Whew. Say that eight times fast. 

Speaking of eight, our 08/08/08 baby has turned 8! 

When she was born, I'd look at her sweet face and think things like, "One day you'll be turning one!" and "Someday you'll be a kindergartener!" Psssh. Eight. 

Also, I never thought I'd be planning a Star Wars party.

But that's what she wanted this year. 

The girl loves her some Star Wars. 

And since it was her golden birthday and probably her last over-the-top party, I went all out. 

Or, rather, as far out as possible. {Budgets, people. They hold me back.}

Unlike with her 5th birthday party--a tiger theme which was a struggle as party stores don't have a tiger section--Star Wars is popular right now, so finding merch and pins for party ideas was easy. 

Basically, 99% of this party was already created and pinned on Pinterest. 

I am a giant copycat. 

What, with the snack ideas and the puns...

There's almost too many Star Wars party ideas. I can't do them all.

Get it? Get it? Pizza...Hutt. 

Lel. 

I wish I could take credit for coming up with Seven Leia Dip and Trooper Scoopers, but I can't.

But I can take credit for these adorable BB-8 Oreo pops! 

I made these following this tutorial, and it was really quite easy. 

Use the force forks. 

I even laminated water bottle labels--which is a party detail that's overdone on Pinterest, but I'd never bothered before--so the ink didn't bleed. All. Out. 

And guess what?! For the first time ever on a big party day for me...it didn't rain!

And there was an 80% chance at 5 p.m. which is when the party started. 

Golden birthday, I tell you...

Two Star Wars experts were at the party noticed my error. I knew it was carbonite that Han Solo gets trapped in, but I didn't know if it was spelled with a c or a k, and I asked Justin and he told me k {wrong}. Which in turn caused Google to "correct" it to Superman's kryptonite and it was past midnight printing labels and I didn't notice and the whole party was ruined.
Just kidding.

But these silly Jell-O jigglers were a surprising hit to the kid guests. 

When throwing a Star Wars party, how can one resist a full size cutout character?

One can't.

Eisley adores Chewbacca. So I got one of those too.

And did you know light sabers can be bought by the dozen? 

Star Wars dollar section merch made this party possible. 

Finally, I set up a little obstacle course out back...

...and set out some pool noodle light sabers. For light saber tag.

Lastly, some Star Wars Nerf gun games.

Our friends came! We even had a group of jedi-named sisters: Mara Jade, Jaina, and Leia--all jedi from the book.
Eisley's name was inspired by the band Eisley, which named itself after Mos Eisley, which is that place where the bar is in the beginning of the first Star Wars movie, remember? No?



The kids ate quickly and got right down to more important things.





But none of that is what will make this party especially memorable.
Rather, it was the guests who made this one I won't soon forget.
Two guests, in particular...



Chewy stopped by!



And a few minutes later, Darth Vader crashed the party!



And they proceeded to charm and terrorize the guests.



That awkward moment at parties when a Sith meets a sidekick of the Rebel Alliance.



A group of fierce Jedi girls bravely battled the villain.





{Eisley, this is how much Papa Erickson loves you. It was HOT in that suit!}



Chewbacca avoided the drama and posed for pictures.
{This was poor Justin in a Chewbacca suit, and believe it or not he does a mean wookiee voice.}







Eisley went incredibly easy on me and asked for stormtrooper cupcakes. No 3 tiered fondant covered Star Wars cake frantically being decorated the night before. {Justin hates how I get powdered sugar all over the floor and usually cry, curse, and throw fondant when it doesn't behave.}
I set them up all Mother Ginger style underneath Darth's cape.








It was a perfect Golden Birthday party for my eldest, my eight year old, Cheerful Eisley!
____________________________________________________________

You make us so proud,
Eisley Girl.