Back to School Dinner party

Tomorrow is the big day! Our Little Helper goes off to full day Pre-Kindergarten! I'm happy, excited, nervous, and a tiny bit sad. I'm going to miss my little guy all day long. And he'll be off having adventures and learning new things without me.  It's a big step for both of us.  But I am really looking forward to having time alone with Baby Boy.  I think it will be great for him to spend the majority of his days having my undivided attention and not being tormented by his older brother.
I searched high and low for the right dragon backpack, lunchbox, and water bottle.  I got all the uniforms ordered, washed, labeled, and ready to go (although another dresser for the boys sure would come in handy!) All the school supplies have finally been purchased and fill up two brown paper bags by the front door, ready to go . Myriad snacks stock our refrigerator and pantry to fill his lunchbox and re-useable snack and sandwich bags.  The camera is on the charger.  I think we're good to go!
But not until we have our back to school dinner party!  Our first one, last year, fell on September 11th so I finessed it into a Big Apple Dinner party.  This year I could just apple it up back-to-school supply style.

(And please forgive the boxes still stacked up in our dining room! We're short on built-in storage space in the Victorian and I can't finish unpacking.)

Most of these decorations I used last year with a few new school supplies added in.

 
I bought these cute little lined chalkboards at Learning Palace while shopping for the Blue Dragon Birthday party and school supplies. I thought they'd make cute little place mats for the dinner. I wrote MLH's grade on his place mat.

I was looking around trying to find menu ideas for back to school night, hopefully something that might include apples, but instead found a blog with some cute tabletop ideas.  I used this as inspiration for making the menu using lined paper and some school bus yellow cardstock. It has been a very long time since I have been so precise with my lettering!


We kept our menu simple this year:

• Toasted ham, brie, and sliced apple sandwiches on sourdough bread
• Carrots and broccoli with ranch dip
• Apple juice

 (Mr. W forgot the ham on the first round of sandwiches. They were still very yummy!)
MLH and I found these cute Martinelli's apple shaped  juice bottles at the grocery store today and had to have one for our dinner.
 
 
Baby Boy is still pretty particular with food so we're grateful for anything he'll eat.  Apples are a yes as long as we cut off the skins.