The party...
2004-02-16 at 8:48 a.m.
Now that I've had a chance to sit and relax for a day or so, I realize that the party Saturday wasn't as bad as I thought. The events leading up to the party caused me more stress than the party itself.
Stressfest '04 started Friday. I set Friday aside to clean for the party. I'm the type of person (anal) who can't even have UPS to the door to deliver a package without first having the entire house spotless.
I didn't get much done. I had to stop every three seconds or so to pull one child off of another or refill a drink cup or find a missing toy or play another game of "Go Fish". It never stopped all day. Late in the morning, it occured to me...
Shit. I NEVER HAD E MAKE VALENTINES FOR HIS CLASS!!
What kind of mother am I? I've been so stressed over this party that I completely forgot about it. Luckily, I had some here that I picked up on clearance last year for 10 cents a box. Ever deceptive, I signed the cards with E's handwriting, addressed them, sealed them and threw them in a bag to take to E's school.
I dressed the kids and took a lightning fast shower. I then loaded the kids up into the car and drove to E's school. I took the little ones in with me, where they proceeded to tear the place apart. Luckily, E's para was in the office so I didn't have to have E called out of class. I gave her the Valentines, only to hear, "Oh, when he didn't bring any, we made some up for him."
AAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Yes, it was nice of them. I realize that. But could they have called me?? Could they have asked if I had some I was planning to bring up before I wasted an hour and a half addressing Valentines in an eight year old's handwriting, then driving all over Hell's half acre delivering them?
But you're right - it was nice of them to remember when I was too stupid to do so.
I came back home and resumed (began) my cleaning.
I managed to make the place look reasonably clean, then I had to turn right around and go back to E's school to pick him up. This is a 20 mile round trip, mind you.
The kids would NOT go to sleep that night. I didn't get to wrap E's presents until after 11:00pm. Needless to say when Saturday morning rolled around, I was flat out exhausted.
I rushed around vacuuming and decorating the house, while K ran all over town trying to find the money to pay for a cake and the pizza I was at home ordering. To make a long story short and less embarrassing...
He found some money and a cake and made it home shortly after the party guests began to arrive.
Five eight year old boys. Five!! I wasted time worrying about how to entertain them. All I had to do was turn them loose with E's toy guns and swords and let them pretend to kill everything. The noise coming from this house was unimaginable. I was somewhat relieved to learn that E and J aren't the only ones who talk non-stop about butts, farts, poop and pee.
The pizzas finally arrived and the boys could do something else with their mouths besides scream and talk toilet talk.
We took a pinata down to the basement for the kids to try to break. It took us putting it on the floor and beating the everliving shit out of it before it would break.
Cake, ice cream and gift opening filled the rest of the time nicely. I was happy to see 3:00pm arrive and each of the boys picked up. They really are a sweet bunch of boys, but they were wild as wild can be.
I guess I survived well enough that I could stand to have another birthday party again, but not for about sixty years or so.
I took many pictures of course, but I'll share them later today.
I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day...