Party Favors. Yay or Nay?

My daughter graduates to the double digits this week. The big 10. Since 21 is the only major birthday that falls on an odd year, I throw the big themed party on even birthdays and a small family party on the odd years. As such, I now have the pleasure of planning a last minute-ish party for Shiney, and I'm breaking into hives just thinking about it.

Aside from the obvious stresses of putting together a big party for a bunch of squealy little tweeners, I have one small hang-up I'd like to put out to you. Every time my kids go to a birthday party, they come home with a little bag stuffed full of candy and obnoxious little toys. When did this become an obligation? My kids are coming to celebrate some one ELSE's big day. They're getting cake, ice cream, pizza, a dozen friends and a landslide of superfab games out of the day... WHY do parents feel the need to send them home with more than that? Have any of you parents ever been offended when your child came home from a party with nothing but a smile? Would I be breaking an unspoken code of educate by NOT providing the party favor bag? Your thoughts.



And in unrelated news, I was presented with this award yesterday! GO ME!!! My sister in law Melissa has bestowed upon me The Smile Award! She gave honorable mention to my bullet point posts about life with kids, so I've provided links to some such posts. Since I really have nothing to do with the humor involved there, I will humbly accept this award on my children's behalf.

How To Recognize The Last Day of Spring Break
I Need More Sleep
Summer Memorial

As the rules go, I would like to pass this award along to 5 amazing bloggers that never fail to have me wheezing for breath on the floor.

First up would have to be Kelley from magneto bold too. I seriously bark out loud at this lady's brazen take on life with "Boo and The Damn Emos". She's the woman who says out loud everything that the rest of us are thinking. She even finds words to voice the things that we didn't know we were thinking.

Secondly, I MUST bow to Loralee of Loralee's Looney Tunes. She has a flare for story-telling and the kind of descriptive power that will bring even the stiffest person to side splitting tears.

Another of my favorite sites is undoubtedly These are a few of my Favorite Things, penned by the humble, yet fabulous, Christie. She walks us through her days with charm, grace, and unparallelled hilarity!

This list would be incomplete without the self proclaimed goofball, Charity of Hidden Treasures from an Oddball Mind. Not only is this woman my sister, but she's also a comic thespian! She combines ordinary words in ways no other human being is capable. And for those of you who are wondering, she talks EXACTLY like she writes! I promise you, you've never seen anything like it.

And last, but CERTAINLY NOT least, I'll have to boomerang this nod right back at Melissa of The Howell Herald. Melissa's kids give her humor ammo day in and day out. She verbally paints the most painfully hysterical pictures of what it's like to be a semi normal person who lives with crazy people.

So go check them out and have a giggle.