As I age, my standards get lower and lower and lower. Kind of like my… whatever….
My first child’s first birthday party had 2 character cakes (Bob & Larry of VeggieTales), goody bags, a BBQ with homemade salads, hand chopped produce, homemade side dishes, and hand made invitations as well as thank you cards… and like, 50 people.
Then there was his 8th birthday party - the one that was 4 months AFTER his birthday.
I’m thinking moderation is key. Joel’s first birthday was one extreme, his 8th was another. Funny how these events reflect the state of My mind… uber mania vs. uber guilt.
By the time Lucy turned 3, our family was working on birthday party #16. Not to mention Tooth Fairy demands, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter baskets, and Saturday morning donut runs. I am a tired woman. I am a distracted woman.
I needed shortcuts for the upcoming Strawberry Shortcake party that I would be throwing NOT 4 months after Lucy’s 3rd birthday. I recognized some expectations needed to be reset. I am learning I spend so much energy preparing for parties, I have nothing left FOR the parties… I just want to party with the party people.
I’d like to share my secrets to a big, fun party with you. I share these to prove shortcuts can still rock a party, and that the Mommy is more fun at a party that doesn’t tap a line into her jugular. Remember these words: LET IT GO…
#1. Let the party girl (or boy) wear whatever the heck he/she chooses. I had a wonderful pink-strawberry-shorcake-party-theme-appropriate dress picked. She wanted to wear her sister’s baton costume…
Let. It. Go.
Ok, so this is not a special secret. It’s just necessary, shortcut or no shortcut. I call it “fuel”.
#2. Just because you CAN bake, does not mean you MUST bake!
Let. It. Go.
I bought the shortcakes at Costco. I should marry Costco for all the love we share…
#3. Whip it. Whip it good. Just because you CAN whip it, doesn’t mean someone didn’t already do it FOR you!
You know Martha has people do her prep work.
Let . It. Go.
When arteries go to sleep and have nightmares,
it’s because of Costco and the whipped heavy cream.
Oh, pretty!
#4. Sorry. You just need to cut these yourself. Trust me, THIS is one area you don’t want to employ “measures of simplicity”. Some things just deserve special attention.
Do. Not. Let. This. Go.
#5. Stack store bought items on something pretty.
#6. Don’t chop all the pretty berries - consider them “natural bling” for your par-tay!
#7. Put drinks where anyone can get to them. Everyone at my party all had their limbs, so they didn’t need me to serve them.
#8. Save space. Stack cake plates… and remember you don’t have to put cakes on them -
go a little crazy and…
Let. it. Go.
#9. Sometimes we have to use plastic. And when we do, we put it in a handy container.
Mason jars also work great as plastic utensil catchers.
Let. it. Go.
#10. Party favors. Waste of money. The toys break in moments. The candy… a nightmare. I found that bubbles handed out AT the party was a hit, and the big stack of bubble bottles was quite impressive.
Let. Go. Of. Goody. Bags.
OK - I’m still working on that one.
And finally…
The school party:
Bought it. The kids loved it.
My kitchen never felt a thing.
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Keep up-to-date on the insane, the insightful, and the whatever…
Ha! My son’s 1st B-day was at the Disneyland hotel at Goofy’s Kitchen with all the character’s and like agazillion people at $30 a head…the 8th party…six boys to the movies and pizza…yep..lower and lower standards. Who knows what will happen when we move out to the country!
I had some guilt about buying a cake for my daughter’s birthday… but I realized afterwards that my sanity was worth it. I like the strawberry shortcake theme — I’ll have to remember that one!
Let. It. Go. Love. It. Just in time for my youngest sons’ b-day coming up this month.
“jen…let it go….Jen….let it go….”
Once again… COSTCO! The party looked like lots fun!
Oh my gosh I do the same thing…not only as they get older, but also as I have more kids. Poor number three just gets completely jacked! :) I’m working on it…
I’m glad you found me!! Now I can read your blog too…and would you believe I live right here in Auburn. Shoot, we’re pratically neighbors!!
ps I love that you said you had some reading left to do while the kids threw goldfish crackers around…you are totally living my life! Good stuff.
The thought of planning a party, any party (did someone say my wedding?), makes me break out in a cold sweat. I think whatever gene is required for it was left out when God was building me. Maybe it was replaced with extra doses of hair frizz and the ability to bend my hand back further than any normal human being should. I totally got jipped.
You? Rock. I need a giant plaque engraved with the words Let. It. Go. hung in every room of my house, and probably in my car. I’m like you - I’m just too tired to screw with crap anymore. Not that my children’s birthday parties are crap. No, not at all. But was it a coincindence that for 3 years in a row we were at Disney World the week between their birthdays and we celebrated there instead of a big party at home? I think not.
Let. It. Go. In my house we say: What. The. F*#! Which is kind of like let it go. LTG is what gets you through, and WTF is more like how you feel after…after not really planning anything. I was at the shortcake shortcut party, and it was really fun. Although, hosty was a little hostile with her whip cream assistant… I got a little wild with the whip. My bad.
My daughter’s party is this Sat. After reading your post, I know what my mantra will be! Let. It. Go.
Have to do the goodie bags though . . .
I always feel like our #3 child gets jipped/gipped (?) b/c All the kid’s bdays are in a four month time span and I am spent by the time his party rolls around. He’ll probably never get a handmade fire engine cake like his older brother. Oh yeah, see? I’ve forgotten already when the mommy guilt started in: Let. It. Go.
You go girl. Or don’t go. Hmmm, I’m confused. Anywho - great ideas. i’m all for simple these days.
I LOVED Strawberry Shortcake when I was a girl. I didn’t know she was still around.
I’m all for letting it go. In fact, I am so for letting it go that I never grabbed on in the first place. LOL! We’ve always had really mellow bdays, mostly family or just a few friends.
Love the pictures; and I loved your next post about falling in love again. Sweet.