Party Time!

My baby girl is turning 11 this week so her Dad and I are throwing her a slumber party this weekend. Our house will be taken over by a bunch of little girls, giggling, whispering, playing games and making a ton of noise. If I were normal I would be dreading the whole evening, but instead I am kicked into full party planning gear and I couldn't be happier. In fact, my little girl is trying to reign me in and has warned me to not go overboard. She wants me to keep it low key, not like all the other parties I throw. Who is this child? I demand a maternity test because this girl can't be mine!

My baby Girl

I LOVE a good party. I really love MY parties. I get the deepest pleasure from opening my home, feeding people a ton of great food, concocting tasty drinks and watching those near and dear to me have a good time. I spend months planning a really big party and each moment is pure bliss for me. Well, maybe not pure bliss, the last 24 hours can get a little hairy and my husband and I are rarely speaking to each other when the first guests arrive. Rest assured though, by the time the last guests leave we are happily sharing a plate full of leftovers, laughing about all the wonderful things that happened the few short hours before and contemplating when the next big shin ding should occur.

I am also the expert at justifying any and all reasons to have a party. Holidays are my specialty, but really, I can celebrate any day that ends with a "y". Recently we were invited to some friend's house for a BBQ and my girlfriend's husband asked who was coming. As she was rattling off the short list her husband asked if I was going to be attending, which I was, and he simply stated "If she is going to be here it isn't just a BBQ, it will be a party".  Although I am not 100% sure his statement was a compliment, I took it as such and no one can tell me differently. After all, it was a day that ended with a "y" so if pressed I am sure I had a reason we should of been having a party.

I am not sure when my love of parties began or when I started throwing multiple parties each year, but I can tell you they were born out of necessity. Once we had kids my husband and I really became home bodies, which is crippling for an extroverted person like myself. They say having kids changes everything and it sure did for me. While we still enjoyed going out, having a good time, relaxing with friends, we were terrified to leave our kids with anyone. We even tried a sleepover with my parents when our daughter was 2 but after multiple unanswered phone calls we left the office party in a panic and rushed to see what awful tragedy had occurred to our precious baby girl. Imagine our shock when we arrive and found everyone asleep with the TV blaring so loud it drowned out the sound of the telephone. No, babysitters of any kind were not for us.

Meanwhile, all our friends also started to have kids of their own and we knew we weren't the only ones with the attachment parent issues. I fully admit it wasn't the kids that had the separation anxiety, it was us! So, instead of finding suitable childcare, paying the astronomical amount for said suitable provider (because if they are good, they won't be cheep) and then adding on the additional cost of the actual date, we began to stay home and invite other families to join us. It was a win win for everyone. In fact, one of the first big get together we had I hired a babysitter to hang out with the kids, do crafts and handle the little stuff so the parents could really relax without the constant interruption little ones supply. It was awesome! Now that our kids are older and more self sufficient it is much easier...trampoline in the back, a couple of games the older ones can control and lots of new outside balls and sidewalk chalk. EVERYONE is happy!

Our Halloween Witch's Brew

We have gotten so good at it that we are actually know for our annual Halloween party. Halloween is our big blow out of the year and absolutely everything is over the top. Kid game, goodie bags, enough food to feed a small country, drinks, fire pit, chocolate fountain and just about everyone comes dressed in costume. Halloween is my favorite holiday because I get to throw a party of gigantic proportions and my husband just sits back and watches me make the magic happen. He lets me roll with it because he knows it will be great and he knows it makes he happy to my core. I guess he gets the same thing out of it as I do, he likes to see me happy and it makes me happy to see everyone else happy. By the end of the evening our living room is usually a dance floor, kids and moms dancing, people sweating, laughing and carrying on. Occasionally a husband will take a disturbing home video of a mom getting her grove on and just like that our house party goes viral! Disneyland has nothing on our house, at Halloween we are the happiest place on earth!

All this talk of a party makes we want to throw one...hmmmm...summertime is almost here and my best friend is coming to visit. Sounds like a reason to party to me!

Summer Vacation to Do List

Summer Vacation is rapidly approaching and being the good mom that I am (cue the uncomfortable cough and advert your eyes) I have begun to dream up all the wonderful things we are going to do.

Then I stopped laughing and came up with the following Summer Vacation to do lists:

What I say we are going to do

VS.

What we are really going to do

What I say: We are going to go to the beach a lot this summer!

What will really happen: We will hit the community pool at least once a week but I will throw in new pool floaties to distract everyone from the fact we are not at an actual beach. Because let's face it, I really don't have any desire to partake in the hours of planning and lugging crap that is involved with an actual trip to the beach.


What I say: We will have all your friends over for a fun filled slumber party with games and activities.

What will really happen: At the last minute I will text some of your girlfriends to come over and I will order a pizza and soda and you can play Wii games and jump on the trampoline. To make it special I will let you all pick out your own donuts in the morning, sufficiently sugaring everyone up just in time for their parents to pick them up. My lack of sleep for a night should equate to everyone suffering with me the next day.


What I say: We will go for bike rides in the park.

What will really happen: I will call my friends and have them bring thier kids to the park and we will watch you ride your bikes around while we try to not die of heat exposure. I will make a great effort to not forget to pack extra water for everyone but being that it is summer break, Mommy's brain will be taking a little vacation of its own so don't count on me remembering much.


What I say: We will go have lunch with Daddy at work.

What will really happen: There will be some lunches out, it will just be without Daddy because he doesn't like the same restaurants that Mommy does, but Mommy's girlfriends do and if they are lucky we will let the kids tag along


What I say: We will read a ton of books together, expanding our vocabulary and challenging our minds during the summer break so we will be well preparred for the new school year.

What will really happen: We won't touch a book until 3 days before school starts and will try to cram the entire suggested reading list in 2 days. Note to self - check to see if they have Clif Notes for Captain Underpants books.


What I say: We will go on a fun filled family camping trip.

What will really happen: Kids will sleep out on the master bedroom balcony and we will leave the door open so we can hear them. If they really want the outdoor experience they can pitch a tent on the lawn but be forewarned, I have no control over when the sprinklers come on so camp at your own risk.


What I say: We will visit multicultural and mind altering museums this summer.

What will really happen: We will look up stuff on the iPad and Wikipedia from the comfort of our own sofa. Occasionally we will throw in a history related movie or TV show. Heck, I learn something every time I watch Phineus and Ferb so I am certain the kids are as well.


What I say: We will have the best summer ever.

What will really happen: We will have the best summer ever!