I feel like I've spoken often here over the years about how much I love a kid's birthday party. How much I love celebrating each of my girls all the way from the planning and the invitation making, through to the themes and the cake. I love how as they get older the activities change and they get more involved in the running of things, and I really love watching the parties unfold, seeing the excitement, listening to the laughter and feeding them all the yummy treats.

Our parties are pretty low key, they are always homemade and mostly they are planned using games we played when we were kids.

A few years ago, on the anniversary of our 25th children's birthday party I wrote this list of my top 10 ingredients for throwing a top party.

Yesterday we celebrated Miss Jazzy's 11th, which was our 30th!! Wow!!

She invited her three best friends and asked us for a big treasure hunt, we wrote a list of activities and destinations and then they pretty much ran things themselves.





CLUE NUMBER ONE

At the start of our farm sits something that's red
It used to plough paddocks but now it's old and it's dead
On the seat of this beast sits your very first clue
Go find it then read it and it'll tell you what to do







CLUE NUMBER TWO

Walk down the driveway, turn left before the creek
Wander through the apple blossom if the next clue you seek
Keep your eyes open for a blanket or two
You must each make two pom-poms before you get the next clue



CLUE THREE

Go back to the driveway, turn left then start walking
Head to the tractor shed, not too much talking
When you get there take a seat, on a chair or the floor
You must each get your nails done before clue number four

CLUE FOUR

Head on up to the place where our veggies all grow
The grass is a little long and might need a mow
There you'll find a table with some food to eat
Relax and enjoy, take a load off your feet



CLUE FIVE

Now head down the path to the tee-pee of burnt sticks
Look around for a silver pot where you'll find all the tricks
Stand behind the marker and take aim at the middle
When you're done with this game, I'll hand you the next riddle


CLUE SIX

Now go back near the house for some costumes and fun
There's chocolate in the caravan please walk don't run



CLUE SEVEN

The next clue in this game leads you somewhere so near
A mere 20 steps away at a tiny house so dear
There you'll find the next part of this hunt that's nearly done
Show us your hand and have lots of fun





CLUE EIGHT

Now all that's left
Is the cake and the song
Happy birthday dear Jazzy
Thank you all for coming and playing along!!


It was wonderful. My favourite part was chucking the old eggs at the tree monster. There's something just so satisfying about the throw and the smash. Such fun!

And that's our 11, see you next week for 7.

Until then, tell me about parties at your place.
Do you do themes? Do you bake fancy cakes? Do you have favourite traditions?
I'd love to know.


Big love

xx