When is MY mid-winter break?

Day 2

This is how my children are spending the morning of Day 2 of mid-winter break. Watching Zathura. In their pajamas. After being served breakfast.

I would LOVE to lay around in my pj's and watch movies all day while people served me meals and folded the laundry in the basket you can see behind Ryan. Nothing would make me happier than to have a break during mid-winter break. But no. I have to plan an impromptu birthday party.

Eric's 5th Birthday was on Sunday. This 5th Birthday was tantamount to the 2nd coming. We have been hearing about this 5th Birthday for months. What he wants to receive, who he wants to invite, what he wants to do....Eric has focused on nothing but this 5th Birthday. As one of my many failings as a parent, I must confess that I hate throwing birthday parties. I carry quite a bit of guilt around regarding this issue, but it's true. I hate throwing the kid parties. HATE. H.A.T.E It's the decorating, the goodie bags, coming up with 42 activities to keep them occupied, the frosting on the dining room walls, being silently judged by the other parents for throwing such a lame party--the whole package, really. So I was delighted when Mike and I came up with the idea of having Eric's 5th Birthday at the bowling alley.

It's a great bowling alley. Smoke-free, family friendly, lightweight balls, chicken nuggets served on a platter--a very popular place for parties. This was our plan. Birthday at the bowling alley. I show up, pass out cake, and go home to a "clean" house. And then about 3 days ago Eric announced that he does NOT want his party at the bowling alley. And the more he talked about it the more upset he became. There were tears running down his face as he begged me to have his party at home, so he can show his friends his room and his playroom and his Wii and so they could all sit around him in the living room and watch him open his presents. All 14 of them. All 14 little boys we invited because we were suppose to have his party at a bowling alley. All 14 guests who rsvp'd YES. He was begging me. And because I very reluctantly agreed that the party should really be about Eric and not about me and my hatred for kids birthday parties, I agreed.

And so now I have to plan a 5th Birthday party at my house. Which will take place in 5 days. I have to come up with games, activities--all that crap. Did I mention it's a Transformer's party? At least that's an easy theme to work with. How about we transform the party back into a bowling alley party? Now I have to clean--clean the bedrooms, actually put the laundry away, clean the playroom, clear Mike's client files off the dining table, shop for Transformer party whatevers, and try to find a way to entertain 14 boys in my house for 90 minutes.

And the thing is, I already had things to do before this party business came up. I have more hats to knit this week for Zizia and Willow & Bloom. I still have a boatload of hats I need to knit before March 9th, which is the Art Walk for Venue. And I have to knit a sleeve for my sweater , also by March 9th.

Meghan, who frankly is not right in the head, loves to plan parties. So she has done a bunch of research and emailed a list of ideas to me. I confessed to her this morning that I have not opened her email yet. Reading the ideas would force me to use some serious brain cells in thinking about Transformers and those brain cells are currently in use, keeping me in denial that the party is in 5 days.

Party or not, I have to fold laundry now because Ryan will have no pants to wear until I fish them out of that laundry basket next to him.