Elise is the kind of kid who starts planning her May birthday party in January of every year. She decides the theme, activities, guests, food, the works. This year, she had been planning an Arts and Crafts party...which is just perfect for her right now. She loves nothing more than to do arts and crafts for hours on end.
Every year, I try and convince the kids to have their birthday parties somewhere OTHER than at the house. There are host of venues around here that host wonderful parties! Nope, they've always wanted their parties at home. And me, feeling like I have to create these wonderful memories of childhood, break my back putting on these creative and engaging parties for the kids. And every year, I have some other mother telling how insane I am to do it at my hosue right as she's dropping off her sweetiepie and making a run for it before feeling compelled to stay and help. :)
We've done a Princess Tea Party, butterflies and fairies, Dora (those would be Elise's parties) and Thomas the Train, Pirates, Star Wars, Boot Camp (those would be some of Carson's parties). Quite frankly, I'm partied out. No fresh ideas. No excess energy to spend entertaining a dozen children in addition to my own.
Carson's last party was, quite frankly, my best yet. We hired guy from a local reptile store come and show the boys reptiles for 1.5 hours. They got to hold gigantic snakes, feel lizards, see scorpians, the works. I fed 'em cake and sent them on their way. It was beautiful!
So, I just haven't gotten into the groove for Elise's party. Just couldn't get excited about YET ANOTHER party at the house. I'd even made some inquiries around the university to see if I could hire someone artsy to come and do it for me (don't mock me, I hired a drill sargent for the Boot Camp party and it was $$ well spent!)
Well, the planets must have aligned just for me. Elise went to a gymnastics party at our local Y a few weeks ago and walked out saying, "Mommy, can I have my party here instead?!?"
I was in shock and quickly went to the info desk to book her party! Hurrah!
The only creative juices I have to squeeze out for this shindig are the invites. (Can't quite give up doing ANYTHING!) And since Elise loves, loves, loves her crafts, I figured this was the perfect activity for us to do together.
Now, the only thing I have to do is fill loot bags and show up. How wonderful is that?!?
3 comments:
That sounds like my kind of party!
Sounds like Elise and Jazzie would get along quite well with their crafts ;-)
Arts & crafts parties!? Those are so much fun. Erin really enjoys those parties.
The funny thing is that I too kill myself to put together great parties. The only difference is that thankfully I can't host them at my house. We've done 2 gymnastics parties & a park party. Let me tell you that the park party would have been great if it were about 10 degrees cooler. These summer birthdays are killer down here in S FL.
Erin has been talking about a bowling party. I may just take her up on it!
You are a BRAVE soul. I have had the girls' parties here once each . . . enough for me. It is waaay too much work, frankly I don't have the time or energy. Congrats on this milestone . . . may you never have to throw another party at your house! (unless you want to of course)
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