travelswithminis

This year we were strapped for cash between my son’s birthday, back to school shopping, just getting back from vacation and so forth. The idea of planning and paying for a big party this year didn’t seem doable. 

We figured we could do a simple at home get together/ sleep over. Don’t really exchange gifts cause he has plenty. Made is favorite dinner… tacos. Buy some cupcakes and customized cookies, bring the swimsuits and rent a movie.  Simple.

Because we can not contain four boys and a two-year old girl at our local housing pool, and we have a pretty sweet hill in our back yard we decided a slip and slide and water squirting toys would be sufficient. And as far as photos were concerned it did not disappoint. This is my favorite! 

I have done questionable things like this when I was a child but no one caught it on film. Priceless.

Between the sugar and activities we figured they would be tired enough to sleep well. And we were pretty close to  right. At the beginning of the night we had four rambunctious boys, and I have to admit I was a little terrified. The other boys listened so well and had so much to do that there was no time for trouble really.  We knew all the boys wouldn’t be staying. It was E’s 6th birthday but most the other boys were just 4 and it was their first sleepover.

At the end of the night we gave them junk food (chips) and blew up the big queen sized air mattress so they could all crash. The neighbor boy ended up feeling tired and made his way home, the others parents were coming at 10pm to pick him up. Then there was only one. both he and E were out by 10:30.

I was super impressed that anyone actually made it through the night. My first few sleepover I ended up getting up in the middle of the night and crying until someone took me home, so I figured this would happen but it didn’t. Everyone slept in, had breakfast and stayed until we had to be leaving ourselves.

I think this was the most fun birthday for E. It was HIS friends, instead of my friends children,  And they were cookies HE chose, and food HE liked, and what is better than fun and food with your friends?