Birthday Party a Little Early

We celebrated Miss A's 8th birthday a few weeks early this year due to our vacation plans. She'd been asking for years for a lake birthday party, but we keep holding back waiting for her and her friends to get a little older. (better swimmers, less stress for the parents) Even now, we had three adults and two teenagers helping to manage the seven little girls!  The ratio was perfect. 

The party started at 1:00 back at home and finished late that evening when the parents and siblings joined us for a cookout.  Two parties for the price of one.  It was one fabulous day spent with friends enjoying summer and celebrating our almost 8 year old.

Miss A's little friends are so fun and driving out to the lake, I loved hearing them talk, giggle, and sing along to some of their favorite songs!  Who knew that Justin Bieber is so yucky or that music is better when it's REALLY LOUD!  Well, guess a bunch of seven and eight year old girls do.

The weather was perfect for swimming, sandcastle building, and floating.  Miss A could not have asked for a better day to just relax with her friends.  Everyone was entertained.  Those who loved to swim could while others were content to just hang on the beach and build moats and castles.

Of course, a trip to the lake would not be complete without a few trips around on the boat thanks to my brave husband. I think he was just grateful that Mr C was along to bring a little sanity to the ride.  I heard the ride was fast and furious, but knowing my husband I'm sure it just seemed that way to a bunch of girls with the wind and waves whipping! 

No little girl party would be complete without a little craft.  At least that's what the birthday girl said.  She originally wanted to make tie dye t-shirts, but I convinced her a jar of bright colored sand would be the perfect keepsake for a day at the beach.  Either that or I've become too smart to allow the mess of little girls and colored dye!  It was also the perfect way to calm us down after cake and presents and gave us a little break from all the sun..



Now I do have to give a "shout out" to both my husband and son for being such good sports spending the day with a bunch of "girls." Not only did they willingly help with boat rides, grilling dinner, throwing kids footballs and just having fun; they made the day a lot of fun for all.  Really, can you beat a fun teenage boy who will jump right next to the boat just to get a splash or play with the younger boys who came later in the evening.  Mr C really is the pied piper!  Add Miss M and her mothering and dotting into the mix and I really was able to just sit back and enjoy the party.

Just so you know that I'm not exaggerating about Mr C and Miss M helping so much with the girls, I have photographic evidence.  There are not many soon to be Sophomores in High School who would willingly allow their sister and her friends to push them into the lake over and over again.  You can hardly blame him when he finally got the birthday girl too! 

At the end of the day, we had according to my husband the best bonfire ever!  He was so proud of his fire.  Guess seventeen years of practice has finally been perfected. I do think that the marshmallows toasted to perfection and enjoying it with friends made it even sweeter.  All in all, I think this is a birthday party that Miss A will be talking about for years to come! 

Happy Birthday Miss A, we love you to pieces!  Oh, and let's celebrate four or five more times!  I'm sure you are willing!