Basement Initiation and a SURPRISE

Wednesday afternoon I had a brilliant idea.  I have wanted to give Lex a birthday party for years.  She has always graciously declined, or said something like, "Me and Hailey (I know, poor grammar - but I don't think I've ever heard Lex say Hailey and I) are going to have a party together."  Which has never happened.  Ever.  Lex is not a girl for the planned event, she prefers the random spur-of-the-moment type of get-together.  Her birthday is coming up next week, and she had already been filling me in on her next-weekend plans, none of which left any time for a party.  Yesterday was a Thursday, but a Thursday-with-no-school-on-Friday, so it was the perfect time to squeeze in a surprise.  That was my brilliant idea.

I don't have the contact information for most of Lex's friends, so I recruited Hailey to help invite party guests.  We had initially planned for 7 pm.  Halfway through the day on Thursday (yesterday - the day of the party), Hailey texted me that there was a volleyball game that night, and most of the invited friends were going.  Some had to cheer, some just wanted to go support.  But she thought there would be a few that could make it at 7 for the surprise part of the festivities.

What really ended up happening:

*Shi and Chey were here around 6:55

*one party guest arrived at 7

*6 pizzas arrived around 7:15 (delivered by Taylor, per our request)

*the rest of the guests arrived around 9:25, a few parking right in front of our house (hello... it's a surprise)

*Lex and Hailey finally made their way over around 9:30 (with a "whose cars are parked out front?")

*Bill was supposed to take video of the surprise, but rather had the camera running prior to her entrance and turned it off (thinking he was turning it "on") just as she descended the basement stairs

*the pizzas came out of the oven (warming in their cardboard boxes) around 9:35

In the end, we pulled off the surprise.

("I don't know whose cars those are... the missionaries were here earlier... probably someone visiting the neighbors?...")

The friends came,

the food was enjoyed,

the conversation was...well...conversation (in a teenager kind of way),

the party poppers were popped,

a rousing (or not) rendition of Happy Birthday was sung,

and candles were blown out.

When it was all over (around midnight), the basement was a disaster and smelled of teenage boys.  Ick.

But a good time was had, and I even think Lex enjoyed it.

Then Lex, Hailey and Shi had a sleepover on that comfy cloud sofa.  Basement initiation complete.

Happy early birthday, Lex!

Post post:  Ten years ago today we took these pictures ~

Time is flying.  Sigh.