Shirley's party advice thread part 2

[stealthsquiggle]

...can I take the liberty of starting another thread, since the other one filled up?

castle looks great, MrsKitty - I do really like those books, apart from the fact that everything takes 10 times as long as she says. The only "failure" I have ever had from one of her books was when I tried to make a duck in the middle of a heatwave and the icing kept falling off - and with hindsight and more experience I now think I could have overcome that.

...anyway...passing through, marking my place because it had fallen off "threads I am on", and off to work - will come back and catch up properly later.

oh dear - just saw your news DrsW - sorry to hear that. I do know someone who went through exactly the same - she is 100% fine now - just take care of yourself and huggle your girls lots.

Thanks for the positive cake feedback . It's only the 2nd cake I've done (last year was Thomas for DS, DD only got a chocolate cream sponge) so I was really pleased with it!

This cake making thing gets a bit addictive once you start, I think. Probably a good thing I'm diabetic or I'd end up eating far too much cake .

The more you make, the less you eat, IME, MrsKitty.

I bake non-decorated cakes and feed them to work people, and rarely eat much of the fancy ones, TBH - my DS eats most of the huge amount of cake that gets trimmed off fancy shaped cakes because he doesn't like icing (and the chickens eat the rest) and I try hard to dispose of most of the cake at the party itself.

I agree Stealth. I made a huge chocolate Guinness cake for DH for Valentine's day and I've had maybe half a slice. I'm doing weight watchers at the moment admittedly but even so, once I've made them, I go off eating them a bit.

I need to make some practice bases for DS's pizza cake to find one that will cook all the way through while being so wide and thin but I don't want to have to eat them - I think I'll send them all to work with DH :)

I freeze spare cake and put it in school lunch boxes. Will have loads after party on sat as making one cake for show and another for party bags, so they will have e-number rainbow cake to make them hyper after lunch until Easter!

Right, I've waited as long as I can manage. I'm going to get DS to hand out his invites tomorrow. Is 3 weeks in advance too much?

There's only 4 boys from school and I'm already on chatting terms with 3 of the Mums. I'm thinking I can probably get away without asking about food allergies as I'll have plenty of time to check once RSVPs are in hopefully.

How is everyone? I hope you're feeling better DW

3 weeks in advance is fine, IMHO. I am sure given the headline "pizza party" you will get told about anyone with allergies.

DrsW, how's it going?

Excellent. I shall let DS give them out tomorrow without feeling like too much of an idiot then :)

My book arrived from amazon this morning, and it is indeed exactly the same as the hardback one for only a fiver. .

Oh good, that's a relief . I know hardback is nicer but for less than half the price it's worth putting up with paperback.

Gave out 4 invitations this morning and have already had a "Oh he won't eat that!"

Oh FGS. What sort of child (apart from a gluten-allergic one) doesn't eat pizza of some sort - did they elaborate as to which bit of "that" he won't eat??? (I note "won't" - which I have a lot less patience with than "can't")

It was definitely "won't" No mention of mitigating food allergies/intolerances - for which I would have total sympathy as my Brother is intolerant to gluten, wheat and cows milk.

The "that" was tomatoes and cheese.

She said she hoped he might try if he had made it himself and saw all of his friends eating some - and DS polished off a whole adult sized pizza at the last party we went to so there should be plenty of eating! - but suggested garlic free dough balls if he wouldn't!

They'll put anything not eaten in a box to take home so as long as we can get him to join in with the making, it shouldn't be a disaster.

As long as his mother gets out of the way and no-one tells him he won't eat it, I would lay money on him eating it once he has made it. We used to have a fab book when I was little called "cooking is a game you can eat" - 'tis very true!

Well, DS, DD and at least one of the guests will be stuffing themselves for sure so hopefully, that will be encouragement for him.

I know at least one of the other boys will be picking at a plain cheese and tomato which leaves "won't eat it" child and 2 unknowns. We're going round to one of the unknowns houses after school today for a play so I will see whether his Mum thinks he might eat anything.

I've been trying the "cooking is a game you can eat" with 2 yo DD recently and it does seem to be helping. She announced that last night pasta was "dee-louis" and did eat more than I would normally have expected her to.

Bollocks i just typed big post and ipod deleted it.

Was thinking of you today blathers, are you still gonna do choc pizza?

Im okay. Breathless but clinic condensed my injections down to one bigger dose rather than 2.hurrah. Mil has been here all week, meant to be ferrying dd to preschool and me to hospital but shes stayed all day each day ironing, cleaning, talking. Im so grateful but i wanted to curl up in bed with dd2 and just suck her new-ness all up. Im so aware of how fast this bit flies and i just want a bit of babymoon whilst dd1 is at school but mil wont take the hint. Do love her though.

Im starting to mentally plan the thanksgiving service. I had dd1's in a chapel where i married, with same vicar in our old town. A quick google shows vicar moved... To my new town!!! So i could either get her back to recreate dd1's service or do something at parish hall here cheaper!!
I also want to find two readings, one for parents and maybe one about daughters.

Christening gown was made from my wedding dress for dd1 at 6 months but im sure she was tiny. Have no idea how to size the gown to plan the date to ensure it fits dd2!!!

Glad to hear you are distracting yourself with party planning, DrsW

I am voting for the Parish Hall option because it gives us more latitude with the party planning - cheaper, you say [evil cackle]?

I was thinking about you today too DW! Wondering how you were. Sorry you're still feeling poorly but good news about the injections. Hope you improve soon.

Still considering the choc pizza but think it will be my 'if I have enough time' thing and the first thing on the chopping block if I'm running out of time. Going to wait till I have RSVPs back before I start personalising the aprons to save waste so things might get a little last minute....

I keep imagining how nice a choc pizza may crack when you eat it. You know how an easter egg is a rip off by weight but something special about that thin choc cracking when its been in the fridge.

My scar with DS got infected and opened. You need some Arnica cream, some sterile maternity pads from Mothercare to put in the front of your knickers to keep it dry, protected and clean and possibly some antibiotics. Hope you feel better soon.

If I make a chocolate pizza, I'll send you some :)

Oooh ive got arnica i'll try that. Got docs in morn too. I never go to the doc and i practically see a medical person each day now. Just craving normality! And choc pizza it seems.

Hope you're feeling better DW.

Trying to sort out a time and place to see my family for DS's birthday at the moment. DSis is about ready to pop so we could do with her being close to home and we might even end up near you :)

I'm desperate to get on with the aprons for the party but only have 1 RSVP so far so don't want to risk it yet.

Blathers does your sis still have anything to do with the baby group. Its literally opposite my house. i went to the park with DD on fri and literally hoards and hoards of cars were filling the car park. People must be coming in from the town. I saw about 20-30 women go in and bottled it. I've promised DD I'll find a group and this one is on mon, weds and fri i think. Mon and weds DD is at playschool so ideal for me to go with DD2 but i really got intimidated walking into an established group like that. Then I felt stupid as its my local one!! I live opposite for gods sake I should feel I can go shouldnt i?!!!!

Scar is okay just needs to be dry and covered which i was doing. baby is a dream, feeding three hourly and straight back off at night so cant complain at that. MIL is back again tomorrow so I'm gonna try to stop her coming later in the week.

I spoke to the vicar and she can do DD2's thanksgiving either here or back at the chapel. The chapel last time cost me £500.00, I called for a quote and it's now £65.00!!!!!!!!!! the recession must have made them review their prices but I'm a bit cross as the wasted money I've handed over before. more fool me. So, I think we're gonna do it at the chapel and then come back to the parish hall for the "reception". Already agreed to ask the same godparents and hope they will all do it again. Sussed out cake ideas, looking at potentially making crepe paper rose topiaries for tables or splashing out on flowers which I can arrange in enamel buckets. I dont know of any flower markets though, do you think if I asked a florist they would order me the stems i want without ripping me off?

Blathers what did you decide for the aprons?

Yes, Sis still pretty much runs the toddler group if it's the one I think it is. She's finished work now as she's due in a few weeks so she should be around a lot more too. I know I'm biased but she is lovely and I know she'd welcome you if you wanted to pop in. DM me which hall it is and I will double check with her that it's the same one and I can let her know you'll be going if you like so you don't have that awkward standing in the doorway moment 'cause she'll come and say hi.

I got the aprons from Baker Ross in the end and have bought transfer paper so I can print out and iron on the boys names. I've found a copyright free Pizza clip art too to set the scene a little and will put "Pizzaolio name" on each one with the clipart. (Pizzaoilio is what Pizza Express call their pizza makers)