One down, one to go...

The birthday party was a success; though we have decided that next year we will just have a party in Granada with her school friends.  We celebrated at the bar like last year, but it was virtually exclusively family, which means not many kids her age.  Only one little friend from town was there...  Emily didn't seem to mind not having friends to play with.  She is very accostumed to adult company and this is actually something we're trying to work on now that she's in school: relating to peers and making friends her own age.  She has bonded more with her teachers than any of her classmates.  With that in mind, having a birthday part in Granada with school friends is, I think, especially important.  Thus the title of this post: one (party) down and one to go. ;)

This week completely got away from us.  We were still recovering from our colds (me my sore throat and Emily bronchitis), and this week we were struck by a stomach bug!  All of the teachers at school were ill.  We were dropping like flys!  Tuesday I was in class alone since my teaching partner was sick at home with some kind of flu.  And then I went home Wed. after throwing up at school.  Thankfully Thurday, I was much better.  In my case, at least it seems to have been a 24-hour bug.  But then around 5am on Friday Emily was throwing up in bed.  Angelines isn't in Granada with us after Thursday mornings because she comes back to La Roda to open the bar.  I had no one to leave Emily with and so ended up not working Friday either!

Anyway, between hospital visits (we visited the ER because Emily's cough didn't seem to be improving even after using the inhaler for 3 days) and stomach bugs, we have had no time to research places in La Zubia to celebrate a birthday party.  I am hoping to get things lined up today because searching online I found a fun ball park, indoor play place very near our piso in Granada, and be able to celebrate with her friends on Wednesday.

So somehow in the time after school, I'll have to find time to make another cake and organize the food and party favours for a second fiesta.  My coconut and sweet potato cakes came out delicious!  I mistakenly read the buttercream frosting recipe when measuring the butter for the sweet potato cake, though and so put in half again as much butter as needed!!  It came out more brownie-like than cakey, but it was still delicious and everyone was surprised by how good it was.  When they heard "sweet potato", many said they prefered the coconut, but once they tried it, everyone wanted more.  As party favours we had beads and elastic string so the kids (or adults) could make their own little souvenir bracelettes. :)

I'm thinking of making invitations and a piñata with Emily today if I can get ahold of the place today and confirm the reservation.  It is a lot of work and bother, honestly, but I really do think that a party with her friends is important.  It's a great way to get a lot of them together outside school and build closer relationships in a different setting.  So... here we go.

I left my camera with party pics in La Zubia, sorry this is such a bland post.