We generally spend more on food than anything else for a birthday party. Yesterday was no exception.

Homemade cake -not really sure cost of ingredients, but being whole wheat, prolly same as buying a cake, certainly more than the 1 or less box mix.

Fish sticks (it was a penguin party, penguins eat fish), and Hotdogs (most picky kids don't eat fish) Fish was reg price, hotdogs free gift, leftovers from a picnic.)
Cheese reg price (2.50lb)
Fruit grapes OS watermelon not
Crackers reg price
Juice 2 or 3 a bottle.

For games we bought one multi pack of sea creatures. $5 and two boxes of ziplocks.

plus the cost of plenty of ice.

We played:
'Cold ice' (hot potato)
Rescue the fish (froze cups of water with sea creature in middle, kids had to melt creature out..no slamming into ground -or slamming things into ice)
Plus some hockey trials (penguin as in Pgh Penns)

I had musical ice floes planned, but we used up all the white paper for making snowflakes and penguins..plus I would have had to round up all the kids and that was too much work.

So far as I can tell the kids had fun, ate well, and enjoyed themselves. I could prolly have a party for less $ if I stopped feeding people, but since by the time dinner came around I was out of energy to even serve, I find food an essential part of the party. (pregnant or not my family eats every couple hours)

Between VBS and GS and Co-op, this week is totally to busy.

And without time to shop, which in some ways is good.

Friday I had husband hurry home so I could mow the lawn, then it rained..but only for a short time so I dashed out and did it anyway (very hot here, lawn was half dry in 15 minutes.) Then soon as I was done and showered husband went to go watch the hockey game. (they won .)

Saturday we were up early to go to the SC zoo (not sure it was worth a 2 hr drive) and then head back for a graduation party, which the kids were having so much fun at we let them stay late (not really the smartest thing, but oh so cute)

Sunday up early for church, help with snacks for fellowship, then CS meeting, while husband fixed friends internet, then set up for VBS dinner, then dash to store for gift (wait till you hear how I wrapped it!), then birthday party, then back to church for dinner and VBS. (all sorts of cohesion water science)

Today GMC is sleeping in (still), UE and JC are laying around doing nothing (I made them do the basic chores and rewarded them with a movie) and EL is clingy and nursing a ton more than usual.

I hope a lazy day will help refresh us, but I have to at least get the stuff ready for VBS tonight (popcorn and ice cream is the science of the day)

Oh yeah that gift, well we had no wrapping paper in the car, no cloth bags, not paper bags to decorate, nothing! Then I spied a white T-shirt that I had loaned the birthday girl when she was wet at my house for EL's birthday. So I put it on the box, perfect fit, but the top for the neck and bottom were open..so I grabbed the overshorts that I loaned her too, and put it on the box! It was so cute! A doll gift of sorts!

And we wont miss the clothes.

Well we survived at any rate.

I totally forgot to let the kids play musical flowers, but we did the crafts and I have a huge 'scroll' they all decorated with 'quills'.

J did end up with a balloon from one guest and they each got a card, but other than that the no gifts rule was followed.

The cake received rave reviews so I think we shall let her do it for the next party as well. Certainly was less stressful to not have to bake or decorate one myself. Not that I am off the cake baking hook I need to make one for J's birthday still so she can take cupcakes to sunday school and Daisys.

Now I have until April to plan a Werewolf party...

Well the kids party is coming soon.

The final theme(s) is (are) flowers, easy and phoenix/feathers..not so easy. though possibly easier than fireworks. (we do combined because they are not that far apart in age and close in date of bday)

so far I have bright invitations combining the two. well they look ok to this non artist.

Craft for JC is make a flower with maybe tissue paper? with bumble bees from pompoms for UE.

A game of pin the tail (feather) on the phoenix UE, or bee on flower for JC.

But I still would like a craft for UE, he wants to make a feather hat... wonder how to word that so it is a phoenix thing?

Plus I would like another game....never found pin the tail to take long.

Any suggestions?

Also any hints on how to make a phoenix on a cake? I can do the flower fairly easy.

oooh I just saw a 'bouquet relay' kids all take turns running to fill a vase with flowers...

Food came to about 45$, burgers dogs, plates and cups, cheese, grapes, carrots, and juice. (yes first time ever we bought paper plates)

"Treasure' came to about $10, coins, necklaces, balloons, and metallic eggs we had with stickers in them.

Craft came to zero, construction paper we already had, a pattern and directions from

Well he asked for a construction cake, but he is also asking for balloon expiraments, because balloons are a birthday thing, every birthday we get out balloons and a hand pump and the kids go to town.

I found one where you take a balloon and blow it up (touch a match to it) and one where you put some water in it, the match wont burst it.

and now Monkey mommas rocket will be added to the list. I think I would like a couple more.

Our birthday things are really family events, no fancy games or anything, but a few balloon things before I cook is cool.

Well I found the best 'games' for a birthday party-science! GMC got a book on gravity and wanted to do some 'tests' so we did, water that won't pour (and later goes up into the bottle) and balloons that wobble. (not to mention pop, twist and wiggle!)

I also discovered as much as I dreaded it, just how much fun making (decorating) a dinosaur cake could be, messy, not perfect, but loads of fun! We did one big one and I also had a bread pan that we let GMC decorate. (the picture is his version)

We have officially invited people for GMCs birthday!

I cut out a dino scene, then used it to make a pattern for him to vut. JC made some snis too.

Then we glued it down, scanned it in to the computer, and added some important information.

After it was all done and ready DH complains about the lack of dinosaur, so eggs, and trees are easy, the dinosaur wasn't.

In comes a large T-Rex toy for his photo shoot. A few minutes later we fudge up a cropped dino and speech bubble. voila. fancy dino on the invite.


JCs version


the invite minus the photo details.


The dinosaur

Hopefully email invitations are good enough, I can't imagine cutting that many scenes, or printing the color copy!

Some days when you have three snotty kids,a cough of your own, and a house in need of major cleanup, you just want some mindless entertainment.

In comes PBS, and the internet!

Terrible waste of electricity I am sure...

On a positive note, we are 'making' clay fossils for DSs birthdya party, and possible doing some early to 'bury' for them to dig up. I have seen some kits, but we are prolly just going for playdough imprints that we then 'shellac' or something.

Now all I have to do is make invitations (fast) and send them out, oh plus decide on food...

My son has requested a dinosaur cake for his birthday, I aim to please but I am not buying a store dedorated cake, So instead we got him a lego dinosaur set, and we will put the dinosaurs on the cake, he gets the rest as his gift. I figure some green grassy areas, and some blue water maybe some form of vulcano (cupcake on top, with red icing on sides?) But now I have to work on the invitations to fit, and decorations or games.

Last year at 3 he got a 'treasure hunt' complete with buried tresure.

The year before (2yo) we played 'Blue's clues' complete with blue pawprints.

At 1yo we just did balloons and hoped he didn't have a meltdown (he didn't)

I was thining of doing an invitation with dinosaur footprints or something, prehistoric wording maybe? Not sure how to do that, but I know after my experience with antiqued paper for the treasure hunt, I am NOT doing that! I want printable paper! No way am I handwriting that many invitations again!

Company! I had company for a late Christmas celebration; they brought the greatest Christmas present, dinner! Though honestly the way I feel I was happier about not having to do the work than not having to spend the money. I do have to do the clean up but they brought paper plates and plastic wear too! Which is a lot easier on the clean up. And they let enough flatware and plates for a months worth of meals! Not that I plan on using them every day, but they will come in handy when I just can’t get the dishes done.