Category Archives: Family

Birthday Party Planning

I must say, the birthday parties are getting much easier to plan as the kids get older, but I do miss those over-the-top theme parties from days gone by.  This entry is going to give some rough guidelines for birthday party planning, but I won’t get into specific themes today.  We have done several different theme parties over the years, that I will probably post about in the future. The girls themes we have done for my daughter include:  butterfly, snowman, princess, spring, Hawaiian, sleepover and disco.  The boys themes we’ve done have included: bowling, Star Wars, pirate, Winnipeg Jets, train and jungle.  We have done a few less home theme parties for my son as I generally find it easier to take boys out and do a physical activity of some kind. I won’t post the themes in any particular order, but if you are planning a party and would like me to post on a particular theme, please leave a comment.

I have to give a bit of a disclaimer here….when my kids were small, I often felt creatively stifled being a full-time teacher, wife and mother of two little ones.  I found that there was rarely time or energy left to get my creative juices flowing.  For me, scrapbooking, card making, crafting or doing home projects seems to be very therapeutic and I really missed having them as an avenue to release my creativity.  So, when life was too demanding to culture this area of my life, I found that birthday party planning provided that outlet.  I didn’t have much time as I was working out of the home full-time, so plans for a theme party would often begin at least two months in advance.  Some of the more elaborate parties took many hours to plan and prepare for, but for me it was all about the process and the details.  I rarely spent much money on the party itself, as I pretty much made everything that was needed.

Party Planning 101

I have always limited the # of kids my children invite to their parties to the number equal to their age.  So, for example, for my daughter’s 7th birthday party, she invited 7 guests.  Generally, this has not been too difficult to stick to, but there have been a few exceptions depending on what we are doing.  When planning, I work according to the following outline:

  • invitations
  • decorations
  • activities/games
  • food/snacks
  • cake(s) ~ plan, design and bake a cake/cupcakes (or save the hassle and order one)
  • loot bags

Details! Details! Details!

First off ~ Google is your best friend.  There are lots of great party planning sites and blogs about birthday parties and themes.  Once I decided a theme, I would begin to scour the net for images and sites that offered ideas that fit into the categories mentioned above.  I also found, that many of the ideas I used for one theme could be modified for another (like Pin the Tail on the Donkey ~ has anyone actually pinned a tail on a donkey???)

Invitations – the invitations are a great way to set the stage for your party theme.  I am a scrapbooker and pretty handy on the computer, so making invitations is quite easy for me, but that’s not to say I sometimes don’t spend hours labouring over the details of the “perfect” party invitation.  I would also look for cool and unique invitation ideas ~ we’ve done everything from DVD’s to e-cards to a message in a bottle.  Your invitations should include date, location, drop-off and pick-up times, and RSVP information.  Also, be sure to include information such as:  what to bring or wear to the party and mention if lunch or dinner will be served.  The invitations should be sent out 2 to 3 weeks prior to the party.

bowling invitation

Here is a Bowling Party invitation ~ closed.

bowling invitation ~ open

Bowling ball slides open on a brad to reveal the details.

Decorations ~ again, I have some staples that I think about for every party ~ homemade birthday banner, center piece, table-cloth, plates and napkins and other accessories to build your theme.  I also consider music when thinking about setting the stage for the party.  Is there a particular type of music that fits well with the theme for background music and games?  Here is an example of a birthday banner from my daughter’s disco party. I have access to an overhead projector, so I just found the images online and then made a transparency. I then enlarged the images on black paper and cut them out to create a silhouette effect.  The banners are usually quite big ~ about 6 feet by 3 feet.  I always try to copy a font that suits the theme (if applicable).

banner

Activities and Games ~ I tend to have a few “go to” games that we used variations of at most parties, these include:

  • Pin the Tail on the Donkey ~ Pin the Patch on the Pirate, Pin the Spot on the Ladybug, etc.
  • Hot Potato ~ Pass the Canon, Pass the Asteroid, etc.
  • Pass the Present ~ I got this idea from my friend Michelle.  Basically, you wrap a little gift/surprise item in a box.  You then proceed to add layers of wrapping paper on the outside equal to the number of kids, so that each child will get a turn to unwrap the present.  You pass the present around the circle to music and when the music stops, the person holding the present gets to unwrap a layer.  The person to unwrap the final layer gets to keep the prize inside.  The kids love this!
  • Musical Chairs ~ We’ve done musical pillows, beach towels, etc.

In addition to the above, I am usually able to either find or invent a game, activity or craft that is specific to the party theme.  One of the keys to a successful party is to keep the kids busy and do not spend too much time on one activity.  It is all about pacing.

Food and Snacks ~ As a rule of thumb, I generally do not serve a meal for a basic home based theme party.  I try to serve a variety of healthy snacks as well as a few of my kids favourite munchies.  I find that when you have lots planned, there really is very little time to eat or even munch.  When possible, I do try to include some theme based food or snack items such as the “Yoda Soda” we served at my son’s Star Wars party.

Birthday Cake ~ I love baking a cake or cupcakes from scratch and then decorating them to match our theme.  I have never taken a cake decorating course, so my cakes are far from perfect, but I have lots of fun looking at different theme cakes online and then coming up with my own variations.  Obviously, some turn out better than others. We almost always serve ice cream with our cake.

cupcakes

Spring Party Cupcakes

spring cupcakes

More Spring Party Cupcakes

Loot Bags ~ I must admit, I am not a big fan of loot bags.  I find that most loot bags are either full of junk food or little dollar store odds and ends that we don’t need.  I am not saying that I never buy anything at the dollar store, because as a teacher, I can go in and spend $50 in a heart beat.  However, when planning the loot bags, I often opt to put fewer items in the bag and give one or two more substantial items that fit with the theme or are at least usable items.  That is not to say that I never add treats or dollar store items. In fact, for my son’s last birthday, he said to me, “Mom, you just don’t get it…all a 9 year old boy really wants in their loot bag is candy!”  I threw my arms in the air, took him to the dollar store and said “Go to town.”  For the first time ever, he picked-out all his favourite candies and we handed-out a bag of junk food.  Yuck!  So not my style, but man was it easy.

Timing for the Event

I generally keep home parties to 2 hours.  We usually begin with an independent activity such as colouring or something that does not require much instruction.  The purpose of this is just to keep the kids busy until everyone arrives.  As soon as all of the guests arrive, we generally do a craft or sitting activity of some kind, followed by our more active games.  I usually plan on getting started a bit late due to late arrivals.  We then spend about 15 minutes for the craft (depending on age and interest), 30 to 45 minutes for the games and activities and then the last 45 minutes for cake, ice cream and gifts.  It is jam-packed, but much easier to keep the kids on task if it is fast paced.  As the kids get older, there is much less planning and they are often able to manage their own activities/entertainment. My daughter is now 11 and for the past two birthdays, she has really planned her own party and decided what she and her friends would do.

Little Extras

As I begin to post actual themes, you will see that for some parties there is way more than the “skeleton” of a plan mentioned above, but this does give a general guideline for how to pull a theme together.  One thing that we often did when the kids were small (and would let me), was dress them up for the theme.  You can see Eden dressed-up as a butterfly for her Spring Party in the photo above.  Here are some links to other sites that may be helpful:

Martha Stewart

Birthday Party Ideas

Again, if you are planning a party for one of the themes mentioned above, leave me a comment and request a theme as I will be posting in no particular order.

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Zip, Sliding, Away! ~ Wisconsin Dells Road Trip

We just got back from a week of holidays and I must say, I am glad to be back.  Our week away was jam-packed with shopping, adventure and lots of fun …. with a touch of relaxation.  It was a great holiday and we’ll be sure to go back, but hopefully I won’t be side swiped with a second bout of Strep Throat on our next trip.  Ugh!  I only missed one day of fun, but must admit I was struggling for at least 2.

DESTINATION:  Wisconsin Dells

I love road trips.  I love being internet free and having quality time to connect as a family. In Roy terms, this was a very short trip ~ only about 10 1/2 hours from our house to the Dells.  Of course, that would only be the case if we did not stop to go shopping for an entire day en route!  (Great deals and back to school shopping is officially done!)

The Dells is a very touristy town and that is not always my cup of tea.  Boutiques and quaint little shops will not be found on their strip.  Instead, the main drag is lined with tacky souvenir shops, homemade fudge shops and other cash grabs.  The town itself has about 2700 people, but it flows right into another town called Lake Delton which has a population of around 2900, so combined there are under 6000 permanent residents that live there.  Although I was unable to verify this statement, someone who we met said that the population grows to approximately 2,000,000 people during the summer.  I am not sure, but I am guessing he meant that they have around 2 million tourists visit each summer.  Despite the towns being relatively small, there are accommodations every where you look.  There is temporary housing for the students that flood in from all over the world for summer employment, exotic resorts, water parks, cottages and ample opportunities for camping.  There are literally dozens of things to do in the area and to be honest it is a little over whelming. Because we had never been there before, we decided to stay away from the resorts and try a variety of things.

Aside from all of the commercial tourist trap type stuff, the area is beautiful.  We have driven through Wisconsin several times in the past and it really is a beautiful state.  Lake Delton is a man-made lake with an interesting story.  The lake was originally made by Chicago construction company owner William J. Newman in 1926.  In 1940, Newman lost his shares due to financial difficulties.  By the 1980’s, the Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton had become a major tourist destination and home to several water parks and other attractions.  In 2008, a portion of the dike eroded under the pressure of flood waters due to high levels of precipitation.  The dike failed and the lake emptied and sat as an empty basin for most of the year.  Repairs were done and the lake was refilled and became usable again in 2009.

Lake Delton

Where Did We Stay?

For starters, we chose to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the main drags.  We rented an adorable little cottage from Kathy’s Kozy Kottages.  Kathy and Joe were wonderful hosts and our cottage was a quaint little gem.  They have many return customers and book very early, so we were lucky to get the one bedroom.  It was very small, but perfect for our needs as we were out and about every day.  The cottages were equipped with everything you need except for towels and BBQ tools (both of which are mentioned in the info).  The beds were comfortable and the cottage was very clean and well-kept.  Kathy and Joe were there every day to do general maintenance and up keep for their three cottages.  The beach front is shared by all three cottages, but it was perfect as the kids made friends and had a blast.  There is a BBQ (charcoal), fire pit, two docks, pedal boats and sand toys for smaller kids.  There is also a floating platform for the kids to play on.  Shay met a new friend and had a great time learning to fish.  We couldn’t believe their luck, they must have caught about 15 fish within just a few hours.

cottage

Our cottage’s bedroom.

The cottage was only $80 per night and allowed us to eat as many meals as we wanted “at home”. If we go back, we will definitely stay there again!

What Did We Do?

Haunted Mansion on Main Street – this was just a little time filler and a huge waste of money.  My husband and kids agreed it was lame (at best).

Bigfoot Zipline Tours – an expensive adventure, but very fun and worth the money.  It is a 2 1/2 hour guided “tour” in which you get to zip down 6 different lines ranging from 462 feet to 1397 feet. You are taught the basics as well as some tricks.  I am not very good with heights, but even I let go and sailed down the line upside down.  It was great!  It was $89 per person and basically suitable for anyone from 4 to 94 years old.  We were advised to buy the package deal from a friend that had previously gone to the Dells.  We paid $100 per person (ouch!!) and for that price we got the Bigfoot Zipline Tour as well as the Dells Army Ducks and the Wild Thing Jet Boat Ride.  This was a great deal and we purchased our package right at Bigfoot.  (I also heard from others that the Bigfoot Zipline is much better than the other one in the area).

Dells Army Ducks – this is basically a tour of both land and water on the army duck boats.  We did this on the first day and it was great to get some history and knowledge of the area before beginning our holiday.  We all really enjoyed the humour of the driver and the one hour tour.

Wild Thing – a fun and wild ride on a jet boat.  Be prepared to get wet.  It is a bit of a tour, but mostly lots of fun. The best part of both of the boat rides is that you get to travel up/down the Wisconsin River which has unbelievable rock formations along the banks. It is very picturesque and well worth the money.

Noah’s Ark – This water park boasts being the largest in the world and I can see why.  It basically has everything imaginable in terms of water fun.  From the amusement park type “log ride” to tube roller coasters, it has it all.  The kids had lots of fun at the wave pool and testing their fate on the “Point of No Return”.  There were many rides and the park seemed endless.  Unfortunately for me, I was fighting a fever and headache and not my usual dare-devil self.  Too bad.  The admission to this park was $39 plus tax, but we bought our tickets from a Kwik Trip outlet and got them for $29 each.  Something to note:  you can purchase a second day pass when leaving the park for only $10.  You can also pre-purchase your tickets on-line at good rates, but we weren’t entirely sure what we were going to do prior to leaving

Kalahari Resort offers lodging and both indoor and outdoor water/amusement parks.  This park was more expensive than Noah’s Ark by about $10 per person.  I was too sick to go to the park that day, so I opted to stay at the cottage in bed.  Luckily I was feeling slightly better by late afternoon and was able to sit on the beach and read (not so bad). The kids said it was fun, but another time, we would probably do Noah’s Ark two days in a row and get the second day rate.

Beach– one of our favourite days was spent hanging out at the little beach in front of our cottage.  The docks provided great fishing for the kids and kept them entertained for hours.  The lake temperature was incredibly warm and the sandy bottom and clean water made it an excellent place to swim.  The lake was calm and we were in a “no wake” zone, so the kids were pretty safe to swim out quite a distant or take the pedal boats out on their own.  It was relaxing, quiet and offered a good dose of nature at its best.  Loved it!

Dinner Out

We ate out a few times, but only one restaurant is really worth mentioning ~  the High Rock Cafe.  The food was fabulous and service was good.  We did have to wait to get in as this is a very popular restaurant.  We had planned on having dessert with dinner as it was Tim’s birthday, but the dessert menu really wasn’t that appealing.  However, after having our meals, we decided that really had to give the desserts a try as well.  We ordered a S’more Dessert and the Half-Baked Cupcake.  Illness was on my side this time and no one wanted to share my dessert for fear of falling sick! Yay!  I had the half-baked cupcake and it was incredible.  It was a vanilla cupcake stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough and a cookies n’ cream frosting.  (I am actually having trouble writing about it without salivating.)  We would highly recommend this restaurant for a nice evening out.  The menu is on-line and it includes pricing, so you can check it out before going.  Mmmm good!

Vacation Summary

This was a great trip and lots of fun for the kids. Next time, I plan to be healthy (which I am sure will enhance the overall experience), and we all agree that we’d love to have more time at the cottage enjoying the lake and fishing.  Over all a great family vacation!

Summer Camp ~ The Ultimate Score!

I personally can not say enough about summer camp.  My eldest is 11 1/2 and my husband and I have never had even one weekend away without our children.  Unlike many of our friends, we just don’t have the support to be able to get away.  We certainly have friends that have taken both kids for one night once or twice per year, and for that we are very thankful, but we have never had the opportunity for the two of us to get away for a few days, let alone a week.  Fortunately, we came up with an awesome solution last summer.  For the first time ever, both of our children attended a 5 night summer bible camp.  Yahoo!  Unfortunately, when you have 10 1/2 years of virtually no time without kids, you really don’t know where to start.  Last year, my husband took holidays while the kids were away at summer camp, and we literally worked around the clock trying to get as many projects done around the house as possible, without interruption or concern we might be deemed neglectful parents.  This year, my husband is working for the first 3 days and my goal is that we’ll have a bit more fun than last year.  We’ll try to squeeze in at least one date (if not two) and just enjoy some real quality time, in amongst my lengthy list of “to do’s”.

Top 10 Reasons to Send Your Kids to Summer Camp

10. I can write my blog without negotiating my computer time with my 9 year old!

9.  I can cook what I want, when I want without any complaining ~ or maybe not cook at all!

8. I can have a clean house for a whole week and not have to pick-up after anyone but me!

7. There will only be dirty clothes in the laundry basket this week!  (My daughter’s idea of cleaning up is throwing everything in the laundry basket regardless of whether it has been worn or not.)

6. The kids get ample exercise and are totally immersed in nature.

5. I can be about 400% more productive than in a typical summer week ~  “To do” list here I come!!

4.  No sibling fights to referee.

3.  Mom and Dad get to have uninterrupted conversations, dates with no sitters needed and eat at a restaurant of our choice!

2.  The kid’s are immersed in one full week of biblical teaching and age appropriate activities, in a safe and caring environment!

1.  And the #1 Reason to send your kids to summer camp is for a good old dose of Digital Detox ~  5 days without having to monitor content and their time spent on devices ~ they are completely unplugged for 5 days.  Yay!!

Other Benefits of Summer Camp

Summer camp can be a great way for your child to develop self-esteem by being given opportunities to explore new activities and discover new personal interests, gifts and abilities.

It is a great way to help foster independence and develop a stronger sense of responsibility.  The children are expected to care for their belongings and share in the task of keeping their cabin clean as well as doing dishes and other jobs throughout the week.  For some children, being away from home is difficult, but what a great way to build up that confidence and independence, with a group of supportive peers who can relate to what they may be feeling.

In a world that is consumed with technology, summer camp offers a fabulous venue for reinforcing their social skills.  They will have ample opportunity to practise using the manners they’ve been taught at home without a hovering parent to remind them.  Camp also offers a unique platform for bonding with peers and building lifelong friendships. The children will engage in digital-free, real conversations with their counsellors and peers, something so simple, yet so absent amongst many youth today.

Summer camp provides a variety of possibilities for children to engage in active outdoor play, which for many of today’s children is a rarity. There are ample options to explore the outdoors and many exciting adventures to be had.

Being immersed in nature also gives kids a chance to learn about their environment and gain an awareness and respect for the world in which we live.

Summer camp is great fun and leaves a lasting impression on kids.  Last year, our kids talked about their summer camp experience for months.  From pudding fights to drama productions to the songs they learned.  Remember….”laughter doeth good like a medicine.”  Friendships created, laughter shared and memories made, that is really what summer camp is all about!

Some summer camps offer biblical teaching ,as well as reinforcement of good values, citizenship and morals.

Summer Camp as a Combatant to Nature Deficit Disorder


This quote was taken from The Telegraph, a British publication, but I am sure that the stats are much the same in Canada and the United States.

By the age of seven, a child born in Britain today will have spent an entire year (8,766 hours) of their lives looking at TV, computer and game console screens.

This stat is alarming and yet sadly, not surprising.  As an early years teacher, I can say that I have seen first hand the changing trends in our children. I see an increasing number of children entering school with delays in their speech and language skills, limited fine motor skills and difficulties attending during class time.  Summer camp is the perfect method for getting kids outside and away from television, iPods, iPhones, computers, iPads, and video games. It reconnects them with nature and stimulates the concrete building of human relationships.

last child in the woods

In his book, Last Child in the Woods:  Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv, focuses on the negative trends effecting our children and the impact that technology is having on their lives and development.

Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as the rises in obesity, attention disorders, and depression.

We can not step back in time and remove technology, we all depend on it in one way or another and it has become vital to our existence in today’s world.  However, as parents and care givers, we need to consciously figure out a way to weave it into life at home, so that the use of technology does not come at the expense of other vital areas of child developement.  We must be diligent in making sure that technology is used as a tool and not a teacher.  Kids must have a balance in their lives with ample time for verbal interaction and conversation, experimenting with writing/drawing tools and time outside.  Playing outside stimulates creativity, problem solving skills and improves general health and fitness.  So get outside and play, go on a family camping trip and send your kids to summer camp!

 

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