The Hangover Birthday Party Style

Whew! The first birthday party wasn't too bad- we live a few hours drive from most of our family so only a few of them could make it.
This time around, we had the second birthday party at my mums place, and all the immediate family and cousins came with a few friends and their kids thrown in for good measure.....by the end of the day I was ready for two panadol and a very large gin and tonic. Miss Ruby refused to have an afternoon kip as wanted to "stay party" (even though everyone had gone home by then) so was knackered by the end of the day too.
Luckily it was a gorgeous day, so the predominantly male cousins could run around outside doing the treasure hunt, the pinata and assault eachother with various garden implements. The treasure hunt took more time to set up than it did for them to complete.

I usually enjoy baking, but am glad I just bought a premade sponge this time, as the bloody icing took AGES. Not to mention the cupcakes which I did make and ice myself...complete with fairy dust etc.
I've eaten my years quota of icing, and I will be quite happy to not see another cupcake until next year.
Thanks Chelsea sugar for inventing pre-flavoured, pre-coloured icing sugar, the berry variety was a hit on chocolate cupcakes.
Its all worth it when your toddler screams "birthday cake birthday cake" and tucks into it with her bare hands as soon as the candles are blown out.

Still learning to drive this blogger thing.

I think we're still recovering from the birthday party- my mum had one on Tuesday and my husbands is today so we're partied out. Will be well and truly over birthdays by the time mine rolls around at the end of the month!

In other news, the gorgeous coastline that is part of my title page is been utterly desecrated by the devastating Rena oil spill, and the arguing over how to deal with this disaster is getting ridiculous.

John Key may lose my vote if he doesn't sort this out properly.

Local writer Jenny Rudd has written more about the disaster here.

Its so sad..... I have never seen the beach as deserted as it has been lately.  We moved here because of the laid back lifestyle and the beautiful beaches, and thats all been ruined- thank goodness for the kiwi resilience and willingness to pitch in to help.