It’s getting to be that time again. We’ve got a birthday coming up in our family next month. I’m sure the birthday girl will want a party. She loves parties: planning, inviting, decorating and celebrating are all right up her alley.

My favorite part of the kids’ birthdays is the baking. I love making special cakes for them. Over the years, we’ve had all kinds of fancy cakes: Sponge Bob, a football jersey, an ugly (but tasty) volcano, a Game Boy, Blues Clues, and even an aircraft carrier cake. It’s fun to think about how I can create these cakes using only items I can find in the grocery store. I’m no Ace of Cakes—Betty Crocker is more my speed. I’m not above raiding the Halloween candy or cutting up Fruit Roll-Ups as decorations.

But there’s more to parties than baking, as all parents know. I’m thinking back to last December when we had J's snow-themed birthday sleepover party.   6 guests, no sleeping.  J planned, shopped, and decorated for a week.  We had glittery snowflakes and streamers everywhere.  She picked out penguin coffee mugs and filled them with cocoa packets and candy.   Highlights of the event included balloon fights, manicures, reheated pizza after midnight, potato chips for breakfast instead of the waffles I baked, and one broken "globe" from the kitchen ceiling fan, because it's not a party if there's nothing broken.

Remind me again why we feel compelled to clean the house before a party? I had to do it all over again the next day—not to mention running to the hardware store to replace that ceiling fan globe.   And yes, I'll be doing all this again this year, though I hope I'll get to eliminate the hardware-store run from my post-party agenda.

Once I recover from that party, I'll have to gear up for my first-grader's birthday in March.  The last time we had first-grade boys here for a party, there was a piñata-related head injury, so this is not an experience I'm eager to repeat.  At least my older son's January birthday will be easy.  All his friends need are food, soda, DVDs and video games, and they're happy.  Noisy, but happy.

Cake, anyone?

COUPON TIME:

If you're getting ready for a party, we've gathered some great coupons for you.  If you're not getting ready for a party, why not?  These deals are too good to pass up.  Party on!

10% off online orders over $70 at BuyCostumes.com
Use coupon code santa10. Valid through: December 15, 2008

$5 off online orders over $65 at ShindigZ.com
Use promotion code SZCJB8 at checkout.
Valid through: Ongoing

50% off your order at VistaPrint
Use this link to activate the coupon.
Valid through: December 31, 2008

10% off orders over $29 at DavidsCookies.com
Plus free shipping!
Use coupon code DC10A.
Valid through: January 1, 2009

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Eligible items will have the following note on their product page: "Special Deal - Save 15% on Your Order"
Use this link to activate the coupon. If there's a problem, enter promotion/discount code NFLcBQG (Case Sensitive) at checkout.
Valid through: January 31, 2009 11:59pm ET

5% off a purchase of $50 or more at wine.com
Enter promotional code nov50 and click the "update cart" button.
Valid through: November 30, 2008