Go Shorty, it’s your birthday! Or maybe, I should be singing, It’s Our Anniversary! Either way, we celebrated JustAPlayDate turning one this summer. When the idea for the first playdate was planned it was simply so that some blogger kids could get together and have fun without the pressure of a formal event. Since becoming a full-fledged company, the premise hasn’t changed much. The littles still come first. The events must be fun for them and not feel like work.
Sticking to this principle, we decided the best way to celebrate turning one would be with an old school birthday party. And let me tell you, the fun wasn’t just for the kids. I talk a lot on here about building communities and when I get to spend time with my village, I feel blessed. The moms that brought their kid influencers out to celebrate our anniversary all are fantabulous women. The kids loved playing with all the fun our sponsors sent and the moms enjoyed spending time with each other. Do you hear me? Did you read that? We weren’t chasing our littles around. We weren’t micromanaging how and what they played. We were enjoying each other’s time and company. And yes, of course, we took some time to grab photos. It was an official influencer event after all. Still, though, the authenticity of the laughter and sharing that I experienced at the event made me smile. This might have been my favorite JustAPlayDate event to date based on the cool, laid back, relaxed vibe that was had by all.
It didn’t hurt that we had some really fun items to keep the kids busy while the moms chitchatted away, Two of our event sponsors were also sponsors for our first event, JustASwapkinsParty. This was a wonderful blessing that reminded us that we are doing something right. Jakks Toys and Goliath Games were sponsors for a number of our playdates last year. Can you believe though that we have never featured the same product twice? That goes to show just how many cool items each brand has. And speaking of cool brands, Horizon Group USA included a special birthday surprise for all of our guests. They have also supported a number of our events in our first year of operation and have already signed on to be sponsors for at least our next two events!!! Talk about a wonderful birthday present.
Fun toys aren’t the only thing that make events a success. You can’t have a good event without including good snacks. We were blessed to have another returning sponsor, Slammers Snacks, sign on. They are the perfect on the go, healthy and yummy snack option. They have a bunch of flavors to choose from which mean you can find at least one for even the most selective eater. JustaBXgirl now has two favorite flavors and has already informed me that our fridge must stay stocked with them once school starts.
While we love celebrating with old friends, it is always good to have some new ones come to the party. On the snack front, we were excited to try some Wholesome Pantry snack options from Shop Rite. I may or may not have eaten an entire bag of cashews by myself! Don’t judge me, mamas deserve to snack too! And you can’t have a birthday party without decorations. Remember how we recently hosted a #NowMoreThanEver Playdate? Yup, those are the decorations that we used for this one. Disney for the win!
