We have always given Little One a birthday party every other year because (chuckling) we don't want to spoil her. This was the year. Now that she's eleven, we have agreed that they will slow down even more from here, possibly having one at 13, then at 16, then when the mood strikes.

We have had good success in years past in having a big crowd to attend. Last time, when she was nine, we had a Retro Sleepover. The girls all got John Lennon sunglasses, happy face tattoos, hemp bracelets and little Volkswagens with Flower Power stickers on them. At midnight we went to the basement to make tie-dye T shirts. About 9 girls attended and it was a pretty good time.

This year we invited thirteen girls and only four were available to attend. (Insert your own random "unlucky thirteen" joke here.) Most were on vacation.

With DH working night shift this week, we elected to hold the affair at the neighborhood pool to simplify my role. !!! It was still quite a bit of work as I took a tent with screened sides to cut down on heat and flies on the food. We ordered pizza and took cake and ice cream. The girls swam and we all had a nice time. Interesting note. Of the five girls, four are now or have been on swim team, yet they swam only one lap in the pool. The rest of the evening they practiced various dives.

When it came time to leave, the parents who had come to pick up girls all helped to break down the tent and table, and carry chairs, tent, table, cake, gifts, flowers, to the car. Because of the complexity of the tent, I opted to ball the tent up in the trunk. This morning I laid it out in the living room (read 73 degrees instead of 105) and fold it in an orderly fashion.

Many thanks to those who helped. Without your help, I'd still be there packing the car.