It's Gr8 to be eight!

Yesterday Samantha Grace turned 8.  We're just awash in birthdays come spring.  I have 2 more in the next couple of weeks sneaking up on me, even now, as I breathe a sigh of relief after pulling off the 1st 2.  It can be a little overwhelming.  

For Samantha's birthday she wanted a "late night" party really bad.  We're not big fans of sleepovers so "Late Nights" are the next best thing. We asked them to wear their PJ's and bring their favorite stuffed animal.

 I don't know what I was thinking but we invited 10 girls.  10 girls.  Even as I consented I was afraid.....
9 came.  It was a HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL party.  7-10:30 pm,  this past Friday night.  A couple of months ago at the school's book fair we bought a "High school Musical Party planner".  It had 2 invitations  (one with Gabrielle's picture and one with  Troy *swoon*)  that we filled out and then copied x's 5.  It had a "which HSM character are you most like" quiz that we copied for each girl.  It also had 2 patterns for HSM themed "fortune-tellers".  You know those folded paper contraptions that all elementary school girls know how to make at one time or another.  We copied those and colored them and folded them up for the goodie bags along with a RED airhead and a RED mini candy bar.  You know RED is the color for East High don't you? 
Samantha decided on a Trifle for her birthday cake.  I suggested it because it sounded easy and different although I had never really made one before but my sister Maury gave me this beautiful trifle bowl and it was crying out to be used.....   I think the part of the trifle description that sold Samantha was the "ripping up the cake" part.   We layered Strawberry cake chunks then Homemade vanilla pudding mixed with partially-hydrogenated palm kernel oil A.K.A. cool-whip, strawberries, Kiwi, then another layer of cake pudding, fruit and then the final layer of REAL whipped cream  with whole strawberries decorating the top.  I had never made homemade vanilla pudding either but it was pretty easy and tastes SO much better than instant.  yum.
I found these cute little plastic cups with a pedestal at the dollar store that looked like tiny trifle dishes so we made 10 individual trifles for the girls.  That way there was plenty left in the big bowl for the family.  When the girls arrived they filled out the quiz.  Then we sat in a circle and I took a quiz, read off the answers and we tried to guess which girl it was, then we decided which HSM character they were most like.  After that we divided up into 2 groups of 5.  One went up to Sam's room with her CD player to make up a dance to a HSM song.  The other group came to the kitchen area where we picked out a HSM song for their dance.  They spent about 10 minutes or so making up a dance then we took Sam's CD player outside and the 2 groups performed their dances for each other.  Then they just played outside for a while while I set the dessert out on the table.  Then they came in and ate (except 2 who looked at their trifle and crumpled their noses and said "I don't really like strawberries... or kiwi... "  I found some licorice for them and all were happy.  We sang Happy Birthday, blew out candles and opened presents.  

Mark set up the projector  and the screen in the family room and we got all comfy with blankets and pillows and pressed play for High School Musical 2.  I passed out carnival-type bags full or popcorn that I had popped that afternoon.  As I guessed would probably happen, some girls got bored with the movie and meandered to other parts of the house.  I settled a few at the table drawing happily with paper and colored pencils and crayons.  Others explored Samantha's room, playing with her toys. The Baby Alive from Christmas that sucked water from a bottle and peed was a BIG hit!  They'd come back, watch the movie for a while, go off, etc.  All parents but one showed up promptly at 10:30. Really promptly.  All but 1 were gone within about 5 minutes.  About 11 I called the remaining mother who was so embarrassed she'd forgotten the time whilst busy scrapbooking.  She rushed over and by 11:05 we were cleaned up and ready for bed.  

Amazingly there were no catfights, no tears, no hurt feelings.  I was really surprised.  As *Recess Lady* I have observed, firsthand, fights in this little group on a weekly basis.  I'll hear "so and so is not talking to me today and won't play with me and I don't know why"  But none of that ruined our party.  Thank Heaven.

The whole evening was really fun and I hope will leave Samantha with happy memories of turning 8.