends for bringing their favorite dish to share, my mom making the cute pennant banner that reached across the yard, my sister for taking these great pictures and of course, the best ever Blake. He went along with everything with no complaints. Hauling dozens of pumpkins in the backyard, picking up straw bales and telling me the heat of 50 or so people would of course heat up the back yard.

A couple of crafts & games for the kids and good food for the adults is pretty much all you need.

Donuts!

And if you think watching all these kids was fun...look at all of their cute (and proud!) parents.

I've always wanted a pinata and dammit, I'm 33 and I got one!

(I'm pretty sure Lucy didn't get hit in the head but I was pretty excited about the pinata so I'm not sure)

We have the best friends and they have the best kids. I've said it before but I don't know how we got so lucky to be surrounded by such funny, friendly, amazing people. We are so appreciative that everyone gave up one of their Saturday evenings to hang out with us and we hope that they might want to again next year (and we'll try really hard for some warmer temps!)

See ya!