The Party

Well, I had to suck it up this morning and figure out what to do for this birthday party. So Abi pestered so she could come with me, and I went to Dollar Tree, and I spent over $100 stupid dollars on a ton of cheap garbage toys that I'm sure will all be in the trash tomorrow. And I resented every second of it.

The cashier told me that I won the award for largest sale that my sales clerk had ever done. NOT an award I'm proud of. And I vented to Nicole via Marco Polo wondering WHY do I even do this?

Wesley there showing about how I feel. He was enjoying eating the Airhead candy as he made the saran wrap game. It's a game we do at Christmas time with the Wride cousins, which is what we decided to do for the party. And a fishing game with toy prizes. Just a bunch of garbage-y toys. 

Sophi working on the seaweed and fish for the fishing game decorations. 

I guess I should count my blessings that my kids are eager to help. Wes, Abi, Lily, Sophi were all helping willingly, then Ethan came and told me he was happy to take over and run the show till the party was over for a mere $50 bucks. I told him I'd pay $5. He said that was too cheap and left. Yes I am frugal. If I did pay anyone, it should be all the kids who were already helping. Thankfully they'll take sugar as payment. So Wes finished the ball. I think he used three rolls of wrap. 

Kids start to arrive, and it begins...

Abi brought kids inside to decorate their goodie bags/brown paper lunch sacks.

Then outside for the fishing game hosted by Abi, body painting by Lily, and face painting courtesy of Mel who is visiting home for her first weekend at college, ha.

Singing Happy Birthday to Sophi, thanks to my mom for bringing this cake yesterday, it saved me a trip.

Happy Birthday toooo youuuu.

And then the saran wrap game. It did not go well because some kids unwrapped lots of things quickly and other kids having their turn end as soon as it started because the person after them rolled doubles too quickly. So my kids were getting upset with each other for not managing it to make it fair and some kids were sad. Before the game was over one kid had to leave and he left in tears.

So kinda felt like a fail. But I was just glad it was almost over. I don't like birthday parties. It wasn't as crazy as the day I did two parties on one day - that was with Wesley and Lily in 2016 . I think I'm going to revisit our family birthday policy. I propose that it no longer be "Each kid gets two friend birthday parties" and maybe I'll change it to (as Nicole does) a family day and a celebration of that kid - like we can watch family videos and look at blog posts and old scrap books, and then let that kids choose a family activity or family experience. Hopefully we'll start something better. But as for now, I'm grateful that we only have Daniel left, and his birthday will be low key, cause 3 year olds don't care, hallelujah. And then the next birthday is Mel is December! and since she's at college that will be low key here at home too - then Peter and Joseph in January, which will also be low key since it's a baby and Joseph who is also gone, then Ethan in March, but his will probably be just a mission prep birthday... And then my birthday in April - maybe that can be when we start the new policy. So I'm basking in the thought that there might not be any birthday expectations until June, yay.