I could be accused of going over the top with birthday parties. I just love them! The kids get so excited and I guess it’s contagious. This year Bryn and Lydia decided they wanted a snowman party. Considering we have about 3 feet of snow covering our county right now, it seemed appropriate.
The girls made a guest list that stretched into almost 3 pages before I gave them a reality check. We scaled it waaaaay back until they had decided on three families (the same three families that attended their party last year. . .we love them all!).
I made a simple meal of shredded beef sandwiches, chips and fruit and Conrad was in charge of the games. If anyone out there thinks that my life must be boring because I’m married to a stuffy pastor, I wish you’d come hang out with us when Conrad is around a bunch of 8 year olds. Oh. my. word. He fits right in.
The snowman party games included stick the eyes on the snowman, complete with a snowman hand drawn by Conrad. If this pastoring gig doesn’t work out, he could always fall back on a career as a cartoonist:
Next was a snowball fight. Sorry these are a little blurry, I’m still learning with my new camera:
Here’s Ellie trying to hold her own against the big kids:
And finally there was cake and ice cream for everyone. But not just any cake. Nope. Believe it or not, in spite of the last disaster, I decided to make another attempt at cake balls, or snow balls actually.
I followed the same basic instructions, only when it was time to form the balls, I made them quite a bit larger than for the lollipops. Then, instead of dipping them in chocolate, I just frosted them with regular frosting and sprinkled coconut on top. I dropped them into cupcake liners and we had snow ball cakes! And there was no swearing or tearing my hair out. A much happier experience.
And there you have it. Birthday party number 8!
You’re so good at this stuff Vicky! I’m very impressed. One of my first lines of thinking after realizing a baby was on the way was… “OH MY, a baby, we’re going to have a baby, they get older and have birthdays and then you have to have birthday parties for them… oh no…. I can’t throw a decent birthday party!! …” and then on to other worries like learning how to cook a turkey dinner for when all the kids and inlaws and grandkids come home for Christmas… and other immediate, pressing concerns.
So cute! I love that your ideas are so do-able and look like actual fun for kids- not just showing off, like some of the parties I see on blogs.
The ideas are great timing too because Eliza just told me she wants a “winter” party at her b’day in April. It’s the hot season then, so it’s a great idea! I’m thinking, crank up the a.c. in the bedroom, hang snowflakes, make marshmallow snowmen (maybe cupcakes?), etc. I love the “stick the eyes on the snowman idea!”