Ellie's 10th - Our 1st

Well, it finally happened...we threw a 'real' birthday party for Ellie's 10th. Like, with invites, food, games, prizes and all. I can't believe it myself, actually, that we pulled it off. 15 kids total, including ours. Ellie had decided to have a dance party and her Dad would DJ. All but 1 friend from school were able to come, which I was excited about for Ellie. So I cleaned and baked, and we arranged the house to accommodate all the kids and everything came together perfectly! Ellie had decided on a menu of pizza rolls and fruit salad and I added lots more treats and goodies. I made punch in an amazing Goodwill find, (see pics below) and even made my first ice cream cake, at Ellie's request (which was waaaay easier than a normal cake).

Here's a breakdown of the night:

~ guests arrive at 6

~ intros and b-ball

 

~ in for dancing and food

~ game: guess that song

~ dancing and food

~ game: balloon stomp

~ dancing and food

~ outside for freeze tag and b-ball

~ back in for dancing 

 ~ game: singing contest

~ game: bubble gum blowing contest

~ more dancing

~ Ellie's cake and presents (wow, kids and their parents are generous!)

~ more dancing!

~ dancing

and

~ dancing

~ then collapsing!

I was proud of us, and the kids- everyone got along so great and they all danced and sang. If I heard "this is the BEST birthday party I've ever been to!!!" once, I heard it 50 times. We even had one girl call and asked if she could come back and spend the night- when she got there she told us she had never been able to stay away from home but that she felt comfortable with our family....needless to say, she woke up with no issues, and even had a 'good dream' as she put it. I was so proud of her!

We really do have amazing children, who show kindness and love and respect to others and I can't begin to explain how proud of them we are.....I think we are doing something right. I think this will be a place their friends will always feel good about coming to...and we've always wanted that.

WHAT A NIGHT!!!

 

 

dipped doughnut holes, my amazing enamelware Goodwill find ($6.99) and my first ever ice cream cake-YUM!

cotton candy sticks- how FUN!

I can't WAIT to do this again when Kole turns 10- next year!