1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Hi. This is Laura Vanderkam. I'm a mother of four, 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: an author, journalist, and speaker. And this is Sarah Hart Hunger. 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: I'm a mother of three, practicing physician and blogger. On 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: the side, we are two working parents who love our 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: careers and our families. Welcome to best of both worlds. 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: Here we talk about how real women manage work, family, 7 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: and time for fun, from figuring out childcare to mapping 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: out long term career goals. We want you to get 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: the most out of life. Welcome to best of both worlds. 10 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: This is Laura. This is episode thirty five in which 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: we will be talking all things birthday parties. Yes, because 12 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: by the time you have three or four children, birthday 13 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: parties start becoming a major chunk of your life, both 14 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: your own kids, other people's kids, sometimes even your own 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: birthday parties. We have birthdays every year, sometimes we celebrate them, Sarah, 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: Which birthdays, either your own or ones you've attended or 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: kids do you remember most. I definitely have much stronger 18 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: memories of my childhood birthday parties than I do with 19 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: any of the adult ones. My parents were good with 20 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: birthday parties. We usually did them at some venue, so 21 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: there was like a few unique golf years. Roller skating 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: was huge, it did multiple of those. And then I 23 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: will say, you know, around that nine to eleven age range, 24 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: the sleepovers were where it was at. So definitely memorable, 25 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: fun and simple from my perspective as a kid. Although 26 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 1: if I think about my brave parents, you know, having 27 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: ten ten year olds invader our house or whatever many 28 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: there were, that's that's bold. I'm not sure I'm quite 29 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: up for that yet. Yeah, how about you? Well, I 30 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: think from childhood I remember a couple some early memberies 31 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: of the ones that must have been like fifth or six, 32 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: five or six year old birthday, like roller skating or something. 33 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: I have one memory of when I was in eighth grade, 34 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: so I must have been turning fourteen, I want to say, 35 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: or I did have a bunch of girls over to 36 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: We watched The Cutting Edge. I don't know if you 37 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: ever saw, of course, Hello, I think anyone born like 38 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: around the time that we were born has watched that. Probably. Yeah, 39 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: So we watched that, and we did a game where 40 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: we had two teams. We decorated people up as Christmas 41 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: trees because of course I have an early December birthday, 42 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: so it's always you know, holiday tie in type thing, 43 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: so that was kind of fun. It's just had some 44 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: memory of doing I don't know if it was roller 45 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: skater or bowling or something. When I turned eleven, and 46 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: I remember that we took a bunch of girls from school. 47 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: It must have been like a Friday afternoon or something, 48 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: picked from school to go to the party. And Millie 49 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: Vanilli's Blame It on the Rain was on the radio. 50 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: It was on the radios going there, and then their 51 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: like follow up song, so that was there all the 52 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: way on the way home. This is like this radio 53 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: station was literally playing Millie Vanilli every hour on the 54 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: hour at that point, which should tell you exactly when 55 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: I turned eleven, like within the month of when Millie 56 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: Vanilli was popular, but I probably as an adult, one 57 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: of my best parties was because I've had a few 58 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: for myself and I turned thirty, I hosted about two 59 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: dozen people at a cooking school and we cooked our 60 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: dinner for the evening with our professional help. So there's 61 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: a lot of wine and a dinner and it was 62 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 1: it was fun. You know, it's a good way. That's 63 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: really cool, and actually that's what we're kind of planning 64 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: on for my almost six year old, but probably a 65 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: little bit fine for the adults. Yeah. No, that's a 66 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: fantastic party. And you also had a trip that was 67 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: fairly memorable correct well, but it wasn't for me. It 68 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: was now that i'm thinking about it, this was a 69 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: really awesome fortieth birthday party. Or though I can't ask 70 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: the same people to do this again so closely thereafter, 71 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: but my brother in law when he turned forty, he 72 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: and his wife invited. So my husband is one of 73 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: four children, so those four siblings have all remained fairly close, 74 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: and so the siblings and their spouses we all went 75 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: to Napa and Sonoma together for a couple days in 76 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: it was May of twenty fourteen, and we rented a 77 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: limo and we would go to like a couple of 78 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: wineries a day and go taste the wine. We even 79 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: actually got to go to French laundry, and that's pretty impressive. 80 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 1: French laundry we went. I can't we really don't have, 81 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: like our lives are not that glamorous, but I will 82 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: say we share that one experience and I'm hoping someday 83 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: to do it again. We did it for our tenth anniversary, 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: and it was it was a lot of work getting 85 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: those reservations. But yeah, well it's funny because it's only 86 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: in retrospect. I've thought about how amazing this trip was. 87 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: But partly it's because I didn't have time to process 88 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: it after, because I came home and about two days 89 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: later started feeling sick as a dog. And it turned 90 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:04,679 Speaker 1: out that kid number four accompanied me on the nap 91 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: of visit, which is one of those things. It turns 92 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: out that children, even in the womb, are highly resilient, 93 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: because I would not have gone to four wineries a 94 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: day if I had had any inkling that I was pregnant, 95 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 1: but very very early, so he was. He was not 96 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: actually receiving any he was. I think he must not 97 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: have been implanted at that point, so he was not. 98 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: He was safe. It's actually probably great that you didn't know. 99 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: It would have ruined it. Well, that is true. I 100 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: was glad that also wasn't like three days later, because 101 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: it would have sucked so much to be like nauseous 102 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:43,359 Speaker 1: for French laundry, Like can you imagine, yeah, emersions, so 103 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: like you know, go to this amazing restaurant and then 104 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: like feel like you can only eat the bread. Oh 105 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: my goodness, that does sound like an amazing trip. I 106 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: don't think I've ever done anything that ambitious for a 107 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: family members, but hopefully maybe maybe in the years to come, 108 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: we'll have to see. Yeah. Oh, my my sister in 109 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: law did a great job planning that, So that was cool. 110 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: What about what about your favorite kid birthday? Like for 111 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: your kids? So when my oldest son turned four, this 112 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: was shortly before we left New York, we sort of 113 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: had a combo birthday party for him slash going away party, 114 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: and we did the party at the American Museum of 115 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: Natural History, And so it's really kind of a priceier 116 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 1: party than I might have naturally done. And also because 117 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: there's this one woman who's like party planning company has 118 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: the contract with them. I don't know if that's still 119 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: the case or not, but you had to go through 120 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: this party planner to have your party at the Dinosaur Museum, 121 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: which is basically what it was. You know, there's all 122 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: dinosaur related stuff from my sutton's four year old party, 123 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: which is what he wanted. So you know, we had 124 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: to go through her. But it was really fun. I mean, 125 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: you know that we're have have a dozen four year 126 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: olds there in this you know, amazing museum, and so 127 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: that was a really good time. That sounds great, So 128 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: what's your process? How Like I definitely feel like I 129 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: have it somewhat down to with science at this point 130 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: in terms of when I think about each kid's party 131 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: and you know, all the things that you have to 132 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: do and the decisions you have to make, do you 133 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: have do you feel like you have a down at 134 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: this point? You've done a lot more parties now, a 135 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: lot of parties. So my philosophy is, ideally, if we're 136 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: going to do a party, we do it at one 137 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: of those places that are just like birthday party factories, right, 138 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: so you know, the go kart place or bowling place 139 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: or bouncy house type place. There was one birthday cycle 140 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: for my older three children that they actually all three 141 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: had their party at the same bouncy house place. And 142 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: it was awesome, Like I mean, because I just call 143 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: up my lady at the bouncy house place, like I 144 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: want this date. You know, they have the party platters 145 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: that you could just order, so we'd do the cheese 146 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: pizza for the kids and we'd also get you know, 147 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: veggie platters. And fruit plotters, because I always imagine some 148 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: adults will stick around or you know, you'll want to 149 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: have something for them, and they take care of everything 150 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: and then you don't really have to worry about it, 151 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: you know. I try to be sort of more inclusive 152 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: than not in terms of inviting kids. Like many times, 153 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: I've just tried, especially for younger kids, just invite everyone 154 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: in their class. That seems to be the way to go, 155 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: because a lot of people won't come anyway. I you know, 156 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: not generally worried about having too many people with with 157 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: that sort of thing, you know. So that's generally what 158 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: we did, what we've started. As the kids get older, 159 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: sometimes we try to do sort of bigger things with 160 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: smaller numbers of friends. So one year we took my 161 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: oldest son and his and three friends to a Phillies game, 162 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: and that was I think a pretty big hit. The 163 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: kids were a little antsy by the end of the 164 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: baseball game, because it turns out that baseball is sort 165 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: of a long sport. But they like this. It's like 166 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: a commitment. It's a commitment in terms of timing. But 167 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 1: you know, I don't feel like we ever have gotten 168 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: really we've done a few at our house. It's I 169 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: don't know. I always try to have somebody help out 170 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: with it. Then generally, like one of our sitters will 171 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: come help or you know, run some of the games 172 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: or come up with some of the crafts, because I'm 173 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: just not that kind of person, and it's always fun 174 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: for me to read stories about people who are like 175 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: longtime podcast listeners may remember that I have a bit 176 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: of a thing with Martha Stewart Living Magazine that I 177 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: read it a lot, and in this most recent issue, 178 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: so Jude and Truman are Martha Stewart's grandchildren. They were 179 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: born about a year apart, almost exactly a year apart, 180 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: and they so they have joint birthday parties that are 181 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: of course run by Martha Stewart, and it becomes something 182 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: she you can put in the March issue every year 183 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 1: of like doing a child's birthday party. So this year 184 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: it was the Lunar New Year for the Chinese Chinese 185 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: New Year, I guess that is what I mean, and 186 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: they did various dragon rooster related things. I guess last 187 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: year was the Year of the Rooster or something they read. 188 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,079 Speaker 1: I mean, they had the whole Martha Stewart headquarters decorated 189 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: for it. Of course, you know, it doesn't have to 190 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: be that. It doesn't even have to be the wonderful 191 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: Jessica Turner does anyone, I don't know if anyone checks 192 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: out her blog. Who's listening to this? The Mom Creative? 193 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: It's pretty awesome. She always has like backyard birthday parties 194 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: where she does amazing crafts and we'll have things like 195 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: a photo wall where the kids can take photos of 196 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,199 Speaker 1: them dressed up in various things. And those are fun 197 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: to read for inspiration too. But I think the important 198 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: thing to keep in mind with people like this, I 199 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 1: mean that's one of their business lines. I mean her case, 200 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: The Mom Creative is its own business. And obviously Martha Stewart, 201 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: this is what she does. She does. You know, magazine 202 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: spreads on parties only viewing it for inspiration, as opposed 203 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: to thinking this is something you should do, and to 204 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: some extent, I mean you have to think it is 205 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: that something that's fun for you. Because I do have 206 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: a lot of friends who really enjoy those crafty things. 207 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: They get a lot of pleasure out of it. I don't, 208 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: so I'd rather, you know, do things that I think 209 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: the kid will really appreciate, but not spend time making 210 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: things and you know, crazily printeresty. Yeah, because I don't 211 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: feel like it's worth it in my case. Yeah, do 212 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: you have a checklist though? Right? Yeah, I mean pretty much, 213 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: I feel you know, my kids' birthdays are about six 214 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: weeks apart, so there's definitely a season. And you know, 215 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: Genevieve actually is about two months earlier than Cameron, so 216 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: basically there's gonna be four months of the ye where 217 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: I have to think about birthdays, which means if I 218 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: don't do them in advance, it's like by the time 219 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: another party is happening, I kind of already need to 220 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: be starting to plan the next one, if that makes sense. 221 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: And that's not because I want to put a ton 222 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,319 Speaker 1: of effort. It's actually because I just want to all 223 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: the options and just get it done and you know, 224 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: not run into the fact that now I have to 225 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: call three cake places because you had to have a 226 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: week lead time and I didn't do it. Like it 227 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,079 Speaker 1: makes it much easier if you just do it in advance. 228 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: So I will just my checklist and I'm sure you'res 229 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: as similar is pick a date about eight weeks in advance, 230 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: don't wait, because that way you're not going to have 231 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: problems getting your venue, draw up the invite list, get 232 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: your kids input, put the emails into Usually I use 233 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: paperless posts that seems to be that or evite than 234 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: most people are using these days. I order the food, 235 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: confirm any entertainment that we're doing, order the party bag 236 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: stuff on Amazon. That's important because I don't want to 237 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: be rushing around last minute for that, and order the cake. 238 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: And that's usually as long as the venue takes care 239 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: of things like knives and forks and any kind of 240 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: decoration that's usually kind of it, and then you can 241 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: just show up and then it's shocking with those pieces 242 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: in place, how easy it is on the day. Particularly, 243 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,719 Speaker 1: like Laura said, if you pick a venue that's good 244 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: at doing birthdays, and I don't necessarily always go for 245 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: the I will say, like we've been a lot of parties. 246 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,199 Speaker 1: I don't like doing the same ones that everyone does 247 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: because then I feel like, oh, you know, it's boring. 248 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: I'm tired of another party at this play center. But 249 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: I'll do things like a museum like the Miami Children's 250 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: Museum does birthdays and they take care of all of it, 251 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 1: but it's not as commonly used as a venue or 252 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: we're going to use this cooking class studio or Cameron's 253 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 1: we've done at the JCC does great birthday parties actually, 254 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: and you can do a number of variations there. So yeah, yeah, 255 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess that would be the thing, like 256 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: if you are doing a party at your house, you 257 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: need to think through what the entertainment is going to 258 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: be and like what the kids are going to be 259 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: doing at different points during the party. Because I sort 260 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 1: of thought about this with I mean, you know a 261 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,839 Speaker 1: lot of people when they've planned their weddings, you put 262 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: a lot of thought into things that aren't really as 263 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: much a part of the guest experience as like what 264 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: they're actually doing while they're there. You know, people think 265 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: a lot about the decorations and place settings and stuff 266 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: like that, but you know, the guest experience of the 267 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: event is not the decorations, it's what they're doing while 268 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: they're there. And so it's the same thing with you know, 269 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: a backyard party. You got to say, well, what are 270 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: the kids going to do when they get there, and 271 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: then what are they going to do for the ten 272 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: minutes after that? And you know, what are they going 273 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: to do. That's another upside of using one of these 274 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: birthday party places. They've got that down to a science 275 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: like that, and you can just kind of relax and 276 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: enjoy and socialize during the actual party itself too. Yeah, 277 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: we we've often wound up leave you know, if we 278 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: will sometimes have a set ter come with us to 279 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: help with the little one, because you know, we've always had, 280 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: like for the bigger kids parties, we always have little siblings, 281 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: and especially if there are other parents around, like, you 282 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: want to be able to chat with them. You want 283 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: to be able to focus on your kid, and if 284 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: you're chasing a toddler, you can't. So you know, we 285 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: don't want to leave the toddler at home necessarily, although 286 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: sometimes we have if they're a little really little and 287 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: won't notice. But you know, that was one way we 288 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: were able to sort of make it a more relaxed 289 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: and focused on the kid as well. A few questions 290 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: here follow up. What do you guys like to do 291 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: for party favors? Oh, well, we just did for Cameron. 292 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: I'm not so into the candy because everyone has all 293 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: kinds of different allergies and restrictions for their kids, and honestly, 294 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: I think there's too much candy around all over the 295 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: place anyway, sorry hazard of my job as a pediatric 296 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: into chronologists. I'm not a big fan of like the 297 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: ubiquitous candy. So we did for his birthday there was 298 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: a kind of a dinosaur theme. We didn't really pull 299 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: it very strongly throughout, but I think we had dinosaur 300 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: plates and we did and we it was basketball and dinosaur, 301 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: so there was dinosaur stuff and stuff. But for the 302 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,359 Speaker 1: basket hours, yes, for the party favors, we went dinosaur. 303 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: And I got these dinosaur eggs off of Amazon that 304 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: you put them in water and they hatched, so very 305 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: thrilling for a four year old. It takes like twelve 306 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: to thirty six hours, so there's a mystery and not 307 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: knowing when that's going to happen. I think they were 308 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 1: like at the most two dollars each, maybe a dollar each, 309 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: and they came in like a big pack, and then 310 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: I stuck in some dinosaur temporary tattoos and a little 311 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: stamp and some stickers and I put it in a 312 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: bag and called it a day. And all that was 313 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: purchased on Amazon in a timeframe of about two minutes, 314 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: and my kids had a fun time putting everything together. 315 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: So that sort of was an impromptu activity to make 316 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: an assembly line for all that stuff. So, yeah, that 317 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: that I like to do. You know, one slightly bigger 318 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: item you mentioned, like a book. I think that's a 319 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: fantastic idea. We got a book at a recent party 320 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: that kind of you know, met with the theme of 321 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: the book. And that's so easy again, and then you 322 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: just order a bunch of copies of that paperback for wherever, 323 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: and and then it's done. Yeah, I mean you can 324 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: often wind up being similar costed by the time you 325 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: add up a bunch of smaller little things. You know, 326 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: a book itself can can be somewhat competitive with that. 327 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: And it's a cool thing to get, like it's an 328 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 1: actual real yeah, or even something else you eat it 329 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: like a box of crans. It's pretty cheap too. Yeah, 330 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 1: our supplies are big. I think we've got little mini 331 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: platos at one party and that was a big hit. 332 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: Or even like a pack of balloons. I mean, kids 333 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: love balloons. That's like half the fun of the party 334 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: sometimes is balloons. So you can do balloons or bubbles 335 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: or you know something that the kid will actually use 336 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 1: I mean that's kind of the problem with a lot 337 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: of the sort of plastic crap that kind of yes, 338 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: it needs to pick it out of toy box. Respect Yeah, 339 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: the consumable. Okay. Also question, when do you guys hit 340 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: drop off age? Oh, Miami, I think we're about to 341 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:33,439 Speaker 1: hit it with my daughter. Like, we've been invited to 342 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: a few parties that are drop off optional, and we've 343 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: had mixed success with the drop off on ourselves. She 344 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: did not consider it drop off optional. Well, yeah, it 345 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: was a movie one and she the movie was a 346 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 1: little scary. So the combination of if it had been 347 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: a movie that she liked, I think it would have 348 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: been just fun. But yeah, so I think actually for 349 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: her sixth birthday party, which is coming up, we're going 350 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: to do drop off optional. So I think it's right 351 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: around there. What about you, Yeah, it was. You know, 352 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: it's funny that when you move into a community and 353 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: you have no idea what sort of the norms are, 354 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 1: and also when you know you're a first time parent, 355 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: like with your oldest kid, you don't know what people 356 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: will do, and so up until age six, it was 357 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: always sort of expected that you would be kind of 358 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: at the party with the kid, and so, you know, 359 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: you go to parties, you're kind of hanging out a 360 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: lot of parents hat if it's in their backyard, they 361 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,959 Speaker 1: have beer, which is great. I'm a big fan of 362 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 1: having stuff for the adults too. So, you know, we'd 363 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: been to a bunch of that, and all of a sudden, 364 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: I went to a six year old party with my 365 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: oldest son and there were no other parents there, and 366 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, am I not supposed to be here? Like, 367 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: am I supposed to leave? Like he didn't really want 368 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: me to leave because this was the first time he'd 369 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: ever been to something that was drop off either and 370 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: sit well not, but it was. It was one of 371 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,400 Speaker 1: the first times, and so you know, I was like, oh, well, 372 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: maybe everyone else knew this that all of a sudden, 373 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: the six year old party is when you leave. I 374 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: feel like at that age it's to be specified on 375 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: the invitation what the situation is, because it could be 376 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: drop off required, drop off optional. Oh my gosh, Genevie, 377 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: you have just made a rude sound. We are multitasking 378 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: and yeah, I may be feeding a baby while we 379 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: record this. Well, if you managed to change the diaper, too, 380 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: it'll be very impressive. No, I feel like it needs 381 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: to specify or else it's it's confusing. And it also 382 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: it's nice when they specify if siblings are invited as well. Oh, 383 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: I am so big a fan of parties where siblings 384 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,719 Speaker 1: can come to. You know, obviously I will stay and 385 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:37,439 Speaker 1: watch the little sibling. It's you know, not something I 386 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: necessarily expect another parent to take on, unless it's you know, 387 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,479 Speaker 1: sometimes it's that sometimes we know that family has a 388 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: younger child of the same age as the younger sibling 389 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: and their friends too, and so then it's then it's 390 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: more sort of like, well, is everyone coming, in which 391 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: case we'll go ahead and bring the younger sibling too. 392 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: But the yeah, because you know, especially when you've got 393 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: bigger families, the weekends are such this intricate, panic, mosaic 394 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:05,239 Speaker 1: patter of trying to get people to the right thing 395 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: and so throwing a birthday party in there. You really, 396 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: you know, want to come to a friend's birthday party. 397 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: But sometimes it's really nice if you can bring another 398 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: kid along too, because then that doesn't mean that the 399 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: other parent has to bring that kid to say, a 400 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: swim meet or to a basketball practice or whatever it is, 401 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: and so we've been very grateful when some people have 402 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: been open to that. So we did. We did an 403 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: option for my eight year old this fall, which I 404 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: don't know if Sarah is a big fan of this 405 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: or not, but the joint birthday party, so one of 406 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: my son's little friends has the same birthday as him, 407 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: and they had they had actually hatched this plan I 408 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: think during Little League practice when they were not paying 409 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: attention to the ball in the spring, that they would 410 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: have a joint party in the fall, and it woant 411 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 1: to be really cool because it was then a lot 412 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: of kids. We had it at this laser tech slash 413 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: go kart place which had a bar attached. That was 414 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: nice for some of the parents. They just go hang 415 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: out in the bar, and you know, it was a 416 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: lot of the same kids would have been invited to both, 417 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: so we didn't have to. I mean, I think it 418 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: would have been nice of us to try to coordinate 419 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: anyway in the sense of either completely not having them 420 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: at the same time, or if they're going to be 421 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: at the same time, you know, make sure they're together. 422 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: So that I've seen. I don't know how you feel about, like, 423 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: you know, twins have parties. Often, a lot of people 424 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: have their twins parties at the same time. I assume 425 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: when they get older they might move away from that, 426 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: and it becomes more apparent that, yes, these people are 427 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: different people. Just because they happen to be twins doesn't 428 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: mean they're the same person. But you know, what do 429 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: you think of the time? That's awesome? I was thinking 430 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: more like the sibling ones that I've seen that I think, 431 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: like true to Julie, True to Jude, and true They're 432 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: gonna have the joint birthday party forever, as long as 433 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: Martha needs to make a march spread out because she 434 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 1: wants to be able to make a big splash with 435 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 1: both of them. No, but like I've seen people force 436 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 1: it with like a five year old and an eight 437 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: year old and I'm bad. I'm like, but maybe they 438 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: wanted that, and you're and if they thought about that, like, 439 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: my kids would not want that because they have their 440 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: own specific desires for what they want their project party 441 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: to be. And if I get I mean, I guess 442 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: we could have done a basketball, dinosaur cooking party. But yeah, 443 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: I mean, our two kids who are closest together in 444 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: terms of the birthday. So salmon raiths are are only 445 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: two weeks apart, less than two weeks apart their birthday, 446 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 1: so we always have to plan the birthday parties at 447 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: the same time. But I'm pretty sure they will never 448 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: want the same party because they are different, very very different. 449 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,199 Speaker 1: They are different, you know, she is a girly girl. 450 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: He's like the kind of kid who impact. He's action packed, 451 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: like whether you want it or not, like I have. 452 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: I mean, the the like volume of things that become 453 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 1: weapons in the house, you know, like it doesn't even 454 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: the books that show up from the library of like 455 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: you know weapons. I mean, they're just goodness. He's the 456 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 1: little boy, you know, and so he's never going to 457 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,120 Speaker 1: want anything that's the same as hers. And in fact, 458 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: there are big gifts. This past year was she went 459 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: to the American Girl Doll Cafe with me in New York. 460 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: He went to an Eagles game with me, so very different. 461 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, that will that will never be an issue 462 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: for us. I think, do you think that at some 463 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 1: point you will move to those experiences in lieu of parties? 464 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: I assume so I think my eleven year old will 465 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: probably be there this year anyway. I mean because I 466 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: think it becomes either that you have maybe like two 467 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: or three friends to do something with you and you know, 468 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: go out to eat or go to a sports game 469 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: or something like that, because it just, you know, it 470 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: starts being a little bit less cool to have a party. 471 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: And I don't know, I mean, I think maybe the 472 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 1: girl's slumber party thing still happens for a while, but 473 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: that may be different for boys. I have three boys, 474 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: so I think we'll be more in that mode of 475 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: doing the smaller one or two buddies go to a 476 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,239 Speaker 1: movie kind of thing. I could definitely see that. I mean, 477 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: because right now our parties sort of serve that dual 478 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: purpose of being parent parties and kid parties. But once 479 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: they get older, if they it's not going to serve that. 480 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,439 Speaker 1: So if they prefer something else or something bigger, then 481 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: I'm all for, you know, doing those more experiential things. 482 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: We do have sort of a rule in our house, 483 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 1: ridiculous rule that we go to Disney instead of a 484 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: birthday party when you're three. Ah, so that's what we've 485 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: done for Annabel and Cameron, which were well when you're three. 486 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, I mean, do you I guess if 487 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: you're in preschool at that point, then you do have 488 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: a group of friends. But yeah, oh so there didn't 489 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: have a real party for three because he hasn't in 490 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: school yet. Yeah. Our school, the preschool that we use, 491 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: starts actually at two, so by three, you're already getting 492 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: lots of invites. You start to know the other families. 493 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: And I actually felt kind of bad not doing it 494 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: because I felt like I was, you know, not integrating 495 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 1: with Cameron's classmates, I guess the way that I knew Annabelle's. 496 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: But you know, this year, we did his fourth and 497 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: it's fine. Now I know his classmates and I know 498 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: their parents and it went great. So yeah, I like 499 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: our little three year old traditions. I think that's the 500 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: earliest year can be Disney and not having been horrific exactly. Yeah, 501 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: Disney with very small children is, oh my goodness, it's 502 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: stressful unless you don't know any better. We went for 503 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: the first time when we had a four year old, 504 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: a two year old and a six month no way. Wow. 505 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: We have photos of me with the four year old 506 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 1: and the two year old in the double decker stroller 507 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: and little Ruth and a carrier on my chest and 508 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 1: We kept having people come up to us saying stuff like, oh, 509 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 1: my children are forty eight forty seven now, but we 510 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:55,640 Speaker 1: were once there. I guess, yeah, well there you go 511 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: there like I will add that too, my goodness. That 512 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: is that we went when Cameron was fourteen months and 513 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 1: Annabelt was three for her third birthday, And that's when 514 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: I realized three is the youngest age. Not for not 515 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: do that again, exactly exactly. Yeah, well, you live, you learn, 516 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: and we can we can put that out there for 517 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: our listeners for pondering that Disney trip that you might 518 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: wish to wait until they're old enough to not, you know, 519 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 1: totally melt down in the hot Florida sun while waiting 520 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: in line for everything. So do we have anything other 521 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: other birthday party points we wish to make. I'm looking 522 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: over our notes. Well, we sort of mentioned this, but 523 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: I guess I would I would be careful with going 524 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: this quote unquote simple route and like using your house 525 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: or a park, because I've found that that actually sometimes 526 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: doesn't work to be that much less expensive and is 527 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 1: a lot more work than the venues. Of course, your 528 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: knowledge may vary. It depends on what kinds of things 529 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: you want. There, but kind of write out all the 530 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: things you'd have to do and have to buy, and 531 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: make sure that it's that it's worth it. Said. Some 532 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: of the park and house parties that I've been to 533 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: have been some of the best because it could just 534 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: be relaxed and you know, but for me, I don't 535 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: enjoy throwing them as much. Yeah, and again, if you 536 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: are going to do that, make sure you have enough 537 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: adult coverage for the number of children who are showing up, 538 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: especially if it is a drop off party. Yeah. I mean, 539 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: because having like ten seven year olds in your house 540 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 1: is no joke new or fifteen seventeen year olds for 541 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: that matter. Like, you know, even if it's you know, 542 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 1: both you and your partner there are like, it's not 543 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: not easy. You sound like you're speaking from experience. I would. Well, 544 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: we had one party. I'm trying to remember if it 545 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 1: was Jasper who was in kindergarten. Maybe we had it 546 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: in the house and it's gonna be an outdoor sort 547 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 1: of gardenish party. We're going to play in the backyard. 548 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: It rained, so we had pretty much his entire kindergarten 549 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: casts in the basement. It was fine, We had a 550 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: good time, but it was a little bit nutty, and 551 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: we even had we had three adults, but it was 552 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: still you know, he also had two younger siblings that 553 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: had to be watched during that time too, so it 554 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: was it was a lot of coverage. But we're still here. 555 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: Our basement is still here, so and all the kids survived. 556 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: So that's good. All the kids survived, We're still We're 557 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: still here. But something to to keep in mind. I actually, 558 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, one friend just a safety thing. A friend 559 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: through a pool party, a pool birthday party for her son, 560 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: and they hired a professional life which I think is 561 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:43,960 Speaker 1: also a very smart idea because you know, you can 562 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: tell people like if your child doesn't swim, you have 563 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: to stay here, you have to be you know. But 564 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: like people have different ideas of what it means to supervise, 565 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: yes to supervise, and what it means to swim. So 566 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: we have we have definitely discovered that as well. So 567 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: we definitely have a role that there's you know, we 568 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 1: have a backyard pool, but if there is always adults watching, 569 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: there's like you know, a certain ratio you have to 570 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: hit for any number of kids, like yeah, so we're 571 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: very careful about that and I'm always glad to see 572 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: when other people are too. Yeah, Well, for our Q 573 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: and A today, we have kind of a special edition 574 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: because Laura is going to ask me her Q and 575 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: A and I am I'm looking for ideas. And actually 576 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: it could be sort of both Q and A in 577 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: the sense of, so I am turning a milestone birthday 578 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: that is not thirty this year, and it's not fifty, 579 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: and it's not for yeah, I'm turning forty at the 580 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: end of the year. Actually, my husband's turning fifty this year, 581 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: so we both have milestone birthdays, and I want to 582 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: you know, I don't I don't actually really totally feel 583 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: comfortable planning his party for him. I need to have 584 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: input from him of what he wants to do. I 585 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: suspect it's going to be something more family related, possibly 586 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: with his siblings, just as his brother did, although we 587 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: don't have time to plan a Nappa party before his 588 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: birthday at this point. But yeah, so I'm going to 589 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: ask him what he wants to do. But for me, like, 590 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: I want to do something really awesome for my fortieth 591 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: birthday party. So Sarah, what should idea? You should? I mean, 592 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: I don't know that I have like earth chattering ideas, 593 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: and we welcome further ideas from our listeners party. But 594 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: the things I came up with, well, I will say 595 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: for Josh's fortieth, we did an old fashioned party at 596 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: our house. You know, we actually you know, ordered food 597 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: from a restaurant, kind of did simple catering that way, 598 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: had a lot of wine and it was really fun, 599 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: but it was you know, it was traditional. We didn't 600 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 1: do anything crazy. Some more like out of the box 601 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: ideas are you could do a cooking party. And I 602 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: didn't know when I wrote this that you had actually 603 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: done a cooking party before, so that was kind of spoiler. 604 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: But you could either do it like professional cooking school, 605 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: or you could do kind of an Iron Chef style 606 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 1: party where you know, you're in teams and you have 607 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: like a some sort of quest and you can compete 608 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: against each other and you have all the ingredients there, 609 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: and if you want to be really fancy, you could 610 00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 1: like hire a professional chef to be a judge or something. Idea. Yeah, 611 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: you a dedicated wine tasting party. You could you know, 612 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 1: make that as a labord as you wanted to be. 613 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: Or I've had friends that do would open that bottle 614 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: night where everybody brings like their fanciest wine that's just 615 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: been laying around begging to be opened, and you go 616 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: crazy with that. I also, you know, I didn't really 617 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: think about climate because I live here, but I wrote 618 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: to you that everything's more fun on a boat. The 619 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: problem is I turned forty in December, and everything is 620 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: not more fun on a boat and the freezing waters 621 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: of the school Killer the Delaware River. Now I didn't 622 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: think through that, but you could always, you know, go 623 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 1: to Bermuda or Miami or somewhere else on a boat. Miami, 624 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to show up there and I'll be on 625 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: a boat outside your house. And then my last one 626 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 1: that I don't think you'd be that into, but I 627 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: totally would be a wine and paint party at one 628 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: of those studios where you each get to like paint 629 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: something or you paint the pottery and you all drink 630 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: wine and paint the pottery. Yeah. I think that would 631 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: be kind of cool. So those were my ideas, but 632 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: I am we would love, yeah, we'd love other ideas. 633 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 1: So PLAY said, I have a couple of months upon 634 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 1: er this, so yeah, no, I like the wine. The 635 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: sad part about turning forty, is that my ability to 636 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: drink more than two glasses of wine as completely Well, 637 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: you have to take small SIPs of those fans, very 638 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: small SIPs to open that bottle night. Yeah, so that'd 639 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: be great. We had we had one other, so we're 640 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: doing a double Q and a yeah on this one 641 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: and this one I think I had gotten on my 642 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 1: blog someone wanted to know what are my go to 643 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: birthday gifts that I buy or that we like when 644 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: we receive for the kids, which adults too. I mean, 645 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: I gotta say the wine thing is always a good 646 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: when we go to parties. We have one sort of 647 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 1: our wine collection. We have one area where we put 648 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: the nice bottles of wine so we don't accidentally like 649 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 1: drink that on Tuesday night or something. And you know, 650 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: well often just that's just a go to thing, right. 651 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 1: We have a stack of like wine bags and wine bottles. 652 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: Grab a nice bottle, throw a ribbon on the bag, 653 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: You're good to go. I mean, you know, because even 654 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: if the like, obviously you wouldn't want to give it 655 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 1: somebody who doesn't drink. But you know, even people who 656 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: aren't that into wine can always just use it for 657 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: something else. Like if they're hosting a dinner party at 658 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: their house, they can they can use it, So that's 659 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: sort of an all purpose gift. I'm all about the 660 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 1: consumable gifts. Yeah, for adults I like to give. Yeah, 661 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: wine is a big one. Coffee can work, yeah, or chocolate, cheese, 662 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: anything like edible exact. I think it's going to be 663 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: a win as long as you follow that person's dietary restriction. 664 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 1: Although I've gotten some funny things in the past, I 665 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: was just thinking about. I mean, one one people brought 666 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,479 Speaker 1: me some funny presence when I did throw that thirtieth party, 667 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: you know, many many years ago now, I got a 668 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: pair of ug ear muffs, which I've found hilarious because 669 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: people gave me those sort of gaggy sort of jokes, 670 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: which it was a nice gag gift, like those ug 671 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:57,719 Speaker 1: ear muffs are not cheap, but that was funny. Somebody 672 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: I threw a small thirtieth thirty fifth birthday party, which 673 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: they were supposed was supposed to be bigger, but it 674 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 1: snowed like crazy that day and basically no one could 675 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:09,839 Speaker 1: get to the It was a small but hardy crew 676 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: who showed up and then we were eating leftovers from 677 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 1: the restaurant forever. But somebody brought me a wooden sculpture 678 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: of Rudolph. That is random. This is when your birthday 679 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: is close to the holidays, you get holiday related stuff. 680 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 1: But you know, so I was sort of thinking of 681 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 1: that when Sarah made this list of great sort of 682 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 1: gifts you could give me. On it it said swim suits. 683 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 1: I'm like, really, somebody would give you a swim but 684 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 1: she has like children, the kids, and then I pointed 685 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: out that Plato was awesome. I'll give you the list. 686 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: Do not buy an adult a swim suit unless like 687 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 1: your sister. But I put on their books, Lego sets, puzzles, 688 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 1: Calico critters are big and my daughter just class and 689 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:02,879 Speaker 1: they're expensive. So they're a good gift because you can 690 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 1: just get one little thing and call it a day, 691 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: and it's like a nice gift. Bathing suits that's big 692 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 1: in Miami because everybody swims, and I don't know, they're 693 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: fun for the they're useful, the kids like them. They're yeah, 694 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 1: bathing suits. Jewelry, little bracelets for girls, headbands, sunglasses, other accessories. Pajamas. 695 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:21,279 Speaker 1: We got two sets of pajamas for Camera's birthday. And 696 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, yes, something that you know I don't want 697 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 1: to throw out, like this is great. I would I 698 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 1: would definitely put a check mark on, you know, next 699 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 1: to sunglasses and pajamas. Suit kids love sunglas. Yeah, they're 700 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 1: like and they're actually useful shoes, Believe it or not. 701 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: I have a friend of Annibals. We always buy each 702 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: other's kids many Melissa's shoes, like, so I always asked 703 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: the size, and it's like kind of our thing. Any 704 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: kind of crafting supplies that are like disposable sticker books, 705 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:54,360 Speaker 1: and we got a few us Born usbou are n 706 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,319 Speaker 1: E which is kind of a multi level marketing thing. 707 00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 1: But they're also in regular bookstores and I love their products, 708 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 1: and no, I do not sell them. I'm not going 709 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:04,280 Speaker 1: to sell them. But they make a lot of really 710 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:09,359 Speaker 1: really cute, gifty like books. So yeah, yes that's true. 711 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: Often you get those books and they have a tag 712 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 1: on the back saying to buy or sell. I'm no 713 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: call the local sales lady, who yeah, no it is, 714 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 1: but but some of them are fun. We have actually 715 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 1: used a fair number of the Usborn books that we 716 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: have received from people who may be in on that 717 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: scheme or whatever. But yeah, they have like a lot 718 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 1: of truck books. For instance, they have some lift the 719 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: flap type books, which I mean we heard a couple 720 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: of weeks ago. I mean the you know, travel with kids. 721 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:37,360 Speaker 1: If you're on an airplane with a small child, a 722 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: lift the flat book can occupy them for maybe like 723 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,719 Speaker 1: thirty minutes, which is golden to get thirty minutes of 724 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 1: no screaming. So I would definitely say that's good too. Yeah, 725 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:50,760 Speaker 1: we've done a lot of Lego sets. I think books 726 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: are often good. If it's something your kid liked, probably 727 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 1: that kid would like it too. You know, we've gotten 728 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: a lot of gift cards, especially if the kids get older, 729 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,240 Speaker 1: you start getting a lot of like Amazon or Target 730 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: gift cards, which is which is great, except like I mean, 731 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: we we sometimes get bad about using them and then 732 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:11,280 Speaker 1: they become in a pile and we we can't even remember 733 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:14,319 Speaker 1: which child got. So if you're the kind of person 734 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 1: who uses the gift card, quickly use those gift cards. 735 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:23,600 Speaker 1: Otherwise you're just kind of like beating those corporating It's crazy. 736 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: There is no side just giving money exactly. I don't 737 00:37:27,239 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: think they need it, you know, so funny, Yeah, oh 738 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,359 Speaker 1: my gosh, all right, Well there was that was kind 739 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 1: of a lot of love of the week, so I 740 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 1: guess we should do a love of the week. Yeah, 741 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:38,240 Speaker 1: quick level of the week. And we hope this episode 742 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 1: wasn't too frivolous for you all. But you know we've 743 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:44,600 Speaker 1: been we've been heavy on the career content, so which 744 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:46,520 Speaker 1: I thought it'd be fun. My love of the week 745 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 1: is glutter tattoos. So you know, people do different things 746 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: for their birthday party around here. There is kind of 747 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: like most of the birthday parties, we go to have 748 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: some kind of entertainer. Either it's a princess, or it's 749 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: a bloom guy, or it's a tattoo guy. And it's 750 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:02,640 Speaker 1: actually not as expensive as it sounds. And so I 751 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,960 Speaker 1: looked around and decided, actually I just checked it off 752 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: the box at the JCC because again, they make it 753 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:10,719 Speaker 1: pretty easy to get the glitter tattoo artists. And I 754 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 1: love them because they're not messy like face paint, but 755 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: they look really really cool. It's like something for the 756 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 1: kid to take home. Kids will they love it. They'll 757 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 1: stand in line patiently for like, you know, an hour 758 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:25,200 Speaker 1: sometimes and they're happy because they're like obsessing over which 759 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 1: glitter tattoo they're going to get and they wash off 760 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:31,760 Speaker 1: fairly easily. So yeah, that's my favorite little kid birthday 761 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:35,560 Speaker 1: party entertainment. Yeah, I would say my dislove of the 762 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: week is face painting, and that makes me like such 763 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: a like birthday party scrooge. But it's such a mess 764 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: and it gets like all over your the kid forgets 765 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 1: to take part of it off. It's on their sheets 766 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:48,759 Speaker 1: and pillow as like all over your towels and they're 767 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:53,040 Speaker 1: trying to get it off. So yes, dislove of the 768 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:57,480 Speaker 1: week would be the be face painting. So I'm going 769 00:38:57,520 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: to have to look into the glitter tattoos so I 770 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,000 Speaker 1: can make that into my love of the week that 771 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:05,240 Speaker 1: I will have to be like no face painting, please, 772 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:08,880 Speaker 1: no face painting. So yes, do you have an actually 773 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:12,960 Speaker 1: all right, well know love yea, let's just go with that. 774 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: Let's go with that, all right? Well, this has been 775 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: best of both worlds. This has been episode thirty five. 776 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 1: We've been talking all things birthday parties. We'll be back 777 00:39:23,120 --> 00:39:25,320 Speaker 1: next week with more on making work and life fit together. 778 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. You can find me Sarah at the 779 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:36,240 Speaker 1: shoebox dot com or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram 780 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:40,760 Speaker 1: and you can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 781 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: This has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please 782 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 1: join us next time for more on making work and 783 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: life work together