On Saturday, we hosted Laura’s birthday party at our house – our birthday gift to her. Laura chose money as her theme, and it turned out really fun!

We had a playlist of money songs for the start of the party, lots of green/gold/silver decorations featuring $’s, jewels and play money and a craft room with paint-your-own piggy banks and coin purses. I “blinged” out the photobooth I’d left up from my last two parties. I was planning to break it down anyway, so I figured I’d go all out and make it bright, shiny gold.

The only downer during the party was when China gave a guest a scratch on his nose. It wasn’t her intention to hurt him, and he was very understanding. I felt horrible about it, though. Rest assured I will make sure noone is inches from her face at future parties. Something to keep in mind around any dog – teeth and claws are sharp, regardless of good intentions.

Everyone had fun playing or watching others play Rock Band. I warmed up the mic, and it didn’t take long for vocals to be the most popular instrument. We had the game on “no fail” mode. No one has fun if you fail out of a song… Playing Rock Band at a party is about having fun and including beginners. It was too bad that people didn’t hear more of the great playlist we’d worked hard on. Maybe next party we can figure out a way to have the music in the craft room even after Rock Band is turned on.

The party went quite late, and as I didn’t have to fill in on the mic, I spent the last half hour closing up pots of paint, taking down streamers and consolidating the leftover food. I was (understandably) the first one up in the morning (I don’t drink) so I spent my time cleaning. I got the kitchen cleaned, Laura’s party gear and leftovers packed for her, the photobooth broken down and stored, the craft table put away and the floor swept/mopped.

When Danny, Ivan and Laura made it out of bed, we cooked brunch and caught the first few episodes of Better Off Ted.