Monday 1 November 2010

Sean's birthday party

Once again, we were fortunate with the weather for Sean's party at the house yesterday. Despite having been at a Halloween party at the FIshers' house on Saturday and a Halloween party at Beavers the night before that, Sean wanted a Halloween birthday party. Sharon bought him a new wizard's dress-up outfit as he had outgrown just about all of the other costumes.

His friends assembled at 4pm, which, with the clocks having gone back the night before, meant there was time for some outdoor play in the remaining daylight. I set them a treasure hunt which entailed solving a Halloween crossword and using key letters for grid references on a map of the back garden. They then had to find each clue in order to complete the grid reference of the next clue. Each clue also had a letter that, in the final assembled eleven clues, spelt out the location of the treasure. Confused? The children certainly were, although Sean seemed to be on my wavelength! Perhaps me reading "The Lost Symbol" before setting the treasure hunt wasn't a good idea!

The food was served up next, by pumpkin candlelight as darkness descended outside. Sharon made Sean a ghoulish lemon birthday cake decorated with a skull. Angus and Rowan joined the others at the table, but Rowan wasn't in the best of form, being very tired from the night before. Angus tucked into the food like a boy possessed and then had a ball with the bigger children out in the garden in the dark, running about very sure-footedly over the grass and windfall apples. Finn and Rowan took the telly option but most of the others were outside enjoying dodge the ball and chasing in the dark. I was fairly out of puff by 6pm, as the bigger lads decided I was to be brought down. They didn't get me down but I suspect next year I won't be able to hold them off!

After the party, Sharon took Sean and Finn round to the Powers, the Wilsons and the Fletchers for trick and treating while I had a shower with Angus (he could teach Rowan how to stand in a shower without having a wailing tantrum about soap and water getting in his eyes). Sean and Finn were delighted to add more goodies to their trick or treat bags. Sean was also very pleased with his presents, which he unwrapped before bedtime. It can be hard work hosting parties at home, but it's good to see Sean so happy so that makes it worthwhile.

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