I’m sure I’ve written this before, but it seemed like such a wonderful outcome to have two girls with birthdays just two weeks (well, and 4 years) apart. I imagined all the shared, super-fun birthday parties we would host–bigger, better, and over in one fabulous day! That worked twice.

As Zoe turned 5 and Ella turned 1, we had a backyard Rainbow Unicorn party (with an actual unicorn, sort of), and the following year, we had a Star Wars party that was out of this world (get it?). These were filled with friends and their kids at our home, complete with obsessively planned details, and they yielded a few of our favorite pictures, so there’s that.

But the following year, Zoe wanted a party all her own, leaving poor Ella to fend for herself. And every year since has been a repeat of that, meaning we plan not one big, awesome party but two (smaller, but still awesome and obsessively detailed) parties.

This year was no different, well, except for this year, we had the help of ChatGPT. Far in advance, I (the planner) let both girls know that if they wanted a party, they had to plan it with plenty of time to actually pull it off. To start, they decided on themes–and both wanted sleepovers. Then, we prompted AI to deliver some clever ideas for activities.

What I’m about to share with you will provide a glimpse into the lives of these poor children, their OMG-BUT-WE-NEED-A-PLAN mother, and their “who needs a plan when everything will be just fine” father. That said, both parties went off without a hitch, so feel free to steal get inspired and pass them along. Since Zoe always goes first (Sept 1), let’s start there.

ZOE’S ENCHANTED FAIRY ADVENTURE

DIY Fairy Lanterns: Provide jars, paint, glitter, and fairy lights for the girls to make their own fairy lanterns. They can decorate the jars to light up their tent and take them home as a party favor.

Campfire Cones: Fill waffle cones with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and other treats, then wrap them in foil and heat them over the fire pit or BBQ grill.

Fairy Punch: Create a refreshing punch with fruit juices and floating fruit slices. Add a splash of sparkling water for a fizzy touch. ZOE WANTS DRINK GLITTER.

Bracelet Making Station: Need a kit to complement the stuff we already have

FOOD: Slider burgers, ketchup, mustard and smorgasbord sides.

MUSIC: Curate playlist and use JBL speaker for sound.

SPA TIME: Face masks and stuff

MOVIE: Will provide the group three starter options: Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Clueless

You’ll notice the word “tent” above. Best laid plans. What Zoe really wanted was a backyard sleepover in a huge tent, but on this day, the daytime temperature was over 100, going down to a balmy 93 in the middle of the night. So we improvised (does this count as a “hitch”?). We turned Bart’s office into an indoor tent for craft making and Zoe’s room into a movie theater and spa. Phew.

You’ll wonder if those “Campfire Cones” worked (they did) or if “Drink Glitter” is a real thing (it is). In fact, the glitter is so plentiful that we’re still using it. Oh, and they went with Legally Blonde. You will likely notice the cute little sister below in the “movie theater”, confirming that we may just have the best teen in the world. Teenager birthday party, check.

Now on to the hip, younger sister party. Before you ask, “Fire Team” is the name adopted by a group of six of her school friends who love to play together–both in person and online, most often in Minecraft. Each friend has an “element”, and we used those in decorations for their personalized moments (like tent cards for seating and gift bags). Ella loved designing those, but let’s get to the party.

ELLA’S FIRE TEAM MINECRAFT PARTY

Game Room: Lounge with video games (squishmallows, blankets, pillows)

DIY slime: Make cloud slime in the backyard

Custom tshirts: Tie dye white shirts (personalized labels to send home in plastic bag)

Make own potion: Invisibility (apple juice), Night Vision (tea), Strength (milk), Speed (lemonade), Leaping (orange juice), Awkward (water)

Minecraft Snack mix: Red stone (strawberries), Slime balls (green grapes), Fish (goldfish), Carrots (carrots), Sticks (pretzel sticks), Snowballs (marshmallows), Golden Apples (small apples)

Treat: Rice Krispies (Creepers)

You may or may not know what “Cloud Slime” is or why it matters. Welcome to the world of Slime. And if you’re already IN that world, as we are, we feel sorry for you. I refuse to educate on the MANY types of slime (as I also refuse to touch it), but trust me, there are limitless options, most of which have touched my hardwood floors over time, to my frustration.

You may also wonder who guided those activities above, and at this moment, you’ll be CERTAIN that we have the coolest teenager on the planet. Zoe guided ALL the making in this party, out in our backyard, and willingly. To be fair, she did express concerns, alerting me that when around her friends, Ella can be a super sassy teen (she just turned 10). So we had a family meeting in advance to let Ella know that if she chose that path during this party, she’d sit out on her own activities. Fair, right?

One of the most magical moments of this party was when I heard silence (can you hear silence?) at the table while the kids were having their snacks. Any parent knows that “silence” with a bunch of young kids is NEVER a good thing (even when it’s because they are staring at screens). Turns out our brilliant teen had initiated the Silent Game–and they played it! Wow.

You may have already guessed, but the “Magic Potions” above are glitter-filled drinks each kid got to create as they entered the party (Ella’s idea, Zoe’s glitter). The “Minecraft Snack Mix” is all based on items you can find in the game, all neatly labeled. And Rice Krispie Creepers are a must (try it!). Yet another fun party as Ella turned “double digits” this year. SEE WHAT A LITTLE PLANNING DOES?!

You may also be thinking, “But hey, doesn’t Bart make the girls a homemade cake every year?!” Yes, yes he does. This year, proving wisdom really can come with age, he baked the cake and bought the fondant, which both our kids love to touch and eat, and let them design their own. Note the carefully crafted “elements” for the Fire Team on top:

And finally, here are some party pics from Ella’s Fire Team Minecraft Party, so you can see how all that planning and preparation generated the very fun experiences she imagined (yes, I am not-so-subtly advocating for everyone to become planners):

And there you have it. Two super fun parties, all planned, prepped and executed within two weeks of one another–with input and support from the celebrants, and fueled by AI. Totally different themes and players, all pulled off at our home (that’s a pro and a con), and two exhausted but pleased parents.

We really do have the best kids in the world, amiright? Don’t answer that. I think as long as the parents think their kids are amazing, they’re right. So many wonderful “growth” moments over this year. Maybe before the year ends, I’ll pull off a Year in Review for each kid to celebrate all they achieved this year. And in the meantime, I can finally print this year’s blog; our printed books run birthday-to-birthday, even though it’s getting more difficult each year to keep this blog going.

As you know, I’m an optimist. So maybe next year will be better for blogging? We shall see. For now, we’ll keep celebrating these two magical not-so-little girls, and be grateful to have memories to blog about.