About Me

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Concord, California, United States
I am a sometimes-writer, everyday mama, creative failure and experimental cook. I am interested in living a beautiful life, spending time with my family and making things that I can feel proud of. When I'm by myself I'm usually outside. Don't bother calling because chances are that I didn't bring my cell phone because I couldn't find it. If you see me walking, it's because I lost my keys and if you see me with only one child... I'm probably in big trouble.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Cancelled the Party

For obvious reasons we have to cancel Lila's fifth birthday party at our house.

I feel so sorry for her. My poor daughter is robbed of her birthday party for one reason or another each year. This year we celebrated her birthday while in Florida. It's on August 25th. We had a family party with my mom, dad, Lila's Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather. I promised her that after we returned home to Philadelphia and we were settled into our new home that we could have a big, Halloween birthday party that we'd invite all of her new, kindergarten school friends to. As soon as we got home I designed and ordered cute birthday invitations and sent them into her teacher to go in each child's folder on the first week of school.

Then we found out about the bed bugs.

We've held off on canceling the party because a.) Lila talks about it every day. And b.) I'd hate to have cancelled it and then have no bed bugs and no reason not to have it on October 30th.

But, really, we should be bb free for a long time before allowing families into our home. It's not fair to risk passing this to someone else.

This doesn't make my daughters heart any less broken.

So, here's what we're doing. We booked a little Build-A-Bear party at a mall in New Jersey. We invited five of Lila's close friends to the party (I honestly wish that we could invite more friends, but it gets very expensive very quickly). Each child will go to the party and be able to make their own bear, while celebrating Lila as a guest of honor. Then, we'll find a little pizzeria outside of the mall and everyone can get a bite to eat together.

And that's that.

It's not perfect, but it's something.

I was looking at my husband yesterday and saw how beat up and downtrodden he seemed. Life has been very hard for us for quite awhile now. Between Jay's health problem, bed bugs, financial suicide and Bunny's broken arm and general anxiety issues... it has taken a toll on our family. I'm worried about us.

2 comments:

  1. The bear party sounds nice! Is there maybe a park you could have a nice fall party at with some cake, bobbing for apples...caramel corn, something like that? That way she could maybe invite more friends and it wouldn't cost as much?

    Just some brainstorming...I think the current plan sounds fun too!

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  2. Hey, that's a great idea... though it's my suspicion that it would actually cost more. All the parks around here charge birthday party fees. I only know this because I did a park party last spring for Bunny (and it was tons of fun)!

    I wish that I had planned a park party for LIla from the get-go. We were just going to finally have a space with a backyard to use.

    I think that I'll keep the build-a-bear and give her a killer party next year. My poor little bean. Though, that said, she's very excited about the build-a-bear party and it gives her a chance to see the friends who probably wouldn't have been able to come to her Philly party.

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