I just got to view the video making all the news channels with the eight-year-old Brazilian girl singing “Bad Romance”.  Believe me…she’s not the only one going Gaga.  My nine-year-old and I actually “enjoyed” this one much more!

I put cookies in the oven a little while ago, and decided to see what I could find when I did a search for “cookies”.   Look what I found!

As promised, I have some ideas for kids parties.  Just keep in mind that your most important factors are cost, guests, and space.  From there, the possibilities are endless!

I can’t post this without mentioning the basics…the swimming party, day at the museum, bowling, bounce place, gymnastics party, etc.  But as I thought about what to write, I remembered a friend of mine who is struggling financially.  For the last two years, she’s really had to stick to a budget…and I think she’s given her nine-year-old a couple of great parties. 

The first year, she had a “formal”.  All the guests dressed up in anything from Sunday clothes to prom dresses.  They had a tea party, and decorated their own cupcakes.  They had fancy punch, played a few games, and hung out.  They had a blast!

This year, they went on a neighborhood scavenger hunt.  My friend spoke with neighbors on her street ahead of time, and made a list similar to the following:

• something fuzzy like a cat
• something mushy like the inside of a pumpkin
• something hairy like a spider web

Since the birthday party was at the beginning of October, she took advantage of the Halloween theme, but it could be adapted in many ways.  The girls set out, with adults and teen volunteers, to find things on the list…to be provided by the neighbors.  After finding all ten items, the groups returned to the house for cake and punch.  What a clever idea.  Not to mention low cost and unique! 

Another friend did a sundae party one year.  It was one of the best parties she had ever had, and one of the best we had ever attended! 

Remember, parties don’t have to cost a fortune.  Don’t stress.  Enjoy it.  If you have fun, so will your guests!

Photo by Theresa Thompson via Flickr Creative Commons.  

I cannot believe it…my “baby” turns nine on Sunday.  With that harsh reality also comes the dreaded question.  What kind of party will she have?  In early January, I was looking at either one MASSIVE party or two medium sized parties, one for her friends and one for our large extended family.  The family all lives fairly close, and quite frankly, expects a party.  And honestly, my daughter is very attached to most of these people, so it seems unfair to deny her a party with them.  Then, there’s the school friends issue.  No one gets an invitation unless they ALL get an invitation.  That’s the school rule.  One I definitely understand, but hate at the same time.  Regardless, it’s another factor we must consider when planning a party. 

So I began my yearly research of possible birthday venues and their party packages…Swim parties, museum parties, bowling parties, gymnastics parties…and so much more.  Prices varied greatly, from just at $100 to over $300.  Then again, I also had to consider the guests.  I found great rates for a two hour swim session at an indoor pool…but I just couldn’t see Grandmothers and uncles swimming with  Emma’s school friends (I don’t know, it just seemed wierd). 

By the end of January, I was cut a huge break.  “Girl Drama” as I loathingly call it struck my daughter and her “best friend”.   So, much like her mother, my baby decided she “didn’t want to deal with any of them”.  Neither of us deal all that well with conflict!  So the decision was made…a fun, family party.  I still had to find the place, as parking is a huge issue at our house, but it had gotten a whole lot easier. 

My mother-in-law was able to rent out part of the clubhouse at her apartment complex for a very reasonable price.  Emma decided on a “dinner party”, requesting salad, lasagne, bread, and, of course, cake (also provided by my mother-in-law who makes wonderful cakes!).  We’ll throw in some sodas and call it a party.  I feel like I got off really easy…and Emma is ELATED!  Sometimes it’s the simple things that makes them the happiest!

Okay…I did get off really easy.  I won’t leave you hangin’.  Stay tuned for some fun birthday ideas for kids!

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr Creative Commons.

Photo by SherriW via Flickr Creative Commons.

Brittney at Sparkwood & 21 says cupcakes are not a trend.  For this I am thankful, though honestly I haven’t even walked into a cupcake boutique to sample a little piece of frosting and sugar heaven.  So I’m not sure about this whole “this is not a trend” headline, especially when she confirmed,

People walk by this store in droves, but it is always the women whose gait slows, whose heads tilt back to take it all in, to see that, yes, there are hundreds of tiny cakes, each decorated and topped and put on display. Almost none go inside.

I did buy myself a Christmas gift which still sits unopened in the box it came in.  A mini-cake decorating kit.  When will that “someday” come I keep asking myself?  I fear the kit may be headed for a yard sale 10 years from now … the poor dust-covered box will go for 50 cents to someone else with aspirations of culinary art and deliciousness combined into one.

Meanwhile, if you want to keep up-to-date on cupcake recipes, Utah Loves Cupcakes!

Photo of Emma and Cade as we celebrated a great two weeks of school with a cupcake party at my house!

I never remember the Christmas countdown calendars until several days in December have already passed.  I’ve always found the very not-the-reason-for-the-season Santa Claus countdown calendars wherein children are rewarded with chocolates.

But Malia.  This year she may have waited until the last minute like I do, but she didn’t shirk her Mom duties. She is a wonder woman!  Her children will countdown  the days of Advent in a great family-friendly way.  Here are some of her fabulous activity ideas the kids will find throughout the month:

1. Eat dessert first (brownies with peppermint ice cream)
2. What’s in the cookie jar? (it won’t be cookies! it will be an, as of yet undetermined, treat)
3. Drive around and look at Christmas lights in our pajamas.

I want to move in with Malia.

Photo from Mad Silence.

My cousin from Indiana sent me a facebook message a couple of weeks ago asking me to look in every Nashville area store I step into for a thing called a Zhu Zhu pet.  Huh?  She said she’d been looking everywhere for them for months and months - they are to be gifts for her eight-year old twin granddaughters.

I always thought the full press search for the hottest toys was kind of silly.  But then when my oldest daughter was three-years old, the Barney doll came out.  We love him, he loved us, we were a happy fa-mi-ly, with great big hugs and a kiss for me and you…

Yes we were a Barney family.  I drove to a town 10 miles away when I heard the local Wal-Mart had TWO plush stuffed Barneys left.  And they held both of them for me… we got our stuffed purple dinosaur.  Sadly, I’ve never owned a cabbage patch doll.  And I have yet to find a Zhu Zhu.

Ron over at PopFi gives us the low-down on the little gerbils hamsters,

Apparently, a Zhu Zhu pet is a little hamster that can drive a car and that runs around squeaking randomly.   The toys are the brainchild of veteran designer Russ Hornsby and St. Louis company Cepia Inc.  This six-year-old company is looking at sales of $100 million in Zhu Zhu Pets alone, with an estimated $300-$400 million by this time next year.  All for what is basically a $10 cat toy with a bubble car.

Will there be a zhu zhu in your house this gift giving season?

We didn’t have much money when I was little, but didn’t really need a lot to have a great time.  My best memories are of riding my bike everywhere and playing on the back of my Dad’s pickup truck.  The truck bed was our pirate ship, our raft that was adrift in the vast ocean, our treehouse, our fort.  The bed was anything we could imagine it to be, but we all thought the raft was the best because when one person was in it the other would try to sneak up and pretend to be a shark.  And when all of us played (there were six of us kids), the sharks would circle.

It’s the simple things that make the best memories.  That’s why I was delighted when I saw my brother post a photo of his own daughter playing in her house - a box.

His photos from New Hampshire sure make me want to live there - or at least go for a nice, long visit.