Pajama Party!

With Leiden's birthday party not until the evening, there was plenty of time to get some work done outside in the garden.  Leiden helped prepare the plot for our tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and basil.  I'm not super ambitious because it seems like it never works quite how you think it's going to.

While Brad and Leiden dug around outside, I got ready for the party inside.  I made cake pancakes--cake batter cooked into little silver dollar pancakes, which I then stacked and poured thinned icing over.  They looked exactly like regular pancakes, and tasted exactly like cake.  Amazing. 

Each girl got to take home a goody bag, complete with nail polish, hair extension, sugar cereal with spoon, and a sleeping mask. 

I made some faux pillowcases to help decorate our 'bed', with plastic tablecloth 'covers'.

We started the party out first with breakfast for dinner.  We had a fruit tray, which literally disappeared in seconds, and quiche cups with juice and milk. 

Then we moved onto decorating our own pillowcases.  The girls got out a big set of fabric markers and went to town on their pillowcases. 

The facials were funny--they were pretty tentative about smearing this stuff on their faces, but soon got into the swing of things. 

Even Mimi could get behind this one! 

After they all had facial on their faces, I provided them with cucumbers for their eyes and they laid on the floor for a picture and brief beauty rest. 

Next came nail painting and nail art.  They really liked this part, and we managed to get through it without ruining the floor.  Excellent. 

Cupcake pancakes ready to be lit.

Happy Birthday to you, Leiden! 

Lastly we did presents, and Leiden got some fun things from her friends.  She was really excited about the Target gift card--she calls it her credit card.  We'll have to take her and let her pick something out. 

The party went well, although it was a bit overwhelming.  I should have expected that, with 10 little girls running around, feeding off each other.  Leiden had a great time, and that's why we do it!  Brad mostly stayed in the other room, probably a little intimidated by all the females running around.  I don't blame him!  I'm glad her party was a success, and that a lot of girls were able to come.  A vast difference from last year's rather paltry turn out.  It really is the secret to make it the weekend before her birthday instead of the weekend after, which is always Memorial Day weekend.