Autumn Boxed-Dinner Soup Picnic birthday celebration PART ONE

THIS IS PART ONE OF A TWO PART BLOG SERIES.  SEE PART TWO FOR THE PARTY!

Okay! I'll try not to confuse you all too much.  Here goes...  This year our oldest son turned 13 with a donut celebration!  LAST year, on his 12th birthday I threw him a book party at a vintage used bookstore, followed by a fall dinner picnic outside.  I NEVER posted any of those pictures.  Sometimes I do that.  Yep. Even though I share millions,  I still have files of pictures that I don't share because time slips away. However, I REALLY wanted to make a goal to share these photos because it was such a fun party with treasured moments!

A YEAR later, I'm sharing Cameron's 12th birthday celebration in photos and story.  He is our book lover, and October is an appropriate cuddle-up and read month,  so this was the ideal party theme.

Vintage Bookstore Birthday with a Fall Picnic

Part ONE:
the picnic

Cameron's 12th birthday last October, 2012, was spent with our family five and my parents and brother.  Cameron enjoys the personal interaction of close family.  I surprised our book lover with a small celebration at a used bookstore.  Afterwards, I hosted a boxed soup dinner picnic at a park for his birthday meal.  

We chose a tree-filled park where crunched, colored leaves took over the grass,

and where sprawling branches boasted of big colors.

Because if we were going to do fall,

we had to do it right.  ;)

Let's picnic!

For table decor, I tossed our fall plaid blanket over the picnic table for a tablecloth.  I used book-printed tissue for embellishments around snacks and candles to follow the book theme. 

The picnic dinner was just before sunset, so I added a lot of candles.

Dinner is ready!

Rows of boxes with soup and rolls,

 ready to warm up hungry tummies.

This was an easy picnic to prep because I ordered every single thing from Spoons Bistro and Bakery.  This restaurant is a favorite of mine!

Digging in to our boxed dinners

and

taking advantage of fall days outside with cozy sweaters and hot soup.

My amazing parents with Titus

Oh wait, let's do a hug picture too!

The candle's glow around our table

 competes with the brilliant glow of fall leaves...

but both win.

The hum of dinner chat slows as we spoon every last drop of soup.  

The boys run off to play for a few more short minutes as the moon replaces the sun.

Then we clear off our picnic and head home.

We're thankful for the gift of celebrating life

and thankful for these moments:

fall moments

family moments

blessed moments of abundance.

Check back next week for PART TWO of this 12th Birthday Celebration at the Vintage Used Bookstore.

Sneak peek of next week:
PARTY IS UP HERE!

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This post is linked to: Under the Table & Dreamin, Nifty Thrifty,  Made by You Monday, Met Monday, Tuesday Tutorials and Tips, HOMEWORK: Be Inspired, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On, Works for Me Wednesday, Snap Creativity, Organize and Decorate Everything, Transformation Thursday, Tablescape Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, 36th Ave, Foodie Friday, I'm Lovin It, Tickled Pink, Friday Flair, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, Weekend Wrap Up, Six Sisters Saturday