Yippie Ky Yay! Cowboy Luke had Birthday!

My littlest cowboy Luke had a birthday party - a cowboy party to be exact. Yee Haw! He invited all the craziest cowboys and cowgirls in these here parts to help him celebrate!

The invitation:

Since we had the cowboy wedding for my mother in law in our backyard the week before many of the decorations were already up. (The truth is I had planned a cowboy birthday for Luke long before I ever even knew there was going to be a wedding, let alone a cowboy wedding. The fact the my mother-in-law wanted a western wedding the same week as Luke's birthday was pure coincidence! It just gave me an excuse to really decorate!)

When the guest arrived they each got their own hat, bandanna, and sheriff star. I made the little silverware denim pockets and stamped napkins to look like bandannas stuffed inside.

When the guests arrived the party began!

First everyone needed to complete their cowboy outfits by decorating their own paper sack vests with markers, cowboy stamps, and puffy, glittery star stickers.

They all did a great job!

Then it was time for a few cowboy games - like Pin the star on the Sheriff.

And a new favorite : the There's a Snake in My Boot game!

The cowboys had to toss snake and lizard shaped bean bags into a pair of cowboys boots.

This game held their attention for a long time!

Meanwhile, we got lunch ready. Luke requested his favorite cowboy vittles: chili dogs and root beer.

The chuckwagon provided other vittles for all the cowmoms at the party - roast beef, horseradish white cheddar, and green chili paninis. They also got the bottled root beer and cherry cream sodas. Amazing grub!

After lunch, there was just some wild west fun ads the kids horsed around.

Handcuffs and a jail complete with a set of giant keys made for some great outlaw fun!

My roses were about the prettiest the have ever been, by the way, not that the kids cared, but I had to snap a few pictures anyway.

My favorite cowboy!

The cowboys and cowgirls got a real kick out of the boot cake!

When it was time to open gifts, all the kids got into the action.

They were all SO excited and so helpful to open the presents! Every gift had about 12 hands helping to tear it open at once. Kids this are are just so darling!

The prize basket was filled with stuff that cowboys love, like snakes, and horses.

I sewed the goodie bags with some really fun western fabric tied with ric rac. They contained western shaped silly bands, toy horses, star bubbles, beef jerky and a ton of other fun cowboy toys.

Everyone also took home a package of rattlesnake eggs "rite likely to hatch any moment", and the cowmoms each got to take home her own flower and a Cow Patty "Genuine One & Only 100% fresh", still warm! There is nothing quite like a fresh warm cow patty, is there? Yummy!

All the little cowboys and cowgirls had a rip-roaring good time, and I hope the cowmommies did as well! It was a beautiful day and a really perfect party for those youngins!

Of course, on his actual birthday, Luke we had a small family party for him as well. Oh how we all love our Luke!

Obviously, he was at taekwando before the celebration began. I love the gun and holster with the gi. That is a good look!

My sweet little man!

The big cowboy birthday party was during the day, so that evening, when all the older brothers were home from school, we invited some cousins over and did it all over again! You just can never get enough of cowboy fun!