Jumpin For Jo(e)y

One week ago on July 28th we had a really fun Birthday party for Joey and his friend Erin Thorsen. For the last few years Alison Thorsen and I have jointly bid on a birthday party from the Spring Fling silent auction. We do this for a couple reasons. Joey and Erin are about 6 days apart. They have been friends since birth and they have the same friends. We have a big party and Erin invites the girls while Joey invites the boys. This ends up being about half the price and we have a blast! No one feels excluded because everyone at school and church in their grade are invited. I guess I feel like being inclusive after having been excluded too many times when I was a kid.

This year we had the party at Jump Town in Plano. Joey told me that he thought kids stopped having parties there after 2nd grade. He and Erin also informed us that they want separate parties next year. They would also like to have the party closer to the birthday instead of two and a half months late. What can I say but scheduling was a problem with two busy ten year-olds. I just know that in a few years they are going to be begging us to have joint parties again. We just have to wait until the boys and girls get over their cootie problems.

But I have to report that the party was a huge success. Almost everyone came who was invited and very few were 2nd graders. They played loud, fun music so the kids got into a pretty good game of boy chase girl tag which is always fun. We ate pizza and cake and ice cream and every kid got a pretty good dose of sugar in the party bag.