I've always thought it must be so nice to hibernate. First, to have a good excuse to eat tons. Then, to just sleep and be cozy while winter drags on outside. Sigh. I think I was meant to be a bear (unfortunately, that is true in more than one sense :).
I realized just a few days before Hummer's birthday that he has never had a friend party in his entire underprivileged life. I also realized that I wouldn't want to do one next year because we'll be in Arizona for Christmas. So I gulped quietly and asked him if he would like to have a friend party this year. He said YES!!!
Once we got the main idea going I was actually excited, too. We thought it would be fun for our winter-born boy to have a HIBERNATING party. I let him choose 7 people (since he was turning 7), and we invited them to come and wear comfy clothes or pj's and bring their teddy bears.
Three of the lucky seven were adults, including his Primary teacher. :)
So what does one do at a "hibernating party"?
Well, for an ICE BREAKER (har-har) we made snowflakes! The traditional 6-folded way, and also a new way that turned out to be really fun. Then we hung them from the ceiling fan.
Then we "gathered" food for the winter. This was kind of like a treasure hunt. Each kid had a bag, and as a group they went to four different stations outside (we were so lucky with the weather!). At each station they did a silly task and got an ingredient for their trail mix.
Station #1 - Say the alphabet backwards (taking turns for each letter), and get chocolate dipped pretzels. . .
(May I just say that birthday parties are WAY easier with older siblings to help?! so nice.)
Station #2 : Jump and land on your bum-bum SEVEN times on the trampoline - get some tasty cashews. :)
Station #3: To get your own stash of blueberry puffs (yep, the baby snack -- you wouldn't believe what a hot item they are around this house :), repeat after me, "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"
Station #4: Cadbury's chocolate pieces in exchange for untying the Human Knot. . . .
It was just chilly enough for it to feel good to come back inside for some really good comfort food--hot cocoa from scratch, stove top kettle corn, and spicy molasses cookies. Mmmmmm-hm.
And then, we all just curled up by the fire and I read one of the coziest read-alouds ever. . . .
The birthday boy read another great "cozy" book, making sure to show everyone the pictures after he read each page, Kindergarten teacher style.
Then, present-opening, and a rousing game of "Snore, Teddy, Snore" (like "grunt, piggy, grunt") until the guests had to leave.
This was actually the funnest part for the kids, I think. They were laughing so hard. . . .I would have included a video clip, but unfortunately one of the guests who may or may not have been a member of the family visibly needed to use the bathroom. So you'll just have to imagine the giggles and snores and shrieks.
Rosebud slept through most of the party. Apparently what she really needs in order to sleep better is a houseful of sugared-up kids! Here she is afterward wondering what happened to the house. :)
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The next day was Hummer's real birthday. It was an awesome day--breakfast in bed, his birthday meals of choice, stake conference with the whole family, and SNOW--enough for school to get cancelled the next two days. It just doesn't get much better than that as far as birthdays go!!
And just to impress your socks off, let me show you the work of profound art that was his cake.
Are you moved? :)
His request: lemon cake with lime-flavored frosting, decorated with limes and a hibernating snake. (I added the touch of having the snake dream of seven limes).
SEVEN THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT HUMMER
from the whole family
1. His laugh
2. His courage - he's not afraid to answer the phone or door or to talk to people
3. The way he dances
4. The way he makes up songs
5. The faces he makes
6. The sweet, sincere way he says thank you
7. How intently he listens to stories of Jesus
Leaping higher, higher, higher, 
