Let's Go Glamping: Lily's 11th Birthday (sleep-over)

Each year my daughter, Lily, and I love planning and organizing her birthday party. My daughter's birthday is in June, but, because I am a teacher and very busy at the end of the school year, as soon as the bell rings on the final day, we're off and planning for a party in July! The best part of our parties, for us, is that they are a family affair-a chance for my daughter and I to bond and share memories that I hope will last a lifetime! We can't afford to hire party planners or professional photographers, but that doesn't matter! We have a blast doing all the shopping, baking, and preparing ourselves with a just little help from some friends. This year's theme was a Glamping Sleepover in a gorgeous bell tent. Best of all, the party is something my daughter and I get to share and do together, from looking for ideas online, hunting for bargains at craft stores, creating cards, invitations, food placards, and decorations ourselves, to doing all the baking and photography. We may not be professional party planners, but we sure do have a good time!

• What People Ate

  Hotdogs, corn on the cob, s'mores, Campfire Cupcakes, Acorn Cookies, hedgehog cookies, and assorted finger foods. The kids at the party also got to choose from our candy table before they left. All baked goods were prepared and created exclusively by my 11 year old.

• What People Drank

  Bug juice (fruit punch) and water

• Desserts

  Campfire cupcakes, acorn cookies, and hedgehog cookies all designed and baked by my 11 year old. I was banned from the kitchen.

• Party Favors

  All girls at the party got a backpack with glow sticks, bracelets, nail polish, and a flashlight. They also got a stuffed bear to take home, sleep masks designed by my mother, and a bandana pack on a stick. The girls also designed and brought home a tee shirt to remember the day!

• Activities / Games

  The girls played on the trampoline, had a Just Dance Contest, decorated tee shirts, played flashlight and glow stick tag, roasted their own hotdogs over the fire pit and made s'mores at the s'mores bar. They also played a game we call Pass the Candy Ball. I wrap dozens and dozens of candies tightly inside a massive cellophane ball (I used an entire roll). The girls sit in a circle. The first child tries to rip out as much candy as possible (it's way harder than it looks) while the child next to her tries to roll doubles on a pair of dice. When she does, the other child must pass the ball to her, and so on. The kids LOVE this game and squeal and scream with delight the entire time! Far better than a piñata! Best party game I've ever tried!

• Jennifer Kitzmiller, Pretti Mini Parties

  Party Favors

  My friend, Jen, runs a party business where she specializes in the most gorgeous pom poms, buntings, pennants, and pom pom wands for birthday parties, showers, weddings, etc. Her work is truly one of a kind, and she is the most amazing person to work with. She made the tent pennants, fabric bunting on the mantel, and all the beautiful pom pom decorations. Find her Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/prettimini

• My Mom

  Seamstress

  My mom made the adorable woodland animal sleep masks the girls wore to bed. Lily and I picked out the fabric and let Grandma do the rest. They came out so cute and the girls at the party loved wearing them to bed--though I'm not sure they really slept!

• Stout Tent

  Tent Rental

  I rented the gorgeous canvas bell tent the girls slept in at Stout Tent. It was the perfect touch for our glamping theme. Find their website at www.stouttent.com

• Lily

  Baker Extraordinaire/My Daughter

  My 11 year old daughter spent 12 hours in the kitchen--I was not allowed in--making all the baked good for her party completely on her own. She designed the campfire cupcakes, hedgehog cookies, and acorn cookies featured on the buffet table. She paid meticulous attention to detail and enjoyed every second of her time in the kitchen!