Birthday party gone wrong

Thursday night was Luke and Evan's joint party! (Luke's 5 year letter is to come. I'm behind. What can I say.) Yes. If you are keeping track, we went on vacation for a week, came home to oral surgery, which left me with Tuesday and Wednesday to plan a joint party. Her's is on the 1st, his is on the 30th, so ideally I would have liked to have had it more in the middle of the month, but the second week of June I was getting us ready to go out of town, the third week of June we were actually out of town, so baaaaaaaasically that left Thursday. 

I made lists.

I appointed tasks.

I thanked my lucky stars that my mother is out for the summer and so willing to help.

(half the kids and all the adults that came. you can barely see Tamara's elbow behind Joby, and Dad is taking the picture) (and who said black was slimming? :/ apparently not when you're pregnant)

Tuesday night while the kids were with their dad I did supplies shopping at Party City. Hot Wheels party gear for my boy, monkey party gear for my girl. He was THA-RILLED when he saw the stuff, and she has been loving the monkeys on her p.j's, so I thought that would be a fun theme for her.

 

Wednesday I left my card and a grocery list of hot dog supplies for Mom and she went for me during the day AND they (Mom and Dad) grilled the hot dogs that night.  Thursday day she made the cupcakes for me, since I'd decided to not skip church and take the kids to the fire station appreciation outreach they were doing instead of staying home to make them on Wednesday night.

Three weeks ago we had reserved the pool in my grandmother's neighborhood for the party (Luke's request) and I'd emailed the three families my kids are friends with the time and location. Party was to start at 6:30 Thursday night. Mom, Dad, the kids, and I rolled up to the pool about 6:15 to set the food up and be there before our friends arrive.

6:15 is when it all came crashing down. The pool was closed. The lady living next to it said that about 4 days prior someone had severely vandalized the pool. Glass everywhere, things torn down. The pool was drained, chairs were strewn about, and not one person had let us know to move the party.

Ya'll. I panicked. I wish I could say I was cool as a cucumber, but it was 100*, I'm pregnant, and after the week I'd had, I just needed it to be the one thing that went right.  Crying, I got on the phone. I knew the aquatic center we normally go to is closed on Thursdays for cleaning, so I checked the times of the other one. Closed for the night at 7. I called Cindy in tears and asked if we could come over to her neighborhood pool. She said she'd make some phone calls and call me back. I sent out texts to everyone to wait. 10 minutes later (in the heat) I made the executive decision to go back to my house. I hadn't heard back from Cindy, but I was hoping that we could at least eat and hear from her by the time we were done. Worst came to worst, I could turn on the sprinklers. Texted everyone the new plan, and not long after that we were assembled at the house. Luke was upset that we weren't swimming, but what could I do?

Thankfully about halfway through hot dogs Cindy called back. She couldn't get ahold of anyone to ask about the pool, and said we'd just ask for grace later. We ate our cupcakes then headed off to her neighborhood. By ten till 8 everyone was finally, FINALLY, in the water. We swam until 9:30, and fun was had by all. Luke saw his friends going under water and using goggles, so he finally worked up the courage to try it and he LOVED it. Cindy stayed with us, and even though she was fully dressed, Evan plopped her wet self down in her lap and not an eye was batted. Who could ask for a better babysitter?! She saved the day and loved on my sopping wet girl.

(oi. it took a lot of blue gel to get the icing that color. as was evident by all the boys' blue lips. which they remained for the rest of the night.)

Not the party I'd envisioned. Not anything either of them will remember. But they had fun with their friends, and that's all that counted. Not one person complained (Luke aside!), and Brandy even texted me later to tell me it was a great party. I'm so very thankful for the people in my life!