Did I mention that school started last Thursday?

Because it did.

I am officially ass deep in back-to-school shenanigans.

This year (fingers crossed) is shaping up to be a good one.  The kids seem to be fairly human.  Sophie is in 1st grade full time, so I don't have to taxi her around during my prep period.  None of my 11th graders are reading below an 8th grade level.  So--that should be swell.

Of course, I've gotten in the bad habit of checking the sheriff's office web page, and looking the jail bookings and most wanted page.  Sigh.  Two of my former students are on the most wanted page, and one or two show up at least weekly in the jail bookings.  I need to quit doing that.  It makes me feel like crap.

Time to go correct stuff.

She better have had the time of her life...

because Sophie pretty much just had her last birthday blowout.  Next year she can have a couple of friends sleep over, but the ginormous hoopla has seen its last year.

What can I say?  The girl is popular.  She's the only granddaughter in town, and most of our family lives here. 
She goes to two schools.  She knows a shit load of people.

The party was at the park, in a reserved pavilion (reserved people.  That means back the fuck off when I'm packing up with, in all reality, 2 house left on my reservation and you want to use the pavilion which you did NOT reserve for your little family function.)   We ended up with 16 kids (18 if you count the two crashers) and about as many adults.

The bounce house was fun, and no one needed stitches.  (There were two serious head bonks and 1 kid stepped on a bee.)

Katy's cupcake rainbow was oohed and aahed over, and Sophie particularly loved it, (although for some reason she decided to have all of the kids at the party blow out her candles for her and make their own wishes.)


All in all, a success.

It never fails...

You can plan a play-date.

Set up the play tent.

Outfit it with tea party stuff.

Buy new water colors.

And even glitter glue.

But ultimately, the kids will have the most fun blowing up 2 old balloons that they found under the bed, and letting them go in each other's faces, yelling "Who farted?" about fifty million times.