Birthday madness

Turing five is a big deal, it's a big deal anyway, but when you live in New Zealand, and you start school on your fifth birthday, then it's a really big deal. Last week was L's 5th birthday, and for the last two weeks of so, live has been manic. First of all we had last days at daycare to contend with, then it was the birthday and first day at school, and then this week it's been party time.

She took to starting school like a duck to water, I hadn't really got any concerns that she wouldn't, she's been keen to go for so long. Really the only one that's been struggling in any way has been me, mostly because I've been flat out busy and supposed to have been organising a birthday party for today. In true, flying by the seat of your pants fashion, I managed to invite everyone who was supposed to be invited before the big day (but only just phew!) and managed to arrange a cake and other party goodies.

Sadly my cake decorating skills never quite match up to the visions I have in my head, having said that, this time it was a case of asking L last night, would she prefer a crown or castle shaped cake. (The unicorn, fairy and rainbow creation that she mentioned a few weeks ago being well beyond my capabilities.) So this morning I knocked up a pink castle cake, I was quite pleased with my chocolate cross windows and drawbridge that I made with melted chocolate on a plate that I'd cooled in the freezer. The fact that my children were not convinced that castles have cross shaped windows is besides the point (even though I explained why they had them, they still weren't having it.) So, here it is my pink bunny fairy castle cake:

Slightly more impressive, even if I do say so myself, was my attempt at a piñata. I had forgotten, until yesterday, that L had specifically asked for one for her birthday. After discovering that a bought one was going to cost me around $30 (and it's not like I could re-use it) I decided that I could make one myself. I have tried this before, with limited success, but this time I decided to do a bit of googling and found this paper bag piñata. Armed with a paper bag, crepe paper streamers, some scissors and glue, I thought my end result wasn't bad. It actually got knocked off the string before it broke open, but I'm yet to see one that doesn't do that. Either way, the kids seemed to enjoy it.

The party is done and dusted, the children all seemed to have a good time and got sent home full of sugar and high spirits, all that really remains is for me to collapse go to bed.