The Birthday Beast!!!

Does anyone out there want to take over the planning of my twins' birthday??? LOL!!! It's grown into a monster I'm fearing will get worse before it gets better!! Thank goodness the ghost has laid low for the past few days, because I've got enough on my plate without having to deal with a haunting!!

First off, I had a SUPER rough time getting my kids into the world--six months bedrest, lots of close calls where we almost lost them, etc., so I've always tended to go overboard on their birthday, just because I'm so thankful they were safely born. Well, birthday thrills used to be easy, but now that they're reaching the ripe old age of fourteen, it takes a bit more pizzazz to wow them.

This year, each kid is inviting 25 guests. The theme is pirate (in large part due to last year's theme having been a luau, and we have lots of cute tropical decorations left over!! ), so for invitations we made cute little message in a bottle thingees with sand and shells in the bottom that I brought back from the Bahamas. For the girls, I added cheap gold rings, so it looks like there's buried treasure. For two hours yesterday, we drove and drove and drove trying to deliver them all. If I ever again have the bright idea of hand delivering fifty invites--PLEASE, someone conk me over the head!!!! We still have half to go today!!

In the mean time, we had to think of entertainment. Last year, one of Daughter's friend's brothers (that sounds so grammatically wrong, but hopefully you get what I mean?? ) brought his band. I thought they were great, but very loud. Son said he didn't want to do that again, so we had to think up new entertainment. We're going with a Jupiter Jump, that due to our sloped lawn, I wanted to put in the street (very quiet--maybe two cars a day!!). Hubby said the city won't let me. I said I'm doing it anyway, but to appease him, I spent an hour on the phone with various city officials. Turns out, hubby was right. Grrrr. I hate it when that happens!!!! Anyway, after staring at the backyard, there is a sort-of flat area I think will work, so the Jupiter Jump guy arrives at 6:30, and we'll have it from 7-11. The party's from 8 to 12, but this way I get a turn!!!! LOL!!!

All of which brings up another dilemma--the deck. The unfinished, butt-ugly deck. Now, plainly, the deck will be gorgeous once it's done, but in the mean time, we can't very well send fifty, hormonal teens racing across the back yard, leaping from this half-finished deck, so I've graciously agreed to use my conference clothes fund to finish the deck. If any of you see me at RWA in Atlanta wearing sweats, now you'll know why!!!!! LOL!!!

Anyway, after doing party, party, party, Hubby, Daughter and I went to a party last night at a friend's lake condo. If any of you are familiar with Oklahoma's Grand Lake, Arrowhead Yacht Club put on its fireworks show and it was SPECTACULAR!!!! Hundreds of boats filled the harbor in front of our friends' condo, and it was gorgeous with all the running lights!!! Except for the loooong ride home late at night, we had a great time.

Daughter's staying with them till Thursday, at which point, I'll drive out to pick up Daughter and her friend, so they can help with the rest of the birthday party, which is Saturday night. Daughter also has mandatory tumbling Thursday night for cheer, which I didn't think was very nice, seeing how they were supposed to have July off from practice, but I suppose it makes sense not to totally stop just when they're getting good. (Did I mention Daughter got her back handspring?? I think that's what the flippy things are called. Anyway, it was pretty exciting!!)

Okay . . . so while Hubby works on the deck, I'm tackling the horrific job of clearing out the dining room of all the office clutter I stashed in there while painting my office. Only I never finished painting my office, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all the crap!!!! Give me a holler if you have any spare room at your house, and I'll be right over!!!! LOL!!!!