I love throwing parties.
From the handmade invitations to the games to the food, I love it all. I try to plan parties that are creative and unique (no Chuck E. Cheese here) but without being expensive.
For the last eight years, my daughter has been the beneficiary of all my party planning prowess. Each year has been fun, but a few stand-out favorites are the pajama breakfast, a nighttime hayride and weenie roast, and last year’s fairy tea party.

So this year we started planning early. Newt decided she’d like to have a Wizard of Oz themed party.
We brainstormed.
We searched the internet.
We made a great plan.
And then I procrastinated doing anything about it.
So, with just over a week left to go before the party we sat down to make invitations.
Sidenote: in Maryland invitations should be out at least two week early, if not three, but here in the more casual west, one week is just fine.
Anyway, we sat down to make the invitations and realized that my printer was out of ink. And being a Sunday, we would not be purchasing any more until the next day. We got ready for church instead.
Later that day my girl said, “Kelly didn’t have a birthday party this year. She had a friend spend the night at her house instead. Can I do that?”
What? No party? No table spread with cute food? No perfectly selected little bags of favors? No icing smashed into the carpet? No mountain of plastic toys to find storage space for?
A slow smile spread across my face as I processed the idea.
“Absolutely.”
The next Friday, Leah arrived toting a backpack, a sleeping bag, and several stuffed animals.
They made their own pizzas for dinner and watched Parent Trap (the Haley Mills version). After going to bed the giggling and talking lasted until almost nine pm.
They were out of control.

Monday was Newts actual birthday. And sticking with her new found desire for simplicity, she asked if she could make her own cake.

No one could have done it better.
After dinner, Newt’s “bestest friend” and his family (which just so happens to be my bestest friend’s family) came to sing happy birthday and enjoy her baking skills.
Over the past year, I have been trying to live more simply, more mindfully. Trying to spend my time on the things that really matter.
But this one, it was all on her.

Meaningful. Simple. Perfect.