Every year, I’ve stressed about the boys’ birthday party. I enjoyed stressing about it, don’t get me wrong. I was one of those people who loved planning all the silly details of my wedding, and because that went off so well, I always expect their birthday party to as well. But it never turns out like I had hoped. (I should say that the boys’ party guests are unlikely to have ever been too concerned that the cake pops were wonky or that I forgot to put out the hummus. But I did, dangit.

But this year, I don’t know, it all went off as well as I could have hoped. Even though the weather forecast was forbidding. Even though I had no real activities planned for the kids. Even though I was worried no one would want to cross the bridge in the pea-soup fog.

In the end, it was perfectly fun. I rented a bounce house even though the boys never want to go into them at parties. I figured, at least the other kids would have fun. But turns out, the boys loved having one at their house. And from the same company, I rented a popcorn machine. So fun! A huge hit with adults and kids alike.

So it basically all went off without a hitch, I think. There was enough food (but not TOO too much), enough to drink, enough activities, and it didn’t rain! (It was just kinda damp the whole time, but no biggie!)

My only regret is that we had to limit the number of attendees. I just couldn’t do the “invite everyone in all of their classes plus all the neighborhood kids plus all the kids they’re friends with that are in other classes” thing like I did last year. So I told the boys they could invite 7-8 friends each, plus a few others, and that was just right. I guess we ended up having about 20 kids there plus their parents, which was probably just short of a fire hazard.

My most glowing reviews came at the end of the party when the boys proclaimed it was “the best day ever!” Can’t ask for more than that.