A Merry Heart Does You Good (like medicine)

If you've been around this blog for any length of time you'll know that in our family we've always loved to celebrate for any excuse – and sometimes for no reason.

We loved having friends over, spending time with special people enjoying an occasion together. Whether it was a Light Party, a Birthday Party, an Easter dinner or one of our famous "Parties for No Reason", we sure did love to host a gathering.
We never spent loads of money, we never parted with cash for glitzy entertainers or fancy catering.
We liked our birthday cakes a bit wobbly and homemade-looking.
We got a kick out of thinking up decorations, games and food that we could adapt and make.

More than anything, we really got a thrill out of creating an atmosphere for our friends to come and enjoy.

Even the planning was part of the fun.
As the kids got older they came up with their own great ideas for games and decorating.

Celebrating each other was a way of showing appreciation and letting each family member know that they were valued and special.
So what happened when we changed to a sole-parent family on a tight budget?

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Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Cake (that Actually Tastes Good)

Last week I hosted a wee last minute birthday surprise for a dear friend, who was right in the middle of a "Daniel Fast" - three weeks of eating nothing but vegan food, but with the added complicated of no gluten, no sugar, no caffeine and no alcohol. Awesome time to have a birthday, right? Not.
To put it plainly my friend had pretty much resigned herself to not celebrating her birthday, because, how?

A birthday with raw nuts, fruit and veg. I mean, not even a birthday cake?

We couldn't have that.

I remembered my clever friend Delissimon's amazingly easy, egg-and-dairy free chocolate fudge cake that I've made on a number of occasions, and decided to try and adapt that, to make it completely Daniel Fast friendly. thereby supplying my fasting friend with a birthday cake that sat within "the rules" of her fast.
Even after messing with the recipe to replace sugar with coconut sugar etc, it still tasted like a chocolate cake should - light, fudgey, rich and a wee bit decadent. The verdict from the birthday girl was a big thumbs up.

After posting photos on Instagram, I had a bunch of requests for the recipe, so I decided to share my version of it with my adaptations to make it everything-free.
This version used decaf coffee instead of plain water which gave it a rich fudgey flavour. As well as tasting great and being allergy friendly, it's ridiculously easy to make.

Here it is:

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Confessions of a Lazy Mother - Party Edition

I'm terribly sorry if I have misled you all - that was never my intention. I'm a little worried that some people may be under the mistaken impression that my children lead a charmed life full of whimsical tea parties, theme dinners and picnics; a life full of jolly fun, a magical memory-filled enviable childhood. Because after all, this blog was called (until very recently) "Greatfun4kids". And wasn't it all about having fun with your kids? Wasn't I meant to be some kind of role model for an impromptu fun-filled life?

No, no, no. If you thought that, I'm sorry but you have me pegged all wrong.
While you may have imagined that the person who could pull off a party for no reason at the drop of a hat must be exceedingly energetic and well organised in the domestic department - and while you may have been under the impression that my kitchen always smells like fresh muffins and every dinner is themed - nothing could be further from the truth. I am anything but energetic. I am more often boring than fun. And I only bake when I have to.

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A Star Wars Party *Just Because*

I must be mad, I know, let's just admit it right now. These "parties for no reason" are getting out of hand, with TWO these last school holidays.

I was kind of hoping Scrag would forget my mumbled agreement to have a Star Wars "party" for him and a few Jedi pals, but on the last Wednesday of the hols, he came up to me as I sat at the computer pinning things and asked so sweetly: "Mum, shouldn't we be getting ready for the Star Wars party already? Shall I get my notebook so we can start making plans?"

In my defence, I am rather powerless against the heartfelt pleas of my young Jedi when he asks so nicely (and hugs me so much). The Force is strong with this one. What could I do but start searching for Star Wars ideas?

The first thing I found were these cool Styrofoam R2D2 cups. So I pinned them. Downloaded the free printable and printed off two sheets. Scrag and I made the cups together, improvising the lids (since we couldn't find any cups with lids in the shops)...

1. Trim and stick the R2D2 body onto the styrofoam cup using a glue stick. Trace circles on the back of silver card to form a lid. Carefully cut out the circles.
2. Cut a small cross with a craft knife in the middle of the circle to poke the straw through. Cut out the round lid printable. 
3. Use a hole punch to punch a hole in the centre circle of the lid printable (or carefully cut a small circle). Staple the lid printable to the silver circle, letting the staples line up with the edges of the blue printed shapes.
4. Poke a straw through and Voila! An R2D2 cup perfect for your impromptu Star Wars Party!

Download the free R2D2 Cup printable

 I've made these Light Saber Napkin Holders before (and had been collecting toilet rolls for weeks). They are easy to make, by covering cardboard toilet rolls with silver duct tape and adding black electrical tape details. (Or you can paint the toilet rolls black and add the duct tape as detail).

We have been mad keen Star Wars enthusiasts since forever. We've had a Star Wars Birthday Party (for Dash), a Star Wars Theme dinner and a May The Fourth (be with you) Star Wars night for a bunch of eight and nine year olds.
In our dressup box lurks a Darth Vader talking helmet and a Princess Leia wig, so pulling off a Star Wars party with two days notice was really a doddle, especially with the most enthusiastic six-year old Jedi helper EVER.

We made enough light saber handles from toilet rolls to make balloon light sabers as well. Such a pity that the $2 shop balloon pump broke after we just blew up these two balloons. I guess you get what you pay for aye? (You can bet we protected these two beauties from all comers until it was time to do battle).

I was a bit bummed but my young padawan told me, "Mum don't be worried because look at all the OTHER amazing things you've made! Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate is the path to the dark side..." Someone's been listening to Yoda.

I found a roll of leftover black building paper in the garage, which I stapled to the back wall under the carport, and Scrag and I drew a chalk galaxy...

This is such a simple idea, cost NOTHING and was so effective. Building paper, staples, chalk. Easy!

Of course our trusty lemonade stand was put to use again, and this time our drink dispenser was filled with delicious sugar-free Yoda Soda...

Sugar Free Yoda Soda Recipe (Apple & Green Tea punch)

PUNCH BASE:
1 litre of boiling water
4 green tea bags
2-3 tablespoons of liquid honey
Juice and zest of one lemon
One green apple, grated

Leave to steep and chill overnight. In the morning, strain the liquid into your drink dispenser or punch bowl and add:

• one litre of clear apple juice
• two litres of sparkling soda water
• 2-3 drops of green food colouring

Our young Jedi trainees guzzled this down like they didn't know it was good for them. Yummy!

Last week of the school holidays, not many of his buddies were in town, so just three young Jedi were due to turn up to play. Really, this was a themed afternoon tea, with light saber battles thrown in. But Scrag loved it and appreciated all the little touches (he kept hugging me and saying, "Thankyou mummy, I love you" "Mummy you're the best mum ever!" It made it all worth it).

I set up a beam for them to have light saber battled on, a plank of wood supported by two sawhorses. Underneath was a homemade fall-mat. A tarp, spread with flat cushions/squabs, with our large woven mat spread on top. Nobody seemed to mind falling.

Of course if this were a "real party" I would have planned all kinds of fun star wars games and activities. But this was a glorified group playdate on a theme with a special afternoon tea, so I left them to come up with their own fun.

The Darth Vader helmet was a hit. Darth even came for afternoon tea...

For a bit of easy (healthy) food theming, I put cheese, salami, celery and carrot sticks on toothpicks and wrapped their bottoms with a strip of tin foil. I labelled the tomato sauce "lava", put popcorn in silver boxes and called it "asteroids" and for the piece de resistance, Scrag and I made some Star Wars cookies. I found some cookie cutters online and used our favourite basic cookie recipe...

The cookie cutters come in a pack of four, C3PO, Yoda, Chewbacca and Darth Vader. I found mine on TradeMe, but you can find them all over the internet and they are cheap as chips ($6.95 for the set).
We divided the dough into quarters and added colour for each shape.

1. C3PO: Just cut out the dough, as is. No colouring required.
2. Yoda: Add a splash of green food colouring to Yoda's quarter of the dough.
3. Chewbacca: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to Chewie's dough to make him nice and brown.
4. Darth Vader: Add cocoa powder PLUS black food colouring to make Darth dark, as he should be.

While not as much fun FOR ME as the fairy party (cos all the mums dropped their boys and fled the scene) Scrag loved it and I was super-glad I pulled it off for him. Plus it means that now he's not asking for a Star Wars Party for his next birthday any more (we've already DONE that one), now he wants a couple of friends to go to Rainbows End....

Oh dear. Are we coming to the end of our birthday party years? NOOOooooo!!! See why I have to squeeze in these parties for no reason while I can?

Other Star Wars Fun...

• Star Wars Birthday Party (with me as Princess Leia)
• Star Wars Theme Night
• How to Make an EASY Darth Vader Pinata
• How to Make Wookie Cookies & Lightsaber Napkin Holders

Garden Fairy Party *Just Because*

I really thought my fairy party days were behind me. After all my daughter is ten, and most ten-year-old girls have left fairies and wing-wearing far behind. But driving along in the car last week, my tall gorgeous tween said to me, "Mum remember how we sometimes do those garden parties in the school holidays? It would be so cool to have a fairy party with my friends these holidays. Like when we were little, for a laugh. It would be so CUTE!"

And then came the brainwave. She said, "We could invite some little girls! Like J! Oh my gosh, that would be so cute! Me and my friends could be the big fairies..." And off she went imagining and envisioning a nostalgic fairy party, starring her.

I couldn't not do it; I've always wanted to do a fairy party in our garden, after all (her birthday is in Winter, so her little girl fairy birthday was indoors). So we sent out a text to some friends with daughters, big and little. "Come to our garden fairy party - wear your wings!" And hoped like heck for good weather.

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Of Garden Parties, Girls and Great Expectations

This is not exactly the post I imagined when we planned our Garden Tea Party, Miss Fab and I. In our minds this would be an echo of the day we had two summers ago. Mosquito nets hanging from trees, sunlight filtering through leaves, girls lounging on cushions nibbling cupcakes, sipping grapejuice.

It would be pretty, it would be pinnable, it would be the perfect way to spend a summer's day.

Just one problem: nobody told the weatherman.

The day that had been promised was sunny and warm.

The morning that dawned was grey, windy, unappealing.

Not what we had in mind at all.

But heigh ho, right? Roll with it, revise the plans, enjoy the day anyway.

Since we are now veteran party planners, you'd be forgiven for thinking a certain creative nine-year-old would be an expert at flexibility, and going with Plan B.

But no.

A grey windy day when "sunny and summery" was envisioned would not cut it AT ALL.

There was wailing. There were tears.

"Cancel it! Tell them not to come!" sobbed a dramatically perfectionistic young Miss.

Daddy had a great idea for Plan B. Under the grapevine. We could still string up mosquito nets and scatter cushions. It could still be lovely, it could still be fun.
But the young hostess was not buying it. Time was running out til the guests were due and action must be taken so I tried my best to ignore her misery and plowed ahead with the preperations. I stoically pegged up mozzie nets and bunting, spread camp mats and scattered cushions, all the time thinking: I need to help her learn this Lesson. Things in life don't always go to plan and flexibility is a skill she will need.

My daughter is very creative. She has always had brilliant ideas and bold plans aplenty, but sometimes reality can be just so very disappointing. All the way back to our very first Indian theme dinner which ended in tears because her "Sari girl costume" was not beautiful enough (she was four) the difference between what she imagines and what can be achieved has been causing us grief. Hmmmmm. We really need to help her deal with disappointment better. Manage her expectations better. 

She needs to learn that sometimes Plan B can turn out brilliant too. Life will be full of these moments, and if she doesn't learn to roll with it and bounce back, well... she'll end up always disappointed, never satisfied. Not a good way to be.

As you can see, Plan B did turn out to be brilliant. By the time the first guest arrived, the tears evaporated and the young hostess remembered the most important thing about parties: Having fun with your friends.

It doesn't matter if it's cloudy or if the decor is thrown together, or if sunlight-through-leaves might have been prettier in the photographs - what really matters is enjoying yourself with your pals (balancing cushions on your head while you eat, drink and spill stuff)...

So this might not have been the pinworthy post I'd envisioned when we called up Miss fab's friends and invited them over for an impromptu garden tea party... but it turned out to be better. Valuable life lessons learned. Perfectionism pushed aside. Disappointment discarded. Plan B embraced.

In the end the weather didn't matter; though the rain held off. There was plenty of giggling and silliness and great fun was had by all. Which is what really matters after all.

Our Easy Impromptu Garden Tea Party Menu

• easy vanilla cupcakes (my go-to cupcake recipe here)
• in-season strawberries, plums, cherries (and marshmallows)
• chips and dip
• club sandwiches (made by my friend Linda, who came to keep me company; I made her Nespresso)
• to drink: water coloured with a few drops of pink colouring or orange juice mixed with soda water
• fancy sliced apples (cut across-ways and then remove core with mini cookie cutter; dip in lemon juice to prevent browning. Too cute and easy and gobbled up in minutes)

Serve it all up on your prettiest china; serve juice in goblets, sit on cushions, laugh loudly and long. 

More Garden Tea Party Posts

• The Original (Perfect) Impromptu Garden Party that we were hoping to replicate
• The very first Garden Tea Party (and the green eyed monster)
• The Indian Theme Dinner that should have warned me
• My Party Page

Family Fun: Cowboy Cookout with 'Truth or Dare'

Howdy pardners. It's time for some family fun. Yeeharrr!

This is the one you've all been waiting for - or at least I have. Waiting for the time and space to finally share with you our BEST family theme night ever.
This one was so much fun. A night that will live on in memory and family lore forever.

Mr G and I had just returned from a week in Hawaii (as you do) and we'd been missing our kids big-time. We were craving a family hang-out and some fun together, and in a flash of inspiration I landed on just the thing.
Back in November when Dash had his Wild West Campout party I had created a game of "Spin the Bottle Truth or Dare" that we never actually got to use. The truth and dare cards were still sitting there untouched, along with a specially labeled "Snake Oil Truth Serum" bottle, as yet unspun.
When I stumbled across my Snake Oil bottle at the back of a shelf, I thought, We should play this game! Oooh, and do a cowboy theme... I know - a cookout!
Before you could lasso yourself a heifer we were off and away, throwing together a fun family night at home in our backyard, cowboy style.

(The Truth or Dare Game printables are at the bottom of the post for you to grab and use.)

The weather was clear and mild, even though it was mid-Winter - perfect for a cookout.
So me and my right hand cowgirl, Miss Fab, got to work setting it all up purty, using stuff left over from Dash's party, hats from the dress up box and anything else we could find lying around that helped set the tone for a Cowboy Cookout.

 Rustic Jar lanterns, red white and blue cushions & cloths, old bunting...

Daddy fired up the brazier and we put the sausages, chicken and corn cobs on skewers over the fire 

(along with some garlic-buttered foil-wrapped pita bread)

 The food was simple and tasty and effortless, washed down with ginger beer, 

eaten in in the smoky fresh air under the clouds stars...

(We love doing cookouts on the brazier)

It was mighty nice. Sedate. Civilised.
Until we started spinning that bottle.
He he.

SPIN THE BOTTLE "TRUTH OR DARE"

TO PLAY YOU NEED:
One bottle (Snake Oil label optional)
One set of Truth slips (in a can)
One set of Dare Slips (in a can)
One jug of Penalty Juice (a disgusting concoction mixed from whatever liquids you have in your pantry)
plus an egg cup to drink from

One person spins the bottle. Whoever it points to has to choose "Truth" or "Dare", and then pick a slip of paper from their chosen can

They have to either complete the dare (if they chose "dare") or answer truthfully (if they chose "truth") or drink an eggcups worth of penalty juice. Ugh. (Very motivational, especially after the first person tastes it)

Oh boy did we have a hoot. Some of the dares were fairly tame...

...or just a bit wincey...

Others were silly...

...some were flippin hilarious...

...and some were just *slightly* embarrassing...

(Just as well we have awesome neighbours)

"Truths" were less popular than dares and after we had run out of dares, we kept on going making them up on the spot (we made it that the person who spun the bottle had to set the dare, but if they did one that was too silly, it would backfire on them and THEY would have to drink the penalty juice).

As the sun went down and the photo quality diminished, the laughs and warm fuzzies increased exponentially.

After toasting some marshmallows, we all cuddled up around the fire, and calmed things down with our favourite campfire game, "True or False"

TRUE OR FALSE: Each person has to make three statements about themselves. Two are true. One is false. All the players have to guess which are the true and which are the false statements. When everyone has guessed, the correct answer is revealed.

This is such a simple game, but oh so funny - and a great way to get to know each other. There are always some surprises (things you learn about each other that you didn't know) and some rip-snorting laughs as well  - especially when you play it with Miss Fab and Scrag who *just barely* grasp the rules.

"Hang on, Fab, those three things are ALL true...!"
"Oh. oops! I forgot to do a false one..." (every time)

"I like running. I like basketball. I've been to the moon."
"Um, gee Scrag... is it I've been to the moon that's the false one?"
"CORRECT!"
He he.

Love love love hanging out with this bunch. They are flippin great company and a really good laugh.

And it wouldn't be a campfire night without some of daddy's "growing up in Newcastle" stories...

(miss you Rorz!)

Like I said, best darned family night we've EVER had.

Nobody wanted to go to bed. Nobody wanted ANYBODY to go to bed. We just wanted to stay snuggled under those blankets by the fire, telling stories, forever.

So if you want to give it a go (and really, why wouldn't you?) here's the printables.
Right click. Save to your computer. Print. Snip. Stick the label on a bottle. Play.
ENJOY.

 

(I'd love to hear from you if you do this with your family - let me know how it goes!)