Party Time

My birthday party was a few Saturdays ago and for those of you who missed it, you seriously missed a rockin' good time. The opening ceremonies consisted of some pre-show Guitar Hero and the breaking of the punch bowl. That's right, my glass punch bowl mysterious and eerily broke perfectly in half about 1 minute before guests started to arrive. It was a beautiful glass punch bowl we hadn't opened for maybe two years but we finally did with an occasion to use it. My friend, Paul, from high school poured in his sparkling punch and got it all set up with cups and ice. Rhett and my brother Paul started jamming out to the first rock challenge of the night on Guitar Hero and we were intently watching their mad skills, when all of a sudden, there was a tiny cracking sound and then a huge gush of sparkling punch all over the counter, tile floor and the carpet, like water coming out of those fancy waterfall bathtubs. We all stared in disbelief and the only sound you could hear (besides some serious rock music) were the drips of the last of the punch falling off the bar when - ding dong! - a guest, of course, suddenly arrived right at that moment and I left the sticky scene to the party hosts to do some disaster clean up. I had to leave or I would be too discouraged at the negative karma it was trying to bring to my rockin' party. It was just so ludicrous that it happened, #1, and that it waited until that exact moment when a guest was about to ding the dingbell (as Cam calls it) ,#2, but they quickly booted that dark cloud right out and at least it didn't happen later when more people were there. As soon as I came back into the kitchen from greeting that first guest, there was no sight of anything and we smoothly transitioned to getting the party started. (I WISH I had taken a picture of this amazing disaster cause you almost have to see it to believe it, but I wasn't thinking BLOG at the time. I know, I know, I need to get my priorities straight...)

Anyhoo, guests came in to a name tag sign in,

our party mascot, Kimball the Adorable (sorry Kimball, not the most flattering or in-focus picture)

some were even greeted by an embarrassing and/or old picture of them that I blew up

a photo game where you match the photo to the caption



and some 1977 trivia, both "Allison" and entertainment trivia.

Later, as more people arrived, you could find punch in a beautiful GLASS PITCHER in the kitchen and appetizers on the table

along with a long line of Guitar Hero hopefuls sitting on the couch.
(Rhett finally got to play when everyone else had left...that's the beauty of owning the GUITAR HERO - play any time you want!)

All the kids (about 10 or so) were downstairs chillin' and playing in the Kid's Basement Party Room and everyone had a great time. Guests even had an opportunity to
win my 20's....

These were cheesy white elephant-type gifts that I had received throughout my 20's in the form of baby shower gifts, wedding gifts and teacher gifts that I just didn't need anymore, especially since I am now in my 30's. I'm sad to say it, but I did find some of those gifts earned left behind when the guests had gone home. It was a fun idea, but I guess some people didn't want my 20's, either.

SO, in the end, about 45 people (including kids) showed up, 12 people who RSVP'd that they were coming didn't make it and about 20 never RSVP'd. In a way, it was a good thing those other 32 people didn't show up because our home is small and we were almost a fire violation. But I did have friends from Park City, high school and from the ward come and it was all that I had hoped for.
My friends from high school stayed after everyone else had left (a party tradition) and we did the usual reminiscing, chatting, sharing hilarious old stories that we've all heard a million times and made plans for the next get together. I held this party a month after my actual birthday so that my best friend JEN could be there (and to give the other high school friends enough time to make it, even though three others couldn't). She lives in LA and I don't see her enough anymore. I don't see any of them enough. It was very sweet to be together again. I love those guys!!
The party was awesome! Happy Birthday to me. Thanks to everyone who took the time to come, to party and to make my birthday so MEMORABLE (and less painful). It seriously ROCKED!!