End of a Era...

Charlotte turned nine this month, and we hosted a party for her. The theme? Harry Potter.

This has been a Harry Potter year, so the theme makes sense. We listened to all of the audio books in the car, Char read the illustrated books 1-3 with Daphne and by herself, and we watched all 8 movies together. It got to be a bit much for me. While we were vacationing in the Black Hills, I had a couple of dreams where I was running around doing stuff with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. That's just not right.

Anyway, back to Char's party. 

We "sorted" the kids by letting them blindly draw a house name. I used a YouTube clip to announce the house name for each one.

Each student then received a house scarf and a wand.

They also received a class schedule for the day. 

Charms class had the students practicing the spell "Wingardium Leviosa." It's a basic levitation charm that "lifted" a stuffed animal off the floor with the help of fishing line and me hiding upstairs. Cheesy, but fun. 

Potions class was in the kitchen, and each house had a recipe to follow. Daphne renamed basic ingredients that would produce a colorful and bubbly effect. (Someday Charlotte will realize how much work her mom put into all of this.)

Care of Magical Creatures took place in Hagrid's Hut Tent.

Here's the Flying Lessons (relay race with brooms). Divination class was aided by the help of a Magic 8-Ball.

For Defense Against the Dark Arts, the students drew and colored their own patronuses. 

For Transfiguration Class, we shoved small, stuffed animals into mouse-eared shaped balloons When they popped the balloons, the small animals appeared. I missed getting a picture of this.

Here's our version of the Express Trolley on the Hogswarts Express. Each student had five galleons to spend on candy. Yea for chocolate frogs!

Char received a talking Sorting Hat as a gift. We could have used that earlier!

Daphne even made Char a Golden Snitch cake.

Her party was a success. When the dust settled, Daphne and I gave each other a high-five, and we cleaned the house. Char spent the afternoon riding bikes with her friends who live in the neighborhood. They were all invited to her party, so it was like the event had extended into the dusk.

So, why is this an end of an era?

When Char was younger, it took quite a bit of time to move the guests from one activity to another. Earlier parties ended before we got through all of the games. But these kids are in 4th grade. They can deftly move through an activity list. For the first time, we were out of solid ideas with 30 minutes to go. Daphne did a great job of winging it, but we were both getting nervous.

Charlotte and her friends are also a lot bigger than they used to be. As the only adults, we were outnumbered and outgunned. With 15 minutes left on the clock and a rock in my stomach, I told Daphne, "I think this is our last party like this. Can you imagine this place full of 5th graders?" She laughed, but later wholeheartedly agreed.

Next year we can take a few of her friends to a movie or maybe Adventureland. Our big party days are over.

Flashback 2011: 

Here is Char at her first birthday party opening her first gift by herself. Back then I couldn't believe she was already a year old. When I took this picture, I thought she looked so big.

I had no clue what I was in for.

I still don't.