Premiere Party/Grandparent Luncheon

Good Wednesday morning!

NOTE TO LEANNA - I know. I know. Digital is better than film. However, I made a vow to use my good camera TEN years, and my TEN years will be over August, 2010. Until then... I will be using a combo of FILM and DIGITAL. Heavy sigh. The good news is they never have trouble finding my picture envelope at Wal-Mart. It's all alone in it's very own special old-fashioned "film only" drawer.

I've added a pic of Roxie and her friend, Ragan, to the Gallery today. We spent the day shopping for our First Day of School Outfit, and we had a good time. We were tired (Code for I WAS UTTERLY EXHAUSTED), but we accomplished our task, and the girls were a lot of fun to hang out with.

There is also a picture of Roxie in her "BAM! I have arrived!" First Day of School Outfit. (That's exactly what she calls it, too.) All that is missing is her "BAM! I have arrived!" First Day of School Hairdo. The hairdo is currently in the planning stage. NOTE - If you read the blog and you have a daughter who goes to school with Roxie, DO NOT let her see this picture. It has to be a surprise, or she will just die! (And I'm pretty sure I'll be in trouble, too.)

Semi-Entertaining Beach Tale #2 - This isn't so much an entertaining beach tale as it is a summary of our first full day at the beach. Sorry. I'll try to throw in a "shark story" or a "parasail hitting a hotel story" or a "Belinda swimming with a family of dolphins story" in there somewhere. Keep in mind it will be a COMPLETE and UTTER fabrication (Code for LIE).

We slept in until around 9:30 and had a quick breakfast in our room before we headed to the water. It was very overcast, and really quite comfortable for a July day. The water was crystal clear and although the waves weren't very big (and we like big waves), we had a lot of fun playing Ultimate Frisbee in the ocean for THREE hours! (And when I say Ultimate Frisbee, I use the term loosely. I know I hit four people in the head who were NOT playing with us.)

Three hours in the ocean and then it was back to the hotel for lunch by the pool. And then everyone went their separate ways. (That's what is so strange about vacationing with teenagers. One goes to the weight room. One goes upstairs to play computer. One stays at the pool. One comes downstairs to the pool, while the one in the pool goes upstairs to start getting her hair ready for dinner. The one in the weight room goes to the hot tub. For a couple of hours, we're just passing each other in the halls.)

But then we came together for a great late night dinner before we went back to the hotel to start the weight room/hot tub/pool/computer hop-around until 11:00 when everything shut down. (Another strange thing about vacationing with teenagers... When everything in the hotel shuts down at 11:00 p.m., it is then time to watch a movie until 1:00. Luckily, there were several good movies to choose from even at that late hour.)

At this time, I would love to direct your attention to the top of the page for my "How to Look Great in a Bathing Suit (No Matter What Your Age or Body Type)" picture, but... I am sorry. I cannot. It wasn't because I chickened out. It wasn't because I wasn't prepared with three different cameras and the little booklet that told exactly how to take such a picture. It was because there were over 200 million people on the beach this past weekend. (I am NOT exaggerating.) I have never seen it so crowded. Elbow to elbow. Towel to towel. It went on forever. Just a sea of people. It was even crowded in the ocean. That's why I kept bonking people in the head with a Frisbee. (That, and the fact I'm not a very good Frisbee thrower.)

The up-side to a crowded beach and ocean is the shark to people ratio is much better. I'm always telling myself, "I don't have to be the fastest swimmer... just faster than the 200 millionth person in the ocean today!" I try to put a positive spin on things whenever possible.

Back to the photograph. I didn't give up though. I had every intention of taking the photograph on the second full day of our trip. You'll have to check back tomorrow to see if I succeeded... or not!

Random Thought on Travel #2 - Is there anything in the whole world worse than driving home from the beach with your 18 year-old son driving... and following your husband and your 15 year-old son who are in another vehicle... and the 15 year-old is driving... in heavy traffic... and you have to watch from behind? You don't have to wonder about the answer to that question. It is quite simply NO!

Premiere Party

This party is simple, simple, simple and fun, fun, fun.

For the past few years, Disney has come out with a summer blockbuster TV movie (Cheetah Girls, High School Musical, High School Musical 2, Camp Rock to name a few). If you have a girl who enjoys these movies, plan a Premiere Party for her and her friends.

I've thrown two of these parties, and one was dress-up and one was pajama. For both, I used a long strip of red satin (the red carpet) for the girls to walk down as they came in the door with music from the movie soundtrack playing in the background. Sunglasses and feather boas were supplied for the walk and pictures.

The table was set with a red (plastic) tablecloth, black plates and napkins and plastic stemware. Finger foods and mini desserts (muffins, cookies, etc.) were the food for the evening and sparkling cider was served in the elegant stemware.

Timing is everything for this kind of party. The girls should arrive about one hour prior to the beginning of the movie to have time for the pictures, dancing on the red carpet and dinner.

Five minutes before the movie, begin the countdown. I usually tell them to gather the pillows, and the girls run from room to room grabbing every available pillow and blanket they can find to make themselves totally comfortable for this gala event.

Halfway through the movie, popcorn is served. This is also a great party because you know exactly when the movie is going to be over, so parents can show up ten minutes before the final credits roll to be ready to take their little diva home.

The biggest mess is putting away the pillows and blankets and rolling up the tablecloth and putting it in the trash can with all the other paper products.

The girls LOVE watching these movies with their friends. You can't find an easier party to throw, or one the girls would enjoy more!

Grandparent Luncheon

Before school starts back each year, honor your grandparents with a luncheon that is planned, prepared and served by the grandchildren. Have the kids make the celebration bubbly (7-Up and cranberry juice), false teeth (apple slices with peanut butter and marshmallows for teeth), clown kids (pear faces with raisin eyes, carrot hair and cherry noses), and twinkle sandwiches (tuna fish sandwiches cut into stars). Have the kids act as waiters and waitresses, making sure the grandparents have everything they need during the meal. Have soft music playing in the background, also, to set the mood.

This idea appeared in Family Fun Magazine, September 1999, and it was an idea from Lisa Schraffenberger in West Chester, Ohio.

You could make this idea your own by preparing a menu according to your own grandparents' likes and dislikes, and also by letting the kids decorate the table using a special theme. For example, if Grandpa likes to garden, decorate in yellow and green (the colors of John Deere tractors), and have food from the garden. If Grandma likes to bake, use her favorite colors in the decorations, and use some of her best recipes for the dishes you prepare. Use your imagination and make it as simple or elaborate as you and your kids would like.

It will be time well spent with some of the people your kids love most before the busy school days start again.

Have a wonderful Wednesday! Tomorrow we are totally back on track! A fun date for the summer AND Weekend Family Fun. Don't forget to check back... And as always, feel free to leave any of your ideas in the comment section or e-mail me. I'm always looking for something different and fun to do with the family.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.