7/30 #giveaway $40 to Celebrate Express + Gigi's 7th Birthday!!!!! BirthdayExpress!!!! 40+ pics

BuySeasons is the company that runs CelebrateExpress , BirthdayExpress , CostumeExpress, and BuyCostumes. I have been a long-time customer of Birthday Express so naturally I was excited to do a review for them. If you have ever purchased you are probably on their mailing list, and they send a catalog around your children's birthday. This is extremely helpful (every year in fact!) because when we get it in the mail, I know it's time to start worrying about placing an order in time for her birthday. I love real paper magazines at catalogs that come too! Giana and I pore over them and she picks out her favorite. It is always what I am not expecting it to be either. I knew she liked socks monkeys.. but we are talking about the little girl who is dressed in pink from head to toe today too!A true prima-donna 7 year old little girl!

I would have expected My Little Pony, Barbie, Strawberry Shortcake, or other similar theme..

But we do love sock monkeys you know!?

In any case.. here  it is:  the sock monkey deluxe party pack for 8!

It is even cuter in person as it is online, and as you can see (below!)- it is super cute online!!!

If many of you have noticed my long long absense, that was due to a number of reasons. When my husband is deployed I have a lot more on my plate than usual, it can make getting the simplest tasks done a million times harder. Also, we had both of my duaghter's birthdays, an out of town 3 week stint in Alabama, plus a trip to Sea World for a week, and I even had my sister's little girl (my niece Lynzey pictured below) here! Then, my Mom & Dad came up for Giana's 7th birthday party.. so I have had my hands SO full.

I loved the center piece they sent, but maybe I am ditsy, but both my father and I (who is a machinist and is highly intelligent) BOTH of us had a hard time putting the center piece together.. It took little Miss Birthday Girl actually, to come over and help us figure it out, then I was able to finish the 3rd part, that she couldn't after she did the second step (which was insert the 3D faces on top of the monkey head) that was the part that was throwing me off, because they actually looked like straw favors!!!

We drew our own Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and we let the kids write their names on two tails each.

I used the games on the activity placements to give out party favors. We were sent 2 party favor boxes, complete with a matching sock monkey bouncing rubber balls, sock monkey yoyo's, stickers, and other sock monkey party memorabilia. Since there wasn't enough party favor boxes for the kids, we just used them to give out prizes for doing well in little competitions, like who can stand the longest on one foot? And... who can get through the maze the fastest? And even- Whose Donkey Tail is pinned closest to where it really goes! We blew up the balloons and specially marked ones (the kids picked them out of the pool outside) got a prize.. 

The kids also ate a yummy Oreo cake from Publix (that I decorated with Nutter Butters!)  that I everyone loved!!!

Here's what came in our Sock Monkey Red Deluxe Party Pack (8)

More fun than a barrel of monkeys! Includes (8) invitations, dinner plates, cups, forks, spoons, activity placemats, (16) lunch napkins, tablecover, centerpiece, foil balloon, (18) balloons (3 colors), curling ribbon (3 colors), crepe paper rolls (3 colors), cake candles and confetti.

You can also buy all of the items in whatever quantities you desire, and individually as well!!!

You can also purchase it in a bigger Deluxe Pack that comes with much more stuff:
Sock Monkey Red Deluxe Party Pack for 8 & 8 Favor Boxes Includes everything in our Deluxe Party Pack plus 8 favor boxes (with the favors). ($94.45 if purchased separately). Cost : $78.39  Ours was 39.99  (I win!)

Jessie C's adorable son Brayden playing with Devonny before the party!
Check out her blog, and see the post she wrote about our party!!!
rjandjessie.blogspot.com/2012/07/gigis-birthday

The kids seeing who can stand the longest on one leg! Lynzey won!!!

Gigi opening up her AG gift from Daddy, who couldn't be here!!!!

Monster High doll Rochelle Goyle that Giana requested.

Blog coming about this toy very soon + a giveaway for one via Hallmark!

She got an American Girl Rebecca Rubin book!

My pregnant friend Penni, and her friend Billie (below)

My neighbors Mark (above) and Holly (below)

Make a wish!

Lynzey & Ashelynn reading the  Discovery Girl magazine 

Oh Lordy, Mom done broke out the wine... Party's over!

Our homemade Pin the Tail on the Donkey Game

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer*  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Your experience with the product may differ from mine.