Mazzou's Memories : A 1940's/1950's summer birthday!

For Elodie's 16th birthday this year we created a 1940's/1950's theme!

It was really fun planning for this theme; Nikola, Jessie our Mum and I each had a different idea for what a ''retro'' theme should look like and somehow we managed to combine most of our ideas into one cute birthday!

We were actually able to borrow quite a few of the items (coke bottles, picnic basket, coca cola glasses, etc) for the table and picked up the other items at local resale shops!

To decorate the walls, we printed out pictures we found online.

Lastly, the table was a fun inspiration; my sister first covered our table with appropriate fabric, then carefully cut plastic to cover. She taped that on with silver ductape to make it look like a table from the '40s! We've kept the table like that since!

So...here goes our first ''Retro''/''Route 66'' themed birthday party....

By the way, of course we played Big Band music! Glen Miller, etc. ''In the Mood'' is a favorite of course, but for this birthday we chose quieter tunes such as ''String of Pearls'' and ''Little Brown Jug''....

RETRO BIRTHDAY!

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For breakfast we made milkshakes, served with donuts on a straw. :)

''objects in mirror may be closer than they appear''

I like vintage car mirrors. We found this one at an antique store.

It was so fun to find a use for a model car a friend gave us some years back.

for decoration, we had to have coca cola! I was happy to find a use for a bunch of old records I picked up free. We used them during the birthday as placemats and actually have continued using them!

Pictures and map on wall. This birthday was also supposed to have a ''Route 66'' travel flair! (think Natalie Cole's ''get your kicks on route 66''! :)

a travel box. We finally found one of these suitcase things for less than $5. :) And the hats were great finds as well. ($3.00!) I love our Florissant Missouri antique/resale shops.

many balloons!- one of Jessie's ideas for the theme.

In the living room, we set up a soda shop. We didn't use it until the Monday following the birthday, but it definitely added to the atmosphere!

The birthday people themselves. :)

Reading young siblings' cards- always sure to bring smiles. ;P

After breakfast/lunch/whateveritwas, we headed to the Old Chain of Rocks bridge. Half of the family biked there, whilst the bicycle-deficient half drove.

It's fun having a ''Route 66'' aspect so close to home!

Happy Birthday, Elodie!

Old chain of rocks bridge

haha- Norman Rockwell style. :)

we tried to get a family picture....

sometimes it's harder than it looks.

that's better. :)

we just couldn't stop taking pictures! We all fancy ourselves photographer, I suppose! Just wait 'til you continue down the post. :)

woah!

Elodie wanted to take pictures of me. :)

''that's enough, Elodie!'' :)

our favourite little ''water intake'' castle right beside the bridge.

we found this car and Valerie tried driving it.

Sisters :)

We biked over into Illinois for a bit...

Once home, we relaxed for a few minutes...

...before heading out to Forest Park for a family picnic!

The day before the birthday, we had prepared club sandwiches (with thinly sliced chicken breasts which I cooked with paprika and garlic, bacon and lettuce).We also had lemonade and watermelon.

Jessie

Nikola. She wore a dress from our French grandmother. The rest of us wore dresses we had made previously, or outfits we put together.

Katia finished eating before the rest of us, and ran around trying to get robins to eat from her hand...I am personally delighted with the pictures I got of her!

reminds me of a storybook. :)

on the topic of storybooks, have you ever seen such a fanciful dress?
We were quite impressed. ;)

Laura-Lise- pensive state.

Laura-Lise- usual state.

Sisters!

The five older sisters

My July profile pictures. Thanks Sam! :)

Sam.

He's great.

I mean- would your brother take pictures of you whenever you asked?

(of course the quality cannot always be guaranteed, but they usually pass my inspection.)

''Sam! I hope you're taking good pictures!''

The struggles of being a photographer (even an amateur-amateur one) during a photoshoot.

I like!

I took some pictures too. :)

Laura-Lise and Katia. Just look at the crowd which gathered to watch us during our photoshoot! (you're supposed to laugh, btw)

Elodie- age sixteen!

is it just me, or is my sister beautiful?!

Valerie

Some random (as if anyone is random) paddleboaters feeling epic I suppose

just for the record. this guy was breaking the paddleboating rules.

THE WHOLE FAMILY.

The Sunset at Forest Park- always beautiful it seems!

what I said earlier about the crowds was a...fib. They were gathered for a movie under the stars!

this is what happens when you zoom in on the picture before this one. You see your friends who went to the same park the same night as you and whom you never even saw!

We went home before dark, to put our chickens away. We had a late, light supper/snack of fondue with vegetables. (birthday girl's choice)

That night, we finished with a movie outside! I have no pictures but we set up chairs and a laptop with our portable bigger screen and watched Missouri Traveller- a silly old movie (from Amazon)! I hardly recommend the movie but it was fun to laugh at it. And after, to analyze the meaning and purpose of the film. We never did discover the point of it- we should read the original book .

A couple days after this birthday day, we did a fun icecream parlor time! We had rootbeer floats, ice cream sodays, sundaes... even some water kefir floats for the healthier of our family! (me included, btw)