Party Time

We had two birthday parties on Friday afternoon.  One at a friends house (low key)  one at a party place (high key?)  But with that and school pick up and other stuff I was driving around for about two hours straight.  It was exhausting and also included me almost rolling back into some other cars at a very steep hill with a stoplight.  I eventually peeled out, much to the delight of Felix and Miles ("Let's do that again!" they cheered.  At the same time I thought, "I never want to do that again!")

Saturday I planned to go to the temple on the bus with people from the stake, but I got the wrong day.  Which was fine since it gave me time to get Grace ready for a BIG party later that night.  Our dear friend Maria invited Grace to go with her.  15th birthday parties can be as big as weddings here.  It is typical to spend $10,000 to $20,000 on them.  But poor Grace, like Cinderella had nothing to wear to the "ball."  Luckily Maria had a dress she was making for her granddaughter in America, that was a little unfinished but fit Grace beautifully.  Maria finished it, Grace and I shopped for ribbon and shoes (couldn't find anything we could afford that we liked). I practiced doing her hair.  

Then we packed up the whole family to drive for 90 minutes to a different birthday party from some friends from our church (they used to live in Campinas and have a lot of friends and family there.) Grace was painfully bored, I had a great opportunity to practice my Portuguese with some new friends.  Jamison helped the kids play, and the youngest four had a great time with trampolines, ball pits, arcades, climbing and sliding play area, merry go rounds, air hockey, and face painting.

Spot the Pextons!  (they all clap when they sing the Happy Birthday song - Parabens pra Voce!)

The brigadeiro aftermath - to our credit they were small ones

Our friends celebrated both of their children's birthdays.  And those kids, Leticia 7, and Daniel 4, were so cute and excited!  Afterwards Leticia sang the song from the movie Frozen. Let it Go, in Portuguese.  It made me tear up.  I know I am just a softie.  

When we got home it was go time for Grace.  Hair, makeup, finding shoes -- she borrowed some of mine, for a moment  I thought they might be too small for her.  Maria would bring the dress when she picked her up.  Then we realized, this is my eleven year old daughter going to a party starting at 9 pm in a fancy dress and makeup, like prom.  Crazy!  She looked beautiful and we knew that Maria would take care of her.  Maria said that Grace would be her granddaughter for the night.

She got home early, around midnight, and Maria went back to the party which probably lasted until 3 am.