Birthday Party Weekend Part II



Happy Little Dude on his real Birthday with his present.

I'll admit, Birthday Party Weekend ended 4 days ago. This has just been my first chance to share. The disadvantage of this blog is that it is done whilst sitting in front of my computer, and that can pose insurmountable challenges in my little world. As my back mends, it is not the main thing keeping me from occupying this chair, but all the other bits and pieces- but first, to conclude Birthday Party Weekend.

What does a mother do when faced with the hopeful suggestion by her Youngest, that he have a birthday party whose focus is cheese? What if that mother is trying to foster a sense of creativity in her son, and encourage him to pursue his interests? What if that mother realizes that the ship has sailed on having a party near his actual birthday, and not only that, but the only opportunity for a celebration with friends is barrelling upon them? I don't know. But I can tell you what I did. I went to the grocery, picked up a package of what passes, depressingly, as "American Cheese" and set about making invitations.

The cheese is gone (the rest of the family had a grilled "cheese" and soup night), replaced, convincingly with orange foam board. Yes, orange foam board is nearly indistinguishable from a Kraft Slice. Read into that what you will.  On the back of each slice is the handwritten details of the party.

So, upon waking Sunday, and making arrangements for someone else to teach Junior Church- another to-do on my list that had been pushed to the recesses of the mind until a panic sometime around 5:30 am, the family (a few members a bit crankier than others) did the barn chores, tidied up after Saturday's Musical shindig, and began earnest efforts at a cheese party. The table I laid with an assortment of cheese related doo-dads (doohickeys in Gram speak), books about cheese, milk pitchers and bottles, and a tower of little individual waxed cheese rounds. Huz crafted a big loaf of cheese bread that nearly killed me it smelled so good, Eldest worked out a cheesy goose-chase game, and Youngest was put on the computer to make CHEESE cards. Like bingo, only cheesier.

The guests began to arrive, me pushing down my sense of panic at my blithe agreement to a three hour party time. Guilt is powerful, my memory, not so much.

The guests began to arrive, and all at much the same time, which meant we'd better get started with games before they thought of something themselves. We began with the simple game of "Cheese". This is not my fault. This game was discovered by Huz, along with his new found appreciation for syndicated sit-coms. Cheese was played in a long ago episode of Dharma and Greg. It goes thus. One person starts.

"Cheddar." Then the next person...

"Mozzarella."...

"Parmesan"...

etc.

Until, someone can't think of a new kind of cheese, then they're "out", and the game continues until only one person can think of a new kind of cheese. The best part of this game, was when it was down to the last two. Youngest comes out with "Roomy" (which I had never heard of, but when fact checked turned out to be an Egyptian cheese) this high-brow choice was summarily countered by his friend with "Nacho". I love these kids.

Here is the group playing "Cheese". What I find interesting is that the other guests, including the male ones are managing to sit on the furniture. Youngest is, well, not. This picture is directly before he finds himself on the floor, and then pops himself back up to only repeat again. Thought through movement.

"Cheese" was followed by a few rounds of Cheese/ Bingo. Using Cheddar Goldfish (a pairing that would likely make the citizens of Cheddar in Somerset, England confused and scared) they marked their cards as Eldest called off numbers, until they managed 6 in a row, and hollered "CHEESE!"

Not being able to insult cheese completely in all areas of the party, one of the games involved trying five kinds of cheese, real ones, and then trying to identify them by taste only by wearing a blindfold.  They had two more familiar tastes, Cheddar and mozzarella, and then three maybe more challenging; a hard, aged Gouda, a Havarti with dill and a triple cream Brie. The kids all did fairly well at the game, but those huge differences in tastes were a bit blurred for some. All were game, though, and for that I am appreciative. Youngest, with his devotion to cheese, had no problem. Even when I repeated one cheese, he knew.

It's not cheese, but it is dairy science...Youngest and his friends made butter. Youngest did his best to maintain a scientific air, and explain all the steps, including the casein coloring and buttermilk.

They all took turns churning the cream, and watching the butter solids come together, leaving the buttermilk behind.

Here is the butter, smaller than their original haul, diminished by what had been spread on the aforementioned, outstanding smelling cheese bread by Huz. Behind the butter is the buttermilk.

Another game, this one the cheesy word-scramble goose chase by Eldest which had them dashing about the house finding clues, the treasure being the basket of candy for the unavoidable birthday party  family tradition- CandyStop!

And, what else for a Cheesy Birthday Party, but a rich, homemade cheesecake with graham cracker crust? Thank you, Huz for making that piece of magic! I hear it was divine.

Happy 11th Birthday, Youngest!