I love to plan parties. I think in my next life I will be a party planner! It is so fun to come up with a theme and then follow it through. My husband thinks that I go overboard and frankly…..I do. I just can’t help myself. This time it almost killed me. I picked the wrong week to have a big party! My husband was out of town the whole week before. Not his regular out of town, but his big annual confrence where he is almost unreachable from 6 am to 11 pm. Then the water main started leaking into the basement. Think lots of towels and eventually learning how to turn off the water to our house at the street (picture me out in the front yard on my belly with a flashlight in my mouth praying that I don’t drop the wrench down the 5 foot hole while using all my might to turn off the water- multiple times). Dealing with insurance, trying to figure out what to do. Do we rip out the porch which was causing the problem…..who does the work…..is insurance going to cover this? Did I mention I was doing this BY MYSELF! It is also the last week of school which entails teacher gifts, picnics, etc (some of which I am in charge of as the room parent for Tanner’s class) (all while on the phone with insurance, contractors and trying to get a hold of hubby) all while trying to get ready for the pirate party. Then Tanner got hurt on the tramp on Thursday night and we took a trip to the urgent care only to find that he had a miraculous healing (of course after I paid my co-pay).

Saturday was a swim meet-starting at 6 am (which I had to leave in the middle to take Tanner to urgent care for a case of strep throat. Then our gas line was mismarked and the contractor hit the gas line. Thankfully I wasn’t there, as I was at my parents getting ready for a pirate party. Chris starts to tell me this and all I can think is “how much is this going to cost” and then my husband says “the kids were all sleeping in the house, but don’t worry, I got them out really fast”. I felt like a terrible mother. I didn’t even think about the house exploding with my kids inside. That put things back in perspective.

Finally it was time for the party, and it was a huge hit. The kids had a great time and everything came together to make an awesome party.

Things are finally starting to slow down and the gas line and water line are all better! I am still trying to catch up from a week of no water (think mounds of laundry) and lots of coming and going (think piles of things all over the house).

However, it made me thankful for the little things like running water in my house and that my kids are safe and sound and we can have a fun time together with friends and family celebrating.

Here are the highlights from the party. As usual, I got carried away and took WAY too many pictures, so it may take you awhile to scroll through the highlights!