We had Geli’s 9th birthday party today.

 We did the whole birthday party, everything included (even goody bag’s) for less than $50.  Not bad, eh?  I have to admit that it wasn’t as over the edge as I usually go, but with every thing that’s gone on recently – I figured it wasn’t too bad.

 Geli really wanted a bowling party, and so we did our best to make it happen.  I probably won’t be doing another bowling party, though!  The bowling place was a lot a little anal.  For $35 you got 1 lane for 1 hour for 6 people, 6 hot dogs, 2 litres of coke and 1 hour’s worth of space at a table.  After the kids had eaten their hot dogs, I started to stress because 1 hot dog really doesn’t do much for a 9 year old.  We had brought some chips, but the cheapskates wouldn’t let us bring in outside food.  They so kindly sold us mini-bags of chips at  $1.00 a bag.  What a rip off!  They’re making a killin’ off of birthday parties.  There were at least 6 others happening at the same time ours was.  Unreal!  It was a zoo!

I was a little stressed because after your hour’s up on the bowling lanes, there’s really nothing to do but sit at the tables and eat, open presents and eat cake.  You need really still and well-behaved kids to do that, and remember my post about J being so good.  Not so much today.  He was all over the place.

Well, the kids had fun bowling.  There are a bunch of pics up and ready to be viewed.  If you’re really interested.  The kids were so cute trying to bowl.  We haven’t been in so long that, well, they really sucked; but it was cute to watch them trying different positions to throw the balls, cringing every time the ball was launched a little too high, the twisting and twitching of the bodies to try and steer the already launched ball into the pins, and the frustration or elation registering in their faces and bodis as they either connected or missed.  It was fun, in spite of the anal bowling nazi’s.

Geli got some fun presents.  All in all it was a good time, and I’m thrilled that we don’t have to do another one until June (Xan’s 8th on the 30th).  I should start plannig now so that it’s easy and smooth and hassle-free.  Yah, Right!