Party Like it's 1999

1999: That was the about the year I had the most energy and creative spunk to make my kids' birthday parties awesome. But, I'm happy to say that it hasn't gone all downhill from that time...I did manage to create some pretty cool extravaganzas since then. Why the post? Well, I wanted to enter the CSI contest this week and it also happens to be Kellen's 10th birthday on Friday.

Unfortunately, this year we aren't doing a party. Instead, we are heading up to Philadelphia on Saturday to watch his cousin Ben play professional soccer against the Union. We are bringing two friends (a hard decision for him, but tickets ain't cheap).

I still want to do something special (and cheap), though on the drive up. Any ideas?


Meanwhile, I thought I'd share some party ideas I've done for my kids in the past. First, Kellen's third birthday. He loved Bob the Builder, but I wanted to go beyond the commercial stuff, so I managed to get some hardhats, home depot aprons, construction tape and other goodies. The cake? It was dirt cake in a dump truck, of course. Games were simple, instead of Duck, Duck, Goose. It was Hammer, Hammer, Nail. And workshops were set up all over with plastic tools to let the toddlers "build" to their hearts content. It was an early morning party (don't all construction guys start early) so food was done in a breakfast format. we had truckloads of fun.

Unfortunately, my scanner doesn't work and I can't share photos from my best party ever -- Nolan's 8th birthday Harry Potter party. I completely transformed my house into Diagon Alley and Hogwarts. The kids shopped for wands, owls and even made desposits at Gringotts. They got to go to HoneyDukes, take a potions class and get "sorted" into houses. We had a Quiddich game (they all brought their own brooms) in the backyard and the golden snitch was hidden. The cake was a replica of Hogwarts (after an earthquake) and we had "guest" appearances from all sorts of Harry Potter characters (my oldest son's friends).

Yes, I love planning kid's parties. I really hope Kellen will oblige me for a few more years!