basketball birthday boy bonanza

Harry turned seven yesterday and turning seven in our family means, "A friend party!"

~

I tried and tried (and tried) to get him to have a water party using our blow up water slide, because hello (!) it is SO hot right now.

He wouldn't listen, because he was dead set on having a "Basketball party!"

I tried to compromise with a basketball/water slide party!

Nope.

Just basketball, thank you very much.

Fine, birthday boy, have your party your way.

~

It turned out pretty fun.

We invited 14 kids, which is 4 more that I wanted, but once again I caved.

(What can I say, my boy is adorable and I am mush.)

It turned out to be a good thing because 5 kids didn't show.

(Summer vacation takes a toll on summer birthday parties.)

I learned my lesson last year, that 2 hours is WAY too long, so the party was 1 1/2 hours, which was perfect.

Each kid painted a shirt, which served as a short opening activity and a party favor.

(Buy a shirt at Michael's that happens to be on sale this week 5 for $10. Take a partially flat basketball, paint a circle with fabric paint, use a pencil eraser to take paint off the ball lines. Press on shirt. Pat yourself on the back for the great idea lifted off the internet.)

We then distributed jerseys (thank you years and years of Jr. Jazz basketball), split into two teams and practiced basketball skills.

Some of the kids had never played basketball.

Then they played a game.

Harry scored all the points for his team making all his birthday dreams come true.

We played hot potato/musical chairs with a basketball.

The music I used was the theme song for the Harlem Globetrotters, which meant absolutely nothing to the boys, but made me happy.

We finished off with basketball cupcakes and Italian Ice.

It was the easiest party I've ever done.

Harry, our basketball lovin' boy, we LOVE you!

Happy Birthday.