Yesterday was Tom's birthday. Today was the birthday party.
Let me begin by saying, I don't like doing birthday parties - I don't like cleaning the house, just to have it mobbed. I don't like trying to find the perfect time slot. I don't like trying to plan for the perfect length of party (though I'd rather be too short than too long). I don't like trying to come up with thematically appropriate games.
But I started doing parties for my first child, and it doesn't seem fair to quit now that I have four and they have seen the pattern established. The only good thing that I have learned is to not allow more than 4 guests. (My 4 kids + 4 guests = 8, the number of novelty items in any party pack!)
All that said, today's theme was Indiana Jones training camp. I'd planned for three outdoor games: perfect; only the kitchen needs to be clean, right? And then there was snow on the ground when I woke up this morning. Yesterday, spring; today, winter. What does Indy do inside? Eat strange foods, teach classes, sleep and kiss girls. Fortunately the perverted weather demon that ordered snow for this morning also called for a warming trend, and the games were able to go on.
We dodged fast moving rocks, had whip target practice, did strength training, and practiced running hunched over, clutching something (in this case, their shins). Kudos to me, it also passed off 4 different things for Tom's Bear Cub Scout award.
We had cake and ice cream, everyone got plastic snakes and Mutt swords (I found them online for .89! A serious sale, because they used to be $5.99. I guess I have shopping estrogen, after all!) and it was over and done in 90 minutes. The only snag? Tom was supposed to choose 4 friends to invite, and he managed to mention to two other young men (not originally invited) that there was going to be a party. I didn't feel right telling them "Sorry; we can't exceed maximum occupancy;" so there were 10 kids instead of 8, and Addie and Jake had to yield their goodies. (I'm sorry to say, it serves them right, too. They were the hardest to deal with at the party. How old are they, anyway?)
This, by the way, is the cake. Decorating the cake is both my favorite and least favorite part of any celebration. I love coming up with something cool and creative; I hate that I always leave it until the hour before the party, making me feel rushed an stupid. I came up with this idea just this morning: Indy, surrounded by snakes. Apparently, I do work best under pressure!
That sounds like it was a lot of fun! u are way more creative than I. I order pizza and open presents. Once we went to the park and played for a couple of hours (no house cleaning needed! YAY!) You will have to give me some of your past ideas. I love the cake. That is the COOLEST!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember many of my past ideas; I think we did a jedi training camp one year. Lizzie's bday is around halloween, so we do a lot of halloween crafts at her parties. Addie's is close to christmas, so we've done a lot of ornament making parties. Jake's is in early summer, so we've done a lot of water parties. That's about it. I can come up with ideas, usually. I just don't always want to implement them. So if your kids have a party coming up, and you need ideas, give me a call and a week, and I'll be able to design some games and a cake!
ReplyDeleteI hate having parties. Hate it. I think the kids will hopefully and eventually get over it.
ReplyDeleteGood job, by the way. You were much more creative than I would have been!