Radley's Root Beer Party

So, this year as we were trying to think of a theme for my son's 3rd birthday, I kept thinking "Root Beer." It is afterall his FAVORITE drink ever and he's been asking waitresses for it since he was one. With Root Beer at the back of our minds, we kept finding Root Beer things, like taffies, jelly bellies, barrels, and more, so before we knew it, we had enough Root Beer paraphernalia to have a party. :)

For his '3' shirt, I bought the blue shirt and fabric at Hobby Lobby. I cut out a three and hand sewed it on. The total cost of the shirt was about $3.50.

We had a great turnout and ended up having the party at a park. We had pulled pork with Root Beer bbq sauce. (it is made by A&W and I found it at Lee's Marketplace)

 This is the 'Root Beer Smorgasbord' table. I got these root beer mugs at Hobby Lobby and filled them with Root Beer float taffies, root beer dum dum suckers, root beer jelly bellies, root beer barrels, and gummy soda pop candies, which are actually coca cola. (shhh...) The kiddos had fun filling up a little treat sack to take home.

 We also sent the kids home with their own glass Root Beer bottle. I labled them "Radley's famous Root Beer" and tied a tag to each saying "Thanks for Celebrating with me! Radley" I taped an old fashioned paper straw to each. I ordered the straws here. (they deliver super fast)!

Don't ask me where this came from, but my dad had it, and was sweet to let us borrow it. We filled it with ice and put the glass bottles of IBC Root Beer in it. It was the perfect touch!

Here are the Root Beer float cupcakes. They were the easiest cupcakes I have ever made. The birthday boy even got to help and he's only 3.

I got the recipe for these EASY cupcakes here.

The three items above are ALL that you need for the cake. Your kitchen will smell like a yummy soda shoppe. I also tried French Vanilla cake mix and it works too. I liked this one better because it is super moist. I just used Betty Crocker's vanilla icing, and then stuck a soda straw cut in fourths in each one.

(The best part about cooking with soda and not eggs and oil is that your cupcake liners don't get all greasy and ugly. They stay colorful.)

The cake is the same recipe, and I put root beer barrels around the outside. They did start to melt and get gooey. :)

It was a BEAUTIFUL, hot, July 9th, summer day in Utah. My biggest concern was if we should move the tables a little more into the shade so it wasn't too hot. Thats when I heard the thunder. No sooner had we heard the thunder, there was a big dark cloud hanging over us. It was exactly 6pm, time to start the party. Thankfully, I listened to my husband, and we moved everything under a pavillion that had just become vacant. And then, it hit.... the BIGGEST rain storm I've ever been in. It was raining SO hard and blowing so hard. Even under the pavillion, we got wet. My husband quoted Forest Gump and said, "It was raining sideways, and the rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath."


 At first, the birthday boy was nervous and just clung to me.....

 but then, the puddles were ALL worth it.

The party was perfect, even if we were wet, the party banner blew away, and the Root Beer bottle favors got all wet. It was a very memorable party, we were with our family and friends, and my baby turned THREE! The only thing that could have made it better, was if it had rained ROOT BEER.