Lauren's Fun Party

We had such a fun party for Lauren's 8th birthday. In the past we have had as many as 21 children invited to her birthday party, and that year every single one showed up!!! That year Lauren didn't even have any fun, either. There were just too many kids!!! And mass chaos!

This year Lauren said that she just wanted her favorite friends to come, s we invited the 5 girls she plays the most with all the time. She had a blast, and said it was her best party ever. This is what we did:

It was a fashion party. When they first came they got to make a flower clip for their hair. Next we went to the 'beauty salon'. I set our family room up as a salon and called it "Lauren's Beauty Shop". There was a nail station (our 14 year old babysitter came to help with that one), where their nails were painted and were able to choose decals. A hair station (my friend Brandi is awesome with hair and did their hair in up-do's or french braided it). We even had purple highlights if they wanted. She added their flower to their hair after she did it. Then I did their make-up. Eyeshadow, glitter, lipstick and blush. When they were all done they were able to get a pink boa that was there's to keep. While they were waiting for their "salon service" I had a table in the middle of the salon set up with paper dolls with all kinds of accessories and clothes cut out so that they could come up with an outfit for their doll and glue it on.

Afterwards we went downstairs into our basement. I set up a party room down there with a stage, and streamers everywhere. For this part of the party it was a restaurant. I had a fun table set up with balloons as the centerpiece and zebra striped napkins and hotpink tablecloth. Our babysitter acted as a waitress and went downstairs and took their order (I had a menu made up with all of the food choices I'd prepared. So she just circled what they wanted and wrote their name on the top). Then she came upstairs and helped me make their plates up and went and served them down in the basement.

Next we all piled in two cars (Anthon and Micaela came and our babysitter). We went to Target for a "fashion scavenger hunt". We broke into two groups. I was in charge of one and Courtney (aka, best babysitter ever) the other. They had a list of fashion items that they had to find in Target. The rules were they had to stay together as a group. They had to find each item on their list (e.g. pink purse, fashion scarf, pair of boots, long beaded necklace, etc. ), one member of the group had to put on the item, and then pose for a picture (each group had a digital camera). The last item on their list was to find the most fashionable person in the store and ask to have their picture take with them. They thought this one was a blast. Then the first group to get back to the front of the store by the snack shop won a prize. They had fun with this and liked being out in public with their boas on and all done up.

Next we came back and we had a huge box of all dance costumes. They were able to get dressed up, and use the stage to do a dance or we borrowed a really nice karaoke machine. Most of them did songs from High School Musical. We had a strobe light and disco ball for a fun effect.

Then we had cupcakes and ice cream, and watched the pictures we took of them at Target as a slideshow on our TV. Then we opened presents. It was a really fun party. I wasn't stressed, everyone had fun, and everybody were friends and knew each other which made it nice. Everbody got along.

I must admit, I kinda like planning parties. Hum.....what to do for the next one????

CRAZY SISTER!!!!!!!
Cupcakes I made. The top was a fruit by the foot that I twisted and rolled up to look like a rose. It looked better than it does in this picture. I was kinda proud of my creation, actually :)

Oh, and in the top pic where all the girls are posing. We didn't place them in this pose, they did this all on their own. This party totally fit their personalities!