I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about our Annual Enebo Extravaganza.  For the past 9 or 10 years we’ve hosted an open house for family and friends.  It seems like it has gotten bigger and bigger and I think that is mostly because folks kept having kids.  This year we had a group that was slightly smaller than normal and, at it’s height, we probably had about 60-70 people.  Half of them kids!  Since it WAS slightly smaller Allen and I actually enjoyed it a bit more because we felt like we got a chance to touch base with everybody.  

One of the reasons I have never blogged about it, though, is because I have a drink in one hand, I’m hugging friends with the other and that means no hands for my camera.  It’s a time to kick back and celebrate.  This year I just had to take a few pictures, though, because I set up a photo booth in the teen lounge.   (The garage transformed with out outdoor couches, a large deck umbrella and lots of holiday lights.  Oh and the Wii is down there too.)  

I try to have some sort of activity for the kids to direct their energy.  In the past there was cookie decorating (that only lasted one year and I swear I am still crunching on sprinkles from it…and it was in my OLD house), and crafts, a silly band trading post, etc.  This year I asked all the kids to bring their ‘devices’ so they could build a Christmas Village on Mine Craft.  I can’t believe I was actually encouraging kids to play video games but it was very popular.  The other reason I wanted them to have their devices was because I set up a photo booth with all sorts of Christmas props and I wanted them to be able to take pictures.  Turns out the kids had a great time with the props and took almost no pictures.  I was informed by one of my girls ‘Mom, we hardly ever do the ‘thing’ you planned for us to do.  We just want to do things OUR way!’  Oh.  I guess I better keep my creative juices going for the big people upstairs!

While all of this is a ton of work we all enjoy having our friends over.  And the beautiful side benefits are that, by the end of the party weekend, we have a clean house, a clean garage and a clean/rearranged play room (I pay my kids to clean it the day after the party and to motivate themselves they purge and rearrange.  Now they have room for new Christmas presents!).  You just can’t beat that!