All-in-all, a success.

Ava's birthday party was today! And yet, we live.

No really, it was a lot of fun and probably one of the least stressful times I've had putting together and hosting a kid's party. I don't usually stress cause I want things to be perfect, but because I don't always plan enough to keep all those kids busy. Things I think will take 20 minutes take 5 and then they're sooooo booorrreedddd. But my friends, I have the answer that you seek. Pool Party. That is all.

I bought water guns for everyone, we blew up some rafts and beach balls, we turned a sprinkler on too. The kids had a blast with very little effort and intervention on my part. Beyond, you know, feeding them and making sure no one drowned.

We did one craft--we decorated some flip flops that I'd bought in advance for each girl. Yesterday afternoon, as I pondered the best way to go about it, I posted a question on Facebook. You guys. It was like a crafting meetup right there on the Interwebs. Within an hour, I had something like 28 comments, with suggestions ranging from super gluing or hot gluing decorations, to tying balloons, to knotting fabric on them, to rivets. Rivets! Though I think he was joking. It was somewhere between a friendly debate and a virtual quilting bee happening up in there. I have some very resourceful and quick-responding FB friends. And they are all quite passionate about different types of adhesives, I will also say that.

In the end, though, I opted for no glue. I bought a bunch of colorful fabric, and the girls knotted them around the straps. I thought it was very cute! I think I thought it was cuter than they did...as most of them tied a few pieces on and then wanted to get back in the pool. I was probably over-invested in this project. Maybe sitting there tying fabric on rubber shoes was therapeutic in some way? I really wanted them to see how cute these flip flops could be. I'd call to each girl as they jumped back in the water, "Hey--you mind if I finish this for you?" (She couldn't hear me, too busy playing.) "No? Okay, great--I'll just add a few more, you'll love it!"
Here's Ava's pair:

Okay, I know they look a little nuts. Don't you think I know that? But I promise you, they're super cute in person. You guuuyyysss!! Really!!! I was gonna show you a photo with my foot in them, just to give some perspective, but then I decided you don't need to see my gargantuan foot shoved in a kid's shoe. Maybe I need a little more emotional distance from this project. But for reals, I think they're fun. Colorful, kinda messy, funny, and cute--just like an 8 year old girl.

So as you can see, we all enjoyed ourselves. The girls by swimming and playing, me by hijacking an 8 year old's craft project. We all have our areas.

Oh, but here's the cake!
A friend made it. Isn't it beautiful? Ava wanted blue and white, to go with the pool party theme, natch. My friend made all those chocolate shavings to look like a huge rose. And the chocolate was melt-in-your-mouth yum. And I remembered to bring it out this year! That alone is a big improvement on our last big party!

Now. Here is the part where, because I'm worried what you might think about me for having an elaborate cake made for my kid's party, like I'm all hoity-toity, instead of doing it myself...here is the part where I go, "I usually make the kids' cakes on my own. Remember Nate's monster truck cake last year? But this year, I decided to treat Ava to something special." Here is also the part where I worry that you'll think I didn't make anything for her myself, so I say, "I made and iced cupcakes for her to take to school on her actual birthday." There. That part's done. Being a socially anxious mom is so exhausting sometimes, y'all!

That ends my tale of birthday party happenings and shoes for today. I do indeed hope you are well. It's hot here...are you proud of me for not whining about it before now. But it is. Oh, it is.

Off to bed. Sunday's comin'!