Birthday Parties

So, we never really had a plan for birthday parties. Joseph got one pretty much every year until he was 7 - we figured that was just what you do. Of course the first 3 years were just with grandparents coming over. When he was 7 we were living in Virginia and getting ready to move to Brazil, so that was the year his stopped. Melodie had a few - we tried to keep up with what we did for Joseph, but they started to falter for her, and they've faltered for all the kids ever since. The birthday tradition around here consist of cake and ice cream, gifts from grandparents, a gift from mom and dad (I try to limit it to $50) and those are the only guarantees. When kids are in elementary, they get invited to friend parties and thus begin to ask about having their own birthday party with friend. Abi especially has turned it on cause she's a little socialite. So in an effort to know how to answer her persistent questions, I have looked back on the past and what we've done up until now, I have officially established our birthday party policy: Each kid gets two friend parties. Abi had one in 2014 and wanted one again this year. I, being large with child, did my best to persuade and bribe her to wait for her second party for another year. But she insisted, and I gave in, consoling myself that atleast it will be the last one for her. I got lucky that it got postponed and I didn't have to do it with Corey out of town (I just like the moral support). Today was the day I had to pay up. I need to repent cause I was murmuring that we had to do this all morning. 

I ran to the store early for ice cream, we had cake on hand. Instead of buying more junk I asked Corey if I could use the treats and cookies he's brought home for the kids from Brazil. So we had enough junk on hand to make it feel like a party. Abi wanted to do crafts - that was something else I had to grab at the store. We did sun catchers, bead necklaces, and jeweled bookmarks. Abi was in charge of games, and Corey mentioned several times that her friends looked a little bored. Listen, I didn't even want to do this. I think Abi kept waiting for more people to come. She only had 6 of the 11 friends show, which I was actually really grateful for. Her friends Story, Hannah, Addy, Alix, Stein and Jules came. Poor Stein was the only boy. Hyrum and Wes are his friends too, and I gave the 3 of them permision to go play the Wii which they did. It picked up during the last hour and I think ended well, so hopefully the memories of the last hour will be the ones they carry home.

I really tried to bribe Abi, said if she waited for next year we'd do a friend party at Classic skating or something good, if she wanted to do it this year, it would have to be an at home party, and you don't want that right? That will be boring, right? So you'll wait until next year, right? Wrong. But we survived the 3 hours and no one helped me clean up after but I'm all done with obligations until the baby's born. I'm not going to push myself to exercise next week or leave the house at all, I'm just gonna chill. 

We had one other party recently for my humble and patient Hyrum. His birthday is right before school and when we're usually recovering from our summer of fun and I don't feel like doing anything. He hasn't had a party at all yet. So we did one for him this year. He said he'd wait until school started so we did it August 27th. I suggested that if he waited till after school began, he could invite more friends from school if he met more friends in his new classes this year. Only 3 of the 6 people he invited came. They also did a lot of Wii playing, (Hyrum was in charge of the activities too) but I think it went okay. 

The older 3 kids are done with parties and Abi is done, yay. (I think Abi is the most intense child we have socially), but they all have our blessing to "hang out" for birthdays. That's low key and totally fine, anything that doesn't require any effort on my part!