Graceful’s Harry Potter birthday sleepover is over. Whew! No more crowds of girls staying overnight for a year. Don’t get me wrong, I like all of Graceful’s friends, but people it’s EXHAUSTING having that many juveniles under my roof. BUT! The girls had a great time and that’s all that mattered, right?
We started things off at 5:30 yesterday evening. All the girls had been told to meet us on our screened porch, which was a secret portal to Diagon Alley. I was Professor McGonagall and could therefore be as bossy, stern, and grumpy as I liked:
Each girl was given a list of supplies she’d need to get while in Diagon Alley and a shopping bag to carry her loot in.
And what self-respecting student would go off to boarding school without a stash of candy?
We ate dinner in the Great Hall. Pizza, pumpkin juice (Orangina), butterbeer (creme soda), and cauldron cakes (cupcakes):
While the girls were eating dinner, I started live-Twittering:
That’s a pizza crust between my teeth — so that I could type with both hands. Yes, I should have just used a plate, but couldn’t be bothered.
Have you seen the Potter Puppet Pals on YouTube? The entire group of girls was singing “Snape… Snape… Sev-er-us Snape” during dinner. After dinner, they watched it on the computer:
Then, the girls watched the first Harry Potter movie. At 10:00, they started rolling out their sleeping bags and jockeying for position next to their friends. At 11:00, one girl went home. By 11:30, all girls were asleep. I slept on the sofa in the living room in case anyone needed me during the night. No one did.
The girls woke up en masse around 7:30 this morning. All things considered, that’s pretty darn good. We had cinnamon rolls and fruit for breakfast. One girl said she didn’t like cinnamon rolls, even though she’s never actually had them before. Instead, she asked for eggs over easy. No, she did not get them.
All girls were gone by 10:00. I had made it clear to all parents that staying past 10:05 was not an option, as I’d turn their children into toads and let them loose in the Forbidden Forest.
Tomorrow is Graceful’s actual birthday and is the end of the Great Birthday Madness of 2008. I’m sure that sometime today or tomorrow or Tuesday, one or both of my girls will start talking about either Halloween or Christmas. Or both.
1. What a FANTASTIC party and well done you for having so many kids.
2. I love the Potter puppets – even Cheeky sings the Severus Snape song, though he sings the Ron Weasley bit.
3. Eggs over easy – demanding much?
4. I keep forgetting to ask, did you ever get that item we were talking about that you ended up tracking down a Marks and Spencer version of on ebay thanks to the links I sent you? I’m not naming the item in case Graceful reads this.
Totally excellent!
I wish we lived nearby. I would want to be your real-life friend.
A truly successful party that will go down in the history books!
You are such an amazingly creative mom! Will you plan my next birthday party?
I’m so glad you survived! It sounds like they had a great time!
You are the best mother EVER. I can’t believe (well, yes I can) how creative you are.
I just wish Zack didn’t completely melt down at b’day parties — maybe when he’s older. But then he’s a boy, do they even LIKE b’day parties????
Yay! That looks like a super fun party!
I’m glad you lived to tell the tale. It looks like a good time was had by all-I bet you are tired today, huh?
Happy Birthday Graceful! Jen, I hope you know what an amazing Mom you are for doing this!
What a fun party! I’m glad my kids don’t read blogs ~ they’d totally want to trade me for you!
Happy Birthday tomorrow to Graceful!
Clever you! My sons would be wicked jealous–even if it was a girl party!
Jake;s birthday is 11/18… if you could arrive the day before, that would be swell.