B.P.s Are On The Brain (and I'm ready for a break!)

B.P.s? What are those you ask? Let me give you a hint or two. We I plan them months in advance. They are  for me little people. They are meant to be fun and celebratory. They are elaborately planned. They are work fun! And the guesses are?

Yup...birthday parties. We've been in full B.P. season now since October, planning and executing just two parties (though one had to be cancelled and rescheduled because of the flu - yuck!, so if truth be told it felt like three parties).

My first rule for throwing a birthday party: robust party favors. Yes, robust. No cheesy dollar store plastic disposable toys here. I want the kiddos who are taking the time out of their parents' busy schedules to walk away with a toy/item with real staying power. Something that lasts longer than a day. Something that will remind them of the party they were at. Not a bad rule, really, but generally for me it's a time consuming rule.

My second rule for throwing a birthday party: easy on the budget. I don't care for the word cheap. 'Cheap' has never really been my thing. 'Frugal' is just a nicer way of saying 'cheap.' Parties need to be affordable. Doable. Easy on the wallet. Not a bad rule either, but sometimes a little harder to follow since I'm not stopping in the dollar store to buy my party favors.

And rule number three? Maybe the most important rule of the entire party: planning, planning and more planning. The more I'm planned, the more I'm prepared. The more I'm prepared the more I can prevent possible obstacles throughout the day. This same rule applied to my teaching days and I stick by it 100% when planning a get together of a lot of busy little bodies. Otherwise there's chaos. You know the kind - kids   bouncing off walls, tables, each other. I don't do so well with chaos.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the parties that have been occupying my brain this last year:

                                                                     H's Owl Party

O's Soccer Party

C's Robot Party

All the parties were a success, though some were more fun than others. I'll certainly take that into consideration the next time I'm planning a party.