15 going on 6.

Emily had such high hopes for an epic sweet 16 birthday party.      Obstacle after obstacle kept us from planning it.    The week before her birthday was spring break.  The weekend after her birthday was Sadies.  There were so many activities going on during the week that weekdays were out.   A few weeks after her birthday a Friday night appeared open.   Emily was hesitant because some time had passed since her birthday.  As we started putting it in place the weather turned sour and Emily got an invite to another friends 16th party.    Things then got even more busy and Emily decided the boat had been missed and grieved the loss of her epic birthday party.   

One day after work I was going through the mail.  A heard a knock at the door and there was Henry and Alix.  Before I could tell them Emily was at work they said we know Emily is at work but we need to talk to you.   They came in and said we want to throw a surprise birthday party for Emily at Henry's house.    They would hold it the last week of school after all the high school activities were over and she wouldn't suspect a thing right?    I was thrilled and told them Emily has basically planned this party.  That's were they wanted my help and lets be honest my money.   

So Emily's 15 going on 6 birthday party was back on.   

How Emily envisioned her party.

1.  Big Princess bounce house  in the back yard.  

2.   everyone dress up in the P.J's

3. Serve only little kid food and most importantly cotton candy and shaved ice

4. play little kid games and have a piñata 

5.  make the Max and Ruby cakes from this book.  

6.  Watch her favorite PBS show Curious George on a projection screen 

What we pulled off? 

1.  I tried really hard to get a bounce house and thought I had one but then realized it was self deliver only and knowing how hard they are to set up it just didn't happen. (sorry Em)

2.  tricky since this was a swimming party so instead everyone was in their swimming suit

3.  Henry had a shaved ice maker and I borrowed Raquel's cotton candy maker which sadly was missing a part and wouldn't work.

4.  Jane took over on this one.  We first wanted a pin the tail on the donkey but decided to personalize a dart throwing game with a pictures from her last 15 birthdays.  

We also found this princess pinata at Zurchers and knew it would be perfect.  

All the friends were invited and the plan was set to for Henry to keep Emily occupied all day.  While  Alix and I got everything ready and hauled it up to his house to decorate.    

Making the cake was a little tricky because I had 2 big cakes to make and decorate.   In order to have time I wanted to have them baked one day and decorated the next.  

Between work, school, all her activities and her social life Emily is seldom home so I thought it would be a breeze.  

The night I made the cake was in and out all night so I couldn't start until pretty late.   I whipped up the cake layers and hid them in the freezer and left the dishes in the sink until later knowing Emily is not one to do dishes on her own accord.  

The next day I came in after work and low and behold guess what Emily was doing?  Yep for the first time ever she was independently doing the dishes.    She casually asked me who had made a cake and where was it.   I quickly made up a story about how Nona was having us over for her dad's birthday on Sunday and I was just pre making the cakes to decorate.  I have done this before and the fib worked except it made her feel sad because she would be down in Teasdale and not able to come to the party.  

Fast forward to the day of the party.  Emily's downstairs in her room and I'm trusting that Henry would be showing up anytime to wisk her away.    Time went on and I get a frantic text from Henry saying "Help!  Emily keeps telling me she doesn't want to do anything today except stay home"

I casually go down to talk to Emily.  He was right she was determined have some home time since she has been gone so much.   Nothing would sway her away until finally we got Alix involved who asked her to come over and chill and that did the trick.   Except now she was with Alix  who needed to help me.    I spent a few hours decorating the cakes and loading up my car and then I got a text from Alix that said Emily is going over to Henry's and then Henry is taking her to a movie or something.  

I wait until we get the clear that Henry and Emily have left the Hohls house and then I go pick up Alix.  We arrive and start setting up.   Henry's mom Amelia comes out telling us that Emily and Henry were hanging out and Emily did not want to do anything Henry suggested.  Finally she told Henry he needed run to Costco to pick up a bunch of popsicles for there trip to Lake Powell and then go pick up his sister.     While she was at Costco I got this picture of Henry doing a balancing act.  

Henry texted he was on his way home just as I was leaving to go pick up all the pizza.   I really wanted to see her reaction but apparently it was a little anti-climatic because Emily fell asleep on the way home and the party guests had to go knock on the window to wake her up.   She slowly realized what was going on and was so happy. 

They swam and ate and swam some more.  

A couple weeks before her party Emily described to her aunt Kim what she wanted for the 16th birthday that didn't happen.    Kim joked that sounds like it would have been fun and I could have been invited.  So we invited them to come down to the party.  

The birthday girl and her Max and Ruby Cake.  

She, Spencer, Conrad and Carver took over hitting the pinata and enjoying filling up their bags with candy.  

After the cake and food mess was cleaned up we said our goodbyes just as Henry was setting up his projector to watch Curious George.    What a blessing Emily has such wonderful friends in her life that help fulfill her dreams!