Ethan's Paper Airplane Party: 1st Birthday

It's here! It's here!

My sweet good lookin baby has turned ONE!

We had a flying good time with a Paper Airplane theme to match his nursery I half-decorated long ago before we moved to Texas.

Check out some of the highlights and be sure to remember the image of him in a bowtie forever in your brain because... it's the cutest thing ever. Ever.

Some great lookin men. 

There are a ton of great airplane themed parties out there on the internet so I was able to gleam some great inspiration but there were a lot of options and routes I could have gone.

Since the party was over Memorial Day weekend we knew it wouldn't be too big so we scaled down some grand ideas to some basics. Scaling down doesn't mean it still doesn't look awesome!

It's always great to have a plan and work on it.

When I have a party to plan I start weeks out and draw everything out in my McCarty Designs book.

I do this for many reasons:

1. So I can remember my ideas

2. Make decisions

3. Make sure I can explain my ideas to others for their help. 

Even though I have a Organizational Communication Degree I don't always communicate my ideas super well so drawing them out has helped my husband's engineer brain perfectly. 

Especially since I can be super picky with what I want and have things look. My poor parents and in-laws can tell you that for a fact as they have lovingly helped me plan parties over the years. 

Having help is what pulls off a party. Sure, I could do it all on my own... but it wouldn't look as great and I certainly would not be in a party mood to enjoy it! 

 After everyone had some grub they moved outside to have a bit of fun.

We had a paper airplane station where they could build their own planes than fly them in our test flight zone.

While I love me some Kraft paper... I learned a great lesson that day. 

Perhaps using brown Kraft Paper on a brown fence isn't a great idea. Oops... ;) 

My mom lovingly drew this cute little airplane for a Pin the Propellar on the Airplane game.

Than we had some Giant Jenga Action for the adults.

It was a great time and it feels like it flew by way too fast!

Happy 1st Birthday my Sweetheart. 
You are a fantastic adventure. 

God Bless and Much Love,

 Jessica

Double Surprise Birthday Bash: Duck Dynasty Style

It's been awhile but some sweet husbands suddenly thought...

"Yea, Jessica could plan our wives a party."

Yes. Yes I could. 

When we moved to Texas we were un-beliveably blessed to meet some of the most fantastic people on Earth. They have accepted us lovingly into their lives and we have found our heart falling deeply for this Big Ole State and much of that has to do with them.

So, when two of my lovely ladies needed a Birthday Party... It was time to dust off McCarty Designs and get some party juices flowing!

After exchanging some e-mails with their amazing Hub's we decided the best route to go was full out
Duck Dynasty. 

Once that was decided I called up my new friend Hollie whose Hubby was an avid Hunter and well... the rest is one kickin Cajun Party:

My redonkulously amazing mother was in town and made this kicken sign complete with bullet holes! 

She wasn't sure why she wrote what she did on there but we hoped it made sense to all Duck Dynasty fans.

You can't have a good Southern Party without having some Great Grub. We feasted on Pulled Pig Sandwiches, slaw, potatoes, beans, jello salad and the cutest Camo Cupcakes this side of the Mississippi!

 

Shout out to Brittany for making beans, Caron for Jello Salad and Potatoes and some awesome little cupcakes made by our sweet Hollie. I have some awesome friends. 

We had two cakes waiting for our birthday girls now all that was left... 

was getting our beards on.

SURPRISE!!!!

Happy Birthday Lovlies. 

And as my new friends have quickly learned about me... it isn't a McCarty Party without some games.

We had these cute posters hung around the room for everyone to write their favorite things about our two birthday girls:

                               

One of the best games of the night was when I gave the Birthday Girl's Hubby's some (cheap) toilet paper and allowed them to pick 3 teammates to help them "Dress up their Gal's."

With much yelling at me about the "crappiness" of said toilet paper it was still a huge hit giving them time to make some quite amazing outfits. The stories that went along with the outfits had us rolling with tears... If I could figure out how to post a video on this blog and I HAD the video... I would totally give you the 4 Minute Aquatic Craziness that spouted from Jason Fite's mouth in regards to his wife's mermaid ensemble. It was epic.

Lastly, while I know my friends had a fantastic time... Bryan and I are truly the blessed ones to know all of these amazing peeps.

Happy Birthday Sarah and Megan! 

You are super loved. 

God Bless and Much Love,

 Jessica

Delivery Notice: Baby Annoucement

While those closest to you will probably figure out that you have a new bundle in the house... for those who don't get to see you all the time or family out of state, seeing that new little bundle is quite an exciting thing!!

This announcement arrived in mailboxes across the country after the birth of our newest adventure back in June of 2012. 

God Bless,

 Jessica

Mail worth Getting!

It's Christmas Card Season!

As the first Day of December it's time to think now... what will your end of year card be?

How about a custom design from McCarty Designs??

I know I'm thinking about what I'm going to do this year and I'd be more than happy to help you design something too!!

Shoot me an e-mail at McCartyDesigns@gmail.com and let's see what Christmas or New Year's memories we can put down on paper. 

God Bless,

  Jessica

An Irish Wedding: 5th Anniversary

It is that wonderful time of year again!

At the beginning of November my sweet hubby and I celebrate our favorite day of the year. 

The day we said "I do." 

And this year was our 5th wedding anniversary and as with every year we throw

us a little shindig. ;) Each year we re-new our vows to a different theme, invite our crazy family

and friends and tie the knot again.

Both of us being Irish we thought it was the perfect time to have a real Irish wedding... kilts and all.

Check out McCarty Designs special decor for our very special day: 

That is one good looking man in a kilt! 

More impressive bling to add to my collection.

Since it was in the middle of the afternoon, we kept it simple with homemade oatmeal cream pies, shamrock cookies and some lime water and Irish Coffee Punch. 

Bryan's Irish Family. 

My Proud Parents. 

When I first got married in 2007 I had just returned home from working at Walt Disney World.

At the time I had one friend, who I still talked to and still surprisingly liked me. (I wasn't the best of peeps back in my early twenties. The Lord graciously did so much work in me!) She's the one behind the baby and in front of Bryan. Megan. <3

So Megan, my sister Holly and a friend I had just made Danielle were the only bridesmaids I had in my wedding. Not my dream but at the time I thought I was inconveniencing them by even asking...

Thankfully I've learned what a fun honor it is to be a bridesmaid and the joy of having

amazing women who would love to stand with you on such an important occasion.

So we use these "faux" weddings as an opportunity for me to honor the special relationships 

I have and have those ladies stand with me on our special days! 

I am just so blessed to know so many amazing women who are a part of my life it is a joy

to have them be crazy and silly with me!! 

Megan by the way has been a bridesmaid for me 4 out of my 6 weddings. 

She only missed 2 of them because they were destination weddings. 

Kristen is following closely behind her with 3 weddings.

And I've had the great blessing of being in both of their stunning real weddings.  

I'm pretty humbled they keep saying yes each year. I'm super lucky. 

Well... perhaps it's more than luck.

God had an amazing plan.

He handpicked me for Bryan as much as he handpicked Bryan for me.

These have definitely been the best five years of me whole life and I'm excited about the next sixty!

God Bless,

  Jessica