Let's Party Mondays!: A Retrospective...

Well, the week "has gotten a way from me a bit". The staff has gone back to school and we are all trying to get in this new groove. Change is hard. I've found that it takes 3 days for me to feel comfortable with changes -- so I should be feeling more settled some time today.......I'm waiting......still.......waiting...

But, why not take a look back at all the great Let's Party Mondays we've had. (I actually can't believe we had more than one.) But, I figure Hillary Duff has 3 "Best of" albums -- so I can indulge as well. Here were the summer's greatest hits...

• Dinosaur Party
• Circus Party
• School Party
• Camp
• Car Party
• Luau
• Beach Party

If you want to fully immerse yourself in the wonder of Let's Party Mondays, click here. Have a favorite? Let me know.

I enjoyed the Luau. It was a real compilation of my blogging friend's talents. To continue my music metaphor, a kind of "We are the World" of party creation. Maybe that's a bit grand. How about the Traveling Willburys? I'm Jeff Lynne -- mellow and in need of a haircut.



Wow, good tune -- it's goovin' my reflective, contemplative mood. Thanks to all my blogging friends , who have made this a great place to party. Happy 4 Month Birthday http://partymomster.blogspot.com/ ....Party On!

That's the Spirit!

I'm cruising the net, feeling a little blah. And I discover this little gem on Parenting.com, "The 2009 Painted Belly Contest".

Now painting my pregnant belly is not something I would do. I'm not being judgemental -- it is more of a public service -- it just wouldn't be pretty. I never had that cute pregnancy belly -- I was big all over, just big. I treated myself to a pedicure and the manicurist said, "Congratulations, what are you 5 months along?" -- uh, no try 3.

But, I just love the spirit of this and it inspired me to create my own award. The "That's the Spirit" award for Moms that are fun and goofy. So, here's to the participants of 2009 Painted Belly Contest you are off to a great start.


They've got spirit, yes they do, they've got spirit, how bout you?

If you have someone you would like to nominate, let me know. Party MOMster -- champion of the goofy, crazy, daffy, dippy, ditzy, dotty, kooky, nutty, screwy and wacky. Party on!

LPM is Back and it's Beachy!

I know you are all waiting for this week's Let's Party Monday's (a.k.a LPM) party theme -- uh, waiting two weeks in fact. Last week, the staff and I were at an off-site meeting at the seashore doing some intensive team building and sandcastle making. We are back -- well-rested, inspired and ready to present to you...

A BEACH PARTY


Decorations

Get ready to get your MacGyver on (and join me as I unpack the mini-van after vacation). Take everything you take with you to the beach and throw it all over the place: beach towels, shovels, beach chairs, plastic buckets, sandcastle forms, and inflatable whatever. What about stringing a clothes line and hanging swimsuits? (Maybe not my big granny-suit, but the staffer’s suits are fun and colorful)

You may be thinking -- ugh, that sounds like a big mess. Well, check out this classy pic from the May issue of House Beautiful where they put those Beach towels to work as a great (and absorbent) tablecloth.



You can also purchase shells at a craft store to sprinkle around. And depending on how brave you are, get a little sand from the craft store or playsand at the hardware store.

In college, I went to a party at a Frat House with beach volleyball on the third floor – that’s right a couple of inches of sand covering the entire third floor. Those boys knew how to throw a party. I don’t know how they cleaned it up, but those aren’t the concerns of a college party-goer.

A more practical solution would be spreading the sand in a couple cookie sheets with some shells to create a zen garden/mini-seascape for the table. (That seems so lame compared to full scale beach volleyball indoors. Is a Frat House really the standard I’m striving for? I’m really struggling with this one.)

Activity

This activity came to me as I was preparing for our trip to the seashore and saw two days with rain clouds assigned to them. I ended up not having to break out the crafts (YEAH!), but it was great to do post va-ca and perfect for this week's theme.

Take a frame cut out of cardboard and paint one side with Mod Podge.(You could probably use white glue, I'm just digging Mod Podge lately.) Then take the sticky side and drag it though some sand – maybe take advantage of your mini-seascape decoration. Then have party guests arrange shells on the now sandy frame. While they take part in another activity, hot glue the shells to the frame.



The weight of the shells and the amount of white glue necessary to hold them will take forever to dry. Hot glue will ensure your guest can take their handiwork home, instead of standing by your door weeping with gooey shells lying on the floor before them. (Trust me on this.)

Game

Leaving the beach is always a feat of endurance and now it’s a party game! Create a “Packing It Up” obstacle course by spreading out all types of beach gear: blankets, sand toys, beach ball, hat, sunglasses, boogie board. The contestant has to collect and carry all the gear across the finish line. Think John Candy in Summer Rental.



At the finish line, you can take a picture and if you have the A-team of party helpers, that picture can then be printed and put into the beachy frame created earlier. I love it when a plan comes together!


There you have it a Beach party to squeeze in before the end of the summer, but could also be a real stunner in the winter – so unexpected!

I’d love to sea your beachy ideas in the comments – they’re great I’m shore!

(That last line was desperate, but did you get my A-team reference and quote? Anyone? Come on that was gold, baby! Someone is fresh from vacation.)

What about those Awards?

Ugh, my ears are burning. Not because people are talking about me as the old saying goes. (At least, I don't think so.) My littlest enjoys snuggling before bedtime while pulling, pinching and twisting my ears. I'm too tired to fight it. It burns. IT BURNS!

But, now I'm going to cause some other ears to burn with my Blog Award Presentations. (Are you still with me -- it was a bumpy segway.)

As you may recall, Meg from Meg's a Mommy saved me from a repeat of my ill-fated first days of 7th grade by generously presenting me with 3 awards!. And now without further ado, my recipients.

The "I LOVE THIS BLOG AWARD" goes to Laura of "I am the Glue" . A mother of SEVEN (many of them teenagers, that makes my head hurt) with a career and a fanaticism for Prince. She has been cranking out posts like a machine this week (or dare I say Little Red Corvette "Baby, U're much 2 fast..") And much like her idol, Prince, they are always hits. So, thank you Laura for your enthusiasm and quality writing. You deserve this award and to end on one of my favorites, Raspberry Beret "I think I loooove her."

Wait, one more minute, there are some rules and stuff you should know. (I'm a bit of a rule-breaker myself -- so I'm not holding anyone to anything. OK, I'm just lazy.) The rules for the "I LOVE THIS BLOG" award:
1) Grab the Award and link love the person whom you got the award from.
2) Pass the award to different bloggers whom you think are deserving of this award.
3) Write a post about the award and there you'll link the person who gave the award to you and those people who you'd like to pass the award.
4) Continue your passion in writing because your hard work will always be appreciated.



The Humane Award goes to Staci of "Momma's Gone Over The Wall". As Meg described it:"This award honors certain bloggers that I feel are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships through the blog world."

And "Momma's Gone Over The Wall" is very deserving. She provided inspiration for the Let's Party Mondays Cars theme and was gracious enough to allow links to her blog. She also has such a wide range of content from glimpses of her life to great causes, like Blog It Forward To Fight Hunger. Nice work Staci!

Oh yeah, the rules again: Link back to the person who gifted you with the award and share the love with other bloggers.

Finally, last but not least -- "It's A Major Award" goes to my partner in all things luau this week Aly'Gatr of "Aly'Gatr's Everywhere". Because this award is for anyone who likes to smile and/or laugh, and just generally spreads that along in this blogging world we all travel in.

Despite having to finish a big class project for her continuing education while still performing her motherly and wifely duties, the marvel that is Aly'Gatr managed to help out her bumbling blogging friend (that's me) with a really great Hawaiian Luau party theme this week. And as always gave me a good chuckle. Mahalo.

Ok, close the curtain the presentation is over. Feel free to go talk with the press. Enjoy your awards and keep up the great work. I hope your ears aren't burning too badly. (Mine are still a bit rosy.)

Luau Entertainment: Hula to Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Thank you to Aly'Gatr, a pineapple lover and native Hawaiian (she was born there), for embracing this week's party theme: Hawaiian Luau. As you can see from her comments, this bird of paradise knows her stuff including the actual hula dance that accompanies the hukilau. Sadly, she could not forward her own performance, but supplied a stand-in. (Bloggers are such a generous bunch!)



Performing a hula showcase for the guests of your luau would make you one Hoihoi Hostess (Hoihoi being “entertaining” in Hawaiian). And even if you just bumble through it like the guy in the green shirt and revert to the robot dance, people appreciate your enthusiasm. Similar to my baking – it’s the thought that counts.

If anyone actually does this at their Luau – you HAVE to tell me.

But, if you are not willing to shake your money maker for a crowd, I have another idea for entertaining. It is no surprise that I am a fan of the board game. I do enjoy a game of Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit or Balderdash. That’s right Balderdash – that hilarious game of bluffing. If you have never played (I feel sorry for you), you can get the full scoop at Wikipedia. But, the basic gist is that everyone has to make up a definition of the same word and you guess which the correct definition is. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Now, I know you're thinking what I’m thinking – HAWAIIAN BALDERDASH!!! (Us screaming in unison. Jinx, Buy me a coke!) That’s right. Take Hawaiian words and have people make up and guess definitions. For example…

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

A blessing after one sneezes
The state fish of Hawaii
An undergarment worn by a bride on her wedding day
Another way of referring to three finger poi

Are you stumped? Well, get ready to hold you sides...(I put the answer in the comments)... Oh, my eyes are watering from the laughter! If you feel your guests are not amused by Hawaiian Balderdash, I say the hukilua is a strong backup or a robot dance.

I leave you with a Japanese proverb…

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.

Right On! I’ve got to Boogie.

Let's Party Mondays: Huki huki, huki huki, huki hukilau

It was recently suggested that I offer an Adult Party theme. Something about the phrase "Adult Party" makes me giggle the same way the staff reacted to "Grey Poupon". ("Did you say poop on?") But, knowing the source, they weren't suggesting any flagged content -- just something for grown-ups. No piñatas. No goody bags. No mutant cakes. (i.e. my dinosaur cake) I'm a people-pleaser -- this week's Let's Party Mondays theme is…. HAWAIIAN LUAU

Decorations

I'm not really going to bother talking about decorations. I don't think a party store can call itself a "Party Store" if it doesn't have a Hawaiian Luau aisle, Mardi Gras section or 50's Dance Party display. So, you know what to do.

Food

This will determine the success or failure of your Luau -- in fact, the Hawaiian translation of Luau is feast. So, you’ve got to get your food on. What incredible pomaika'i (luck) that this grown-up request comes on the heels of a fabulous menu created by the brainchild of bacon, the clever cake-in-the-mug-maker, boozy-paint-can-shaker: Bacon Concentrate. The “Celebrate Someone Special with a Hawaiian Luau Dinner” more than fulfills the feast requirement.

And a party menu dedicated to the Party MOMster just can’t go wrong. (I am so feeling the love -– no more eating cookies with a spoon for me)

Music

I haven’t really talked about music before – it’s not one of my strengths. I am hoping DJ Running Man in the sister offices in Eastern PA will help me with a music post. He knows how to rock an ipod. But, I did a little research on my own and starting off very simply with “Hawaiian Luau Party” at the iTunes store. Two albums popped up.


Hawaiian Luau Party by The Hit Crew came very highly rated. Upon listening to a sampling, it definitely gets your grass skirt shaking. But, with selections like Day-O, Rock Lobster and Cha Cha Slide, it does not have the authentic sound I was hoping for.




Hawaiian Luau Party by various artists is just what I was looking for. Although I am questioning my tolerance for the ukele, I would say it offers a more credible luau sound with hits like Sweet Leilani, Hukilau (of course!) and Hawaiian War Chant (which is certainly not as scary as it sounds). I was reading a review of it on Amazon which included “surprisingly taken up in the fascinating weird world of this amazing CD” – enough said, we have a winner!

With that, I say “Aloha” for now. If you have any “grown up” suggestions, please share. I, myself, am feeling very grown-up. I made it through this whole post without making any jokes about getting “lei’d” (Wait, does that count? Oh, so close.)

Feeling the Love and Plenty of Room at the Lunch Table

I've been branching out and meeting new bloggers. It feels like 7th grade all over again when I started a new school. My Mom was encouraging me to meet new people so I wouldn't sit alone at lunch. (That story ends with me befriending the oldest seven grader, who liked to eat cookies with a spoon.)

Unlike 7th grade, I am finding everyone to be warm and friendly. And my efforts have been rewarded -- in a big way -- 3 awards! So thank you Meg from Meg's a Mommy for being so generous.



Next week, I will announce my recipients (The "week has gotten away from me" and providing the proper recognition is trumped by a major cereal spill in the kitchen). I just wanted Meg to know how much I appreciated her support. (I can't wait to go tell my Mom!)

S'more Foolishness

I had a few final thoughts on last week's party theme: Camp. But, things got a little away from me at the end of the week (one of my classic apologies), so let's pack it up.

As you may recall, I thought I had lost my Golden Graham cereal forever and then was able to find it in the grocery store (What an emotional rollercoaster!) I put my box to good use and made the Golden Graham S'mores recipe. We loved it. (I loved a whole lot of it.) And the staff was beaming when they came home from a long day of nature camp and were greeted by a glass of cold milk and s'mores. ("Wow Mom, you're the best! Hey, who ate half the pan already?")



I had to see if my faux fire idea would work -- that is attaching tissue paper to a fan. I'm all about theater and I made this nifty video on some software I found on my computer.



I'm not willing to admit defeat. The staff is not deeming it a true success. And Mr. Party MOMster is just a little worried.

Finally, I couldn't finish our camp discussion without giving a nod to one of my favorite movies, a tour de force in the summer camp genre: Meatballs


That's it for my foolin' around (for now).

Let's Party Mondays: Start Your Engines, A Car Party!

Well, I was strolling the web and checking out Blogs last week and I hit the jackpot. How? I found inspiration for Let’s Party Mondays (I gotta tell ya, I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it another week. It seems to have the staying power of my last diet.) And I also found a kindred spirit – someone that loves kid parties too!

So, thank you Momma’s Gone Over the Wall your “Things That Go" Party has inspired today’s theme: Cars

Food

I think what I love most about Momma’s “Things That Go" Party is the food. Yeah sure,they had great cakes. But, extending the vehicle theme to the crudités (I could say cut-up vegetables, but I’m feeling fancy) and fruit – GENIUS! I would also like to point out the cookies offered. They are brilliant in their simplicity -- Traffic Light Cookies with a red, yellow and green M&M. I am so pumped (and on my second cup of coffee) I’m going to hit you with a quick Haiku:

Things That Go Party
Garden bounty put on wheels
Cookies stop traffic

Brava Momma’s Gone Over the Wall!

Games

Momma’s party reminded of a Cars party we attended at our sister offices in eastern Pennsylvania. They created the “Tow Mater” game. They had paper cut outs of the different characters from the movie Cars with paper clips around the edges. Using a stick with a magnet hanging from it, guests “towed” cars out of the pile up. If only tow trucks were so popular in real life!

And because I can’t get my mind off those Traffic Light Cookies, there is the classic game, Red Light/Green Light. It is expertly detailed at Games Kids Play. They also have several rhymes that can be used in selecting who is “It” on the site. I have heard the staff chanting “Eenie Meenie” lately (another gift from camp) and they always seem accepting of the results – some sort of kid code.

Another activity that might be fun is a car race. My XY chromosome staffer is lousy with matchbox cars. As a group, it may be fun to determine the fastest with a ramp. So each guest takes turns grabbing a car and racing it against others. You keep going till you get it to the top few. Then to up the drama you might pull out a special car to compete – kind of like a “shill” or bad guy in Professional Wrestling (that is Sports Entertainment) – “El Diablo, the hot shot”. Get the kids all worked up to see if the cars they have raced can beat “El Diablo”. We are working on our track -- we will keep you updated.


Books (Why books? Click here to find out and you can witness yet another Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Metaphor)

Of course any Disney Cars book would be a strong choice, but some other fun options would be:

• Cars, Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scary


• If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen
  
• Wheels On The Race Car by Alex Zane & James Warhola
  

Have some more Car ideas? Park them in the comments. And if you have a great idea for Let’s Party Mondays, cruise over to my email. (Enough car puns, I’m driving myself crazy – ugh, now I’m car sick – jeeze, it’s like I have no brakes -- honk, if you’re done – Beep! Beep!)

Camp Continues: The Tracking Game

Now, the much anticipated Tracking Game for the Let's Party Mondays, Camp theme .

The staff has always had a love of animals and the outdoors. We are members of the local zoo and have made frequent trips to our nearby arboretum. These two favorite haunts inspired the Tracking Game – I feel like someone got chocolate in my peanut butter and I came up the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of Camp party games. (Whoa, someone is a little full of themselves today).

Anywhoo, we received a small laminated tracking card of animals of the Northeast when we joined our local zoo. It has squirrels, deer, rabbits, etc. The staff loves to try to find muddy tracks along the wood line behind the house. (Let’s say that’s the “Peanut Butter”.) On our last trip to the arboretum, they handed out a sheet of paper with six boxes on it and a crayon. As you walked the trail, there were these informational signs and below the sign there was a rubbing plate with leaves one it. At each sign, you would rub the corresponding plate. At the end, all the boxes were filled in with cool leaf designs. (That would be the “Chocolate”.) So, I thought why not have rubbing plates with animal tracks and have the kids discover them as they search the backyard. (And there you have the “Peanut Butter Cup”.)




Using my tracking card as a guide, I created these rubbing plates which the staff helped me decorate. I tried two methods: 1) piling on glue as paint (which takes a while to dry) 2) cutting out paper and gluing (takes a while to cut out and doesn’t have as great of a raised effect). And if you don’t want your dishes and laundry to pile up while you are monkeying around with animal tracks, I found a great third option: buy them . They look great and you can have more of them – I could only squeeze out five on my own. I would still attach them to cardboard and decorate the board -- it looks cool and the staff had fun decorating. I included a clue because some of the tracks look similar.

To play, scatter and hide the plates all over you backyard. Then give each participant a sheet (newsprint works the best because it is really thin and the rubbings show up very easily) with a space assigned for each animal. Here’s one way…


When they fill in their sheet, they can earn a prize or maybe a badge declaring they are a solid tracker. Okay, there you have it the Tracking Game – I'm open to a better name the “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of Camp Party Games” is a little wordy.

Gotta go, I have this overwhelming desire for candy.

Let's Party Mondays: Hello Campers!

Hey, it's Monday again -- let's party! Today's theme is Camp!

As you know by now, I am loving Camp at the moment. The morning day camp the staffers attended was a big hit and it sent me into a nostalgic frenzy. (ahhh, Camp Arrowhead, Good times...) But, my love of camp has been taken to a new level this week -- the staffers are attending Nature Camp this week. That is 4 1/2 hours a day Monday through Friday. And it couldn't have come at a better time for -- EVERYONE!

Besides giving all of us a break from each other, (I'm banking on "absence makes the heart grow fonder" all around) the staffers came home with great games, crafts and were so tired they had very little fight left in them -- JACKPOT!

I'm not the only one loving camp at the moment. My favorite magazines have weighed in with some great ideas as well. So, here's a little somun-somun I put together -- welcome to Camp!

Decorations

Now is the time to drag out that dusty tent you may have or borrow one or at the very least hang a simple tarp. I found a very competent video that explains how to make a tent out of a tarp. If you make a tent happen -- sit back, you are golden.

If you still want to take it up a notch, I say go for the campfire. Fire and kids seem a bit dicey for me -- I'm looking for theater here. I would pile a few logs together and create a faux fire -- maybe some orange and yellow tissue paper. I didn't get to try this out yet, but I was thinking of a small fan with crepe paper ribbons attached to give the illusion of flickering flames. I'm not sure if that would work -- if I can make that happen you will be the first to know. (Maybe the second, I may have to explain myself to the neighbors)

Cake

I don't want to talk about cake -- let's talk S’mores. S'mores and Camping are like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Macaroni and Cheese, Captain and Tennille (Did anyone get that last one? Sometimes, I really am just writing for myself.) So, I offer several S’more options:

• The Classic, Indoor or Outdoor S'mores


• Chewy S'mores Bar Cookies


• Golden Graham S'mores (I really want to try this, but I heard a rumor that Golden Grahams is no longer available. Is this true? I will be so unbelievably bummed. I haven't had it in a while, but I used to love it. Cue Cinderella's "Don't Know What You've Got Till It's Gone" )


• S'mores on a Stick: This is from the August 2009 issue of Parenting magazine. They suggest warm chocolate sauce in a plate, another plate full of crushed graham crackers and then dipping roasted marshmallow in chocolate followed by graham crackers. Very clever.
  

Activity

My Mom saved the August issue of Family Fun magazine because it had some great camp crafts. The Totem Pole was her favorite. You have each person create a self-portrait on a paper plate using markers, natural materials and white glue. When the glue dries, tape the plates to a large stick and set the stick into the ground – wah-lah a Totem Pole. Nice work, Mom.

Game

Now, there are various iterations of tag and the staff has played quite a few of them at camp -- to rave reviews I might add. Now, the Party MOMster usually shies away from tag because someone is “it”. Everyone runs away from the person that is “it” – it just feels wrong to me. But, those super smart camp counselors have teams of people being it – no one is left to be a pariah. Brilliant! I promise a sampling of the most-loved tag options from the staff by the end of the week.

I have got so much more to say including a great game that the staff and I started today. It’s drying overnight. (Oh, are you intrigued?) So, I’m calling it a night and just making my Monday deadline. We will have more Camp ideas for you tomorrow. But, feel free to pitch in a few of your own. (That whole Golden Graham thing has got me a bit down too -- that Cinderella song has me all choked up)

Ode to "Bacon Concentrate"

Feeling Giddy. Am I Dreaming?
My once ordinary mug is steaming.

Can it be? Is it true?
Cake in minutes from chocolate goo.

I StumbleUpon this magic trick --
tablespoons of ingredients, microwaved quick.

Not just a fan, but a devotee.
Bacon Concentrate is the food blog for me.

I am completely overcome. Is there really any wonder why I am moved to poetry today? A recipe that allows you to make cake in a coffee mug that you microwave -- Brilliant! When I StumbledUpon Bacon Concentrate the other day and saw this recipe, I just loved the IDEA of it. But, I tried it last night and feel...complete. I have found what I was missing: the ability to have chocolate cake in a moments notice.

I may need to practice this recipe and fine tune it. (I am more than willing) There are many helpful adjustments and additions in the comments. (Comments the gorgeous sprinkles on the cupcakes of a post) Mr. Party MOMster was not as moved as I was. But, he's really an ice cream guy. In the words of one-hit 80's wonder, Matthew Wilder, "Ain't nothing gonna break a my stride" (Feel free to click and rock a little -- maybe rock is a bit strong. Tap your toe energetically).

Spread the word, it can be done, Cake-in-a-mug-in-minutes. My beloved MacGyver would be proud. If anyone has any other microwave dessert recipes -- bring 'em on!

Happy Birthday Kim Carnes -- You Rock!

I felt I would be remiss if I didn't give a proper shout out to Kim Carnes. If you are saying to yourself, "Why do I know that name?" Here's a little reminder...Bette Davis Eyes

I wish I could go back in time -- I think if I did I'd be working the Gimp at camp Arrowhead. Good Times...(written wistfully)

Let's Party Mondays: School is in session!

Hey, it's Monday -- it must be "Let's Party Mondays". Thanks to our Pick A Party Winner, Sqkecleen, today's theme is: Back to School

Just going back to school is a reason to celebrate. I know I will be having a Back to School Cocktail Party, myself (that is, party of one). But, if you have a late August or early September Birthday in your family, the staff and I found it to be a theme with a lot of possibilities. If you have preschoolers or kindergartners that are new to school, this is a great way to get them worked-up about this exciting milestone.


Decorations

I would score some of those bulletin board cut-outs that Teacher's use. We have a store called Becker's that sells all sorts of classroom supplies -- they have a website as well. Get your MacGyver on and grab any school theme toys you have around the house to place in festive spots. I don't think I've met a family that doesn't have a School Bus. Wah-lah you've got your centerpiece.

Cake

As I suspected, Coolest-Birthday-Cakes does not disappoint. There is a great selection of school bus cakes to inspire. I had a brainstorm for a Chalkboard Cake. If I have a few minutes, I might try to pull it off. (The MOMster likes her cake.) I'm picturing a rectangular cake with dark green icing, graham cracker pieces lining the edge as a frame for a chalkboard. Maybe, half a candy apple sitting on the bottom right corner, like an apple for the teacher resting on the chalk ledge. Chalk pieces made out of pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate. I don't know, just a thought. (Yeah, this is what I daydream about. It is a sickness.)

Game

The staff and I put the most energy into the game. Never discouraged by my failures (i.e. Cootie Clown) , we created the School Bus Obstacle Course.

This can begin as an activity. You need to have kid cut-outs on white paper and a mess of crayon, stickers, googly eyes, etc. You should have a table dedicated to this. Ask the guests to make a student. It can be them or not -- whatever they want. They just need to decorate the one side. When they are finished, they bring their student to you. You need to have sticky back Velcro and put the prickly Velcro on the back of each student. Then the real fun begins -- the School Bus needs to pick up the kids for school.


The paper students that were decorated earlier are scattered all over the backyard or through the house or at a park. The "School Bus" is a child wearing a yellow felt tunic (A yard of yellow felt with a hole cut through the middle for their head.) We added a foam visor that we made -- we always like to kick it up a notch. The “School Bus” rushes to pick up all the students for school by sticking them to the felt and finally running across a finish line.


YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FINISH LINE. This is an obstacle course must. Red crepe paper held by two people must be broken through -- it is the only satisfying way to end. I don't time it or make it a race -- they just have to finish. You can give them a sticker, a stamp on their hand or a dollar store medal to commemorate their triumph. The staff and I thoroughly tested this idea -- no student was left behind!

Book

I always love to have a book to tie-in with the theme. It can be propped up as a decoration or have the guests sign the inside of it. Or depending on the audience, you can have a story time. My favorite Children’s Book Blog, the Book Nosher, who has come through for me in the past , was gracious enough to provide some quick picks off the top of her head:

• I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas (preschool)
• Mrs. Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate (kindergarten)
• The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (preschool/kindergarten).

She also promised more selections on her blog as Back to School approaches -- stay tuned to The BookNosher.

Alright that is my offering for "Back to School", I know there is more, so please feel free to weigh in with your comments and ideas. All this party testing has caused a bit of a backlog in my housework. Right now my kitchen is like school on Saturday -- no class.

And with that Fat Albertism, I am outta here. (Na na na gonna have a good time. Hey! Hey! Hey!)

"Pick A Party" Winner

Once again my scientific method of picking from a hat has served me well, we have a winner: sqkecleen. Congratulations!! Sqkecleen gets this Party MOMster exclusive: A Kit to create your very own Chair of Honor!

Sqkecleen gave me a fun and most unexpected party theme idea: A Back to School Party. Ideal for those late August early September Birthdays. My head is swimming with ideas, but you'll have to wait till Monday, that is "Let's Party Mondays", to get the full party poop. Thanks to Sqkecleen, it lives on for another week!

Two posts related to school this week -- it has become a leitmotif for Party MOMster. Leitmotif, a dominant or recurring theme, was the word of the day on Dictionary.com. I'm trying to offset my frequent use of the word "poop". (I just can't help myself)

K.I.S.S.

K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple Stupid. I first saw this phrase in school. I think it was school. I'm pretty sure it was school because I remember it written on a blackboard. Or was that on T.V.? Maybe on school on T.V.? Wait, was it at Eastland Academy? Was I in class with Blair, Joe, Natalie and Tootie? OK, my heads spinning a bit -- I'll have to sort that out later.

But just the other day, one of the staffers schooled me on the beauty of simplicity (A concept I struggle with -- can you say "Circus Party"?).

To mix it up a bit, two of the staffers attended a morning summer camp run by our town. Upon pick-up after the first day, our expert in pink, sparkles and little big-eyed animals, runs to me beaming.

"Look at this," she gasps as she thrusts a piece of plastic mesh with plastic lacing running through it. "It's a bookmark! This is the coolest craft I've ever done!" (I wince -- I'm so easily forgotten)

"Wow, that is super great!" I say convincingly. (Really? The coolest? What about my card weaving project? How quickly we forget "Put Your Cards On The Table Week".)

Later in the day, our lovely staffer has her friend over and shows her the bookmark. (Ok, here we go. I hope the lovely staffer doesn't get her feelings hurt...) "WOW, that is sooooo cool! Can I make one?" The two run off to create with some extra pieces of plastic lacing the camp sent home.

Huh, well what do you know. Something so simple can provide so much bliss. That is definitely a lesson learned. Although, I should have known this brilliant bookmark -- a monument to simplicity -- is the result of many summers of fine tuning. Plastic Lacing, or what we called "Gimp", is a Summer Camp staple. I myself remember working the Gimp at Camp Arrowhead back in the day.

So,if you can't beat em -- join em. This is our bookmark bounty from the craft store and it ran us $7.


We worked a few bookmarks ourselves and it is a great activity to do while you shoot the breeze. I got the 411 on the camp:

• The head counselor just got engaged



• The best person to push you on the tire swing is a third grader



• The girl with all the woven key chains is not a good listener



• The boys and girls bathrooms are kind of hard to tell part (There is more to that story)

Man, I miss Camp! I think this would be a great craft for a little girls birthday party. Or you could put together a craft kit to give as a favor.

Letting K.I.S.S. be my guide, I will stop here. There is really nothing else to say about this newly discovered craft -- it is simply perfect.

Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go look up Natalie and Tootie on Facebook and catch up on old times.

Birthday Party Tableau

Thank you staff for painstakingly creating and photographing this compelling Birthday Party Tableau (What a way to kill an hour).

Aren't parties fun? How about entering the Pick A Party Giveaway and email a party idea?

PS (All email addresses will be kept confidential and if you want to use a nickname that's cool too. I sometimes like to be called "Babs" -- we don't judge here.)

Let's Party Mondays: It's a Circus!

Ahhh...Another weekend...Ugh...Another Monday...Yeah! LET'S PARTY MONDAYS!

Today's Party Theme: Circus

This is one of my favorite party themes. I got quite goofy on this one and it was also one of the most epic battles between Me vs. the Evil Overdoer. (Also, me -- but, picture me with little red horns dragging a very long to-do list).


Decorations

The grandest decoration was a circus tent ceiling. We took eight plastic tablecloths (4 red/4 white) and hung them from the playroom ceiling. They clustered in the center and fanned out to the walls. Finding a tape that would stick to the slippery plastic tablecloths, defy gravity and not mark the walls was a bit problematic. There were constant re-adjustments, even during the party ("Oh, excuse me sweetie, let me get that tablecloth off your head"). This was a circus party not a planetarium, such a heavy investment in ceiling decor was likely unwise. Advantage: Evil Overdoer

Pulling a little MacGyver, we collected some stuffed animals and turned them into clowns. The staff and I made clown hats out of construction paper and ruffled collars out of tissue paper. We had fun doing this a few days before the party to get us into the mood. Very festive results. Advantage: Me


Cake

Because I knew I would be busy decorating (raising a tent, creating a game -- more to come), I decided to delegate the cake to someone else. (I was still smarting a bit from my Dino-disaster) I heard of this woman that made cakes out of her home and she was very fun and creative. The woman lived 20 minutes away. So, on the day of the a party, I ran a 50 minute errand (20 minutes there + 10 minutes getting lost + 20 minutes home). The cake did look awesome. Advantage: A tie


Game

I had played the classic childhood game, Cootie, with the staffers a few weeks before. Quick rundown, you roll dice and depending on your roll you earn different parts of the Cootie bug to build your own.



Brainstorm: I will make a Cootie Clown. We'll roll the dice to earn different parts of the clown's face. There were about eight pieces to the face which we needed for 6 players = 48 pieces were created. I sorted and put them into numbered envelopes. Okay, let's play. We started with one player rolling the dice at a time. It was going s-l-o-w. I was losing them. Gave everyone dice and let them all go at the same time. That was chaos. Just gave everyone the pieces to make the face -- we finished. The guests seemed happy with the results. (They may have just been glad it was over. Moving on) Advantage: Evil Overdoer


Acitivity

This was the best part of the party and, best of all, it lives on in video. We had the guest put on their own circus which Mr. Party MOMster dutifully recorded. We dragged out the dress-up bin, toys and other props to create the following acts:

• Snake charmer (rubber snake wrapped around someone playing a whistle)
• Tightrope walker (put a piece of tape on the floor while walking in a tutu with a parasol)
• Lion tamer (wearing a pith helmut, throwing a stuffed lion through a hoop)
• Lady on Horesback (Princess costume while riding a Rocking Horse)
• Strong man (counted how many stuffed animals one child could hold -- we got to 11)

We ended with a clown parade made possible by the purchase of rainbow wigs and red noses for the party. Following the parade, all the performers watched the tape on TV. It was a rousing success and we are often asked to bring out the tape to watch again and again. Advantage: ME

In the throwdown between me and the Evil Overdoer, it was a draw. But, as always the only casuality is, once again, ME. When the Evil Overdoer rears her ugly head, I am left feeling very tired and very stressed. Absolutely no fun -- so not Party MOMster.

So, join the Circus with some great party ideas -- the more the merrier. And don't overdue or you'll feel like a Party Pooper. (Speaking of, I've got a diaper to change. I think that also may become Party MOMster principle #3.)

PS (Let's keep the Party going on Mondays -- do the Pick A Party Giveaway!)

GIVEAWAY: Pick A Party (Say that five times fast)

I've been called impulsive. I'd like to think I'm enthusiastic. But after my proclamation of "Let's Party Mondays", I looked at the calendar and realized there are A LOT of Mondays (They come about once a week, you know.)

So, because I'm such a planner... (Well, not really. A planner wouldn't run out of diapers.) Maybe because I'm scrappy -- not willing to admit defeat and needing to give "Let's Party Mondays" a fighting chance -- I'm announcing my latest giveaway: Pick A Party

"Pick A Party" is my way of ensuring many "Let's Party Mondays" to come. Because with your help, the Party MOMster will be swimming in party themes to pick from. All you have to do is email me a party theme and you're in. It doesn't have to explain how the theme works or talk about cakes or games or decorations or favors -- all it takes is an idea.

For your generosity, you will be given the chance to receive...A Chair of Honor Kit


If you're not immediately clapping your hands with delight, you might need to be reminded of the Chair Of Honor project. Using a pillowcase, fabric markers and iron-on transfers, we created a chair decoration for the Birthday Guest of Honor. The custom slipcover (previously referred to as a pillowcase) can become a fun family tradition to be used again and again.

The Chair of Honor Kit includes all of the items needed to make a custom Birthday slipcover all your own. (And years of Birthday memories: Priceless)

Here's the Pick A Party W5:
(Thank you, Urban Dictionary. def.: Who, What, Where, When and Why. Similar to asking the "411" or detailed information about an event. Party MOMster adding some flava to the rules.)

• Email me your party theme by midnight July 15th


• One email per entry


• All entries will then be put in a hat and one will be pulled


• The chosen entry will be announced on July 17th


• If winner does not claim prize by July 19th, another winner will be picked.


• All entries will become inspiration for "Let's Party Mondays" and will be properly attributed if used.

Hey, wake-up -- that's it for the rules. Wipe the sleep out of your eyes and email your party theme(click here to make it happen!).

Mark you calendars for "Let's Party Mondays!"

Mondays are hard. Before I was blessed with my little staffers, I hated Mondays. They were the first day back to the grind after the free-wheeling good times of the weekend. Now, Mondays are my foe for different reasons.

Everyone in the household is free from jobs, school and weekly obligations on the weekends. They are trolling the hallways looking to have some fun. Let's do something. What are we going to do today that's fun? So, Saturday -- fun! Sunday -- fun! fun! And Monday -- everyone is back to their respective jobs, school and weekly obligations and I feel like the clean up crew after Mardi Gras.

After a day of regrouping (i.e. cleaning and mediating disputes between overly tired staffers), the Party MOMster is looking for some fun. And nothing is more fun than Parties! So, from this day forward I proclaim Mondays to be: Let's Party Mondays!

Mondays will be dedicated to one Party theme which everyone is welcome (encouraged!) to join in and build on. I'm not as ambitious as Coolest-Birthday-Cakes, creating the WORLD's largest resource. I aspire to my Junior High School Spanish teacher's comments, "adequate, makes a capable effort." Gracias.

Today's theme for "Let's Party Monday" is Dinosaurs! I figured after seeing my Dinosaur cake, many of you were saying to yourselves, "Ouch, I feel sorry for the poor kid that got THAT cake."


But, I did redeem myself. To start, we made dinosaur hats out of foam visors. Our resident Dinosaur expert classified this as an Apatosaurus. And this is a constant favorite in our dress up bin. Three years later and this dinosaur shows no signs of extinction (That's right I said extinction -- come on, give it to me.)



We then changed roles from dinosaurs to Paleontologists (or what we called "Dinosaur Hunters") in search of dinosaur remains. To prepare, everyone worked on their spotting scopes. We had toilet paper rolls covered in green paper and a mess of dinosaur stickers. As you all know, the more stickers used in decorating the better the scope works.

While we worked on our spotting scopes, a sneaky party helper hid pieces to an over sized T-Rex puzzle (a dinosaur lover must-have). When our equipment was ready, we began the search.



As the hunters collected the pieces, we began putting the the puzzle together. And it all comes to a very satisfying conclusion -- a large ferocious T-Rex. In a word: DINO-mite (oh yeah)

These are just some bare bone ideas -- let's hear your ideas and build a Dino Party that is Pre-HISTORIC! (I'm done, that last pun made me a little queasy.)

Nice Cupcakes...

Someone recently complimented me on my cupcakes. (My Polar Bear Cupcakes -- Hey, this isn't a Singles Bar.) And I thought I would share some of my other adventures in baking. I would say my baking credo is: It's the thought that counts. I'm sure after seeing my work you you would agree.

If you really want to be inspired by homemade creations, a great site is Coolest-Birthday-Cakes. It claims to be "by far the World's largest collection of 'makeable' homemade birthday cakes, and thanks to visitor submissions, it's growing larger and larger by the day". And I can't disagree. Where else can you find Chinchilla, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Jerry Garcia and Salad Cakes?

I am so impressed by this ambitious endeavor (They did say THE WORLD). I want in. I think the Lion cake is my best work. Although Coolest-Birthday-Cakes does have a few lion submissions already. I may submit my dinosaur cake (Yes, that is what that strange green bump with a head is supposed to be) because it is so ugliful. (Thank you, Urban Dictionary --def.: The ugly equivalent of beautiful) Maybe I will rename it "Salamander", "Mature Tadpole" or "Worm Monster"and get a unique listing. Any thoughts?

But, whether you make your own cake or buy a cake, you should follow Party MOMster Principle #2: ALWAYS SAVE THE PLASTIC DOODADS (If you have forgotten, Party MOMster Principle #1 is Having little ones create for others, fosters generosity and kindness. Ok, Principle #2 is a bit of a come down from #1, but I feel very strongly about plastic doodads.)

Why the passion for doodads?

By saving the plastic doodads, your goal is to create a decorating stash that you can turn to when an impromptu celebration presents itself. My dear Granna had such a stash. When we would go to her house to celebrate my Dad's Birthday, I would always fish out the Circus Strong Man and other odds and ends to top the Entemann's Marshmallow Iced Devil's Food Cake. Good stuff -- I wish I had that stash (and I could really go for a piece of cake right now) . As you can see, I come from a long line of Party MOMsters.

So, leave your inhibitions behind, get out there and get some compliments on your cupcakes (or cakes, pies, jellyrolls, whatever -- Wait, we are still talking about baking, right?)

PS (If anyone has a Circus Strong Man cake decoration -- let's make a deal.)

Put Your Cards On The Table Week: Closing Ceremony

What a great week. We really pushed ourselves for "Put Your Cards On The Table Week". We sacrificed some cards for the greater good. We rescued some cards from the dark recesses of dresser drawers to let them shine again. And finally, we show that cards can be easily rein-card-nated as gift bags or handmade cards.

The staff and I knocked this out in no time -- which matches their attention span. They are looking forward to presenting it to their friend at an upcoming Birthday Party. While "kid" friends may not appreciate handmade gifts, they do welcome a tricked-out package. So, crank up the bling, glitz, glamour, pizazz and oomph ("Oomph" is actually in the dictionary: 1) sex appeal 2) vigor; energy. This is a G-rated site, ok PG, based on my donkey pun at the end of Party Game "Who Am I?" But, we'll stick with definition #2)

Finally, this demonstrates an important Party MOMster principle: Having little ones create for others, fosters generosity and kindness.

Wow! Ending with a little philosophy. This week has brought out the best in the Party MOMster and staff. Release the doves. Extinguish the flame of righteous idignation. We have conquered the pricey greeting card and "Put Your Cards On The Table Week" has come to an end.

Oo La La: "Mettez Vos Cartes la Semaine de Table" Continues...

Since Tuesday when I saw a crepe recipe on one of my favorite blogs, I've been feeling a little -- I don't know, how you say -- French. I do a great French accent that has the staff rolling on the floor (But that would likely mean it's funny and not very accurate or convincing.)

So, what do you get when the Party MOMster feels a little French and it's "Put Your Cards On The Table Week": Decoupage!

Yes, Decoupage: "the art or technique of decorating something with cut-outs of paper, linoleum, plastic, or other flat material over which varnish or lacquer is applied." (Thank you Dictionary.com) It is derived from the French word découper, to cut up or out. Ok, class put your pencils away, it's time for Art.

So, the staff and I picked two of their favorite cards with great color and images. We cut out what we liked ...



and with the help of Modge Podge (a glue and sealer combined) lacquered them to two small picture frames.


C'est magnificant!

I was responsible for cutting out the cards. And a circle cutter from Creative Memories, always makes things easy, but look super finished. But, applying the Modge Podge is a great staff duty --it's a very forgiving medium.

So, there you go. Mes gamins déchirent la maison (My kids are tearing the house a part). Since everything sounds nicer in French and I'm tired of saying these things over and over in English. You will be hearing the following in the Party MOMster household:

• Réhabilitez le temps (Clean up time!)


• Calmer! (Quiet down!)


• Le fait de frapper non!(No Hitting!)


• Manger!(Eat!)
  

And I bid you adieu.

P.S. (I know no French this is all compliments of Free Translation Online. But, the French accent is all my own.)