Tamarack Nature Center Birthday Party

Oliver and Soren had a joint birthday party on Saturday at the Tamarack Nature Center to celebrate turning five and three. It was a simple affair - cake and a craft in a classroom inside the nature center and then play time at the center's incredible natural play area.  Lots of friends made the trek up from St. Paul to enjoy afternoon sunshine and brisk fall air against the backdrop of forest and prairie. 

The party was a humbling reminder that "simple" is still a lot of work.  While I was baking four dozen cupcakes, Chris was making a last-minute run to Michael's for more craft supplies.  Two hours before we needed to leave for the party, where was I?  At Target of course.  And then there was what I couldn't control, the weather. The weekend before the party had been gorgeous - sunny and unseasonably warm.  But it rained every day for the next week, which left me obsessively checking the weekend weather report.  I was nervous that a high of 45 and wind was going to dampen guests' enthusiasm for leaving the warmth of the nature center building.  And then how were we going to entertain 15 kids inside a classroom for two hours?

My worries ended up not being reality.  The craft activity of making trick-or-treat bags was a hit with the kids and ended up being a great way to keep them occupied while we waited for everyone to arrive.  After singing Happy Birthday and eating as many cupcakes as their hearts desired, the parents bundled the kids up and ushered them outside while my mother-in-law and a couple of friends helped me pack up and take everything out to the car.  When I joined the group over in the play area, parents and kids were building forts with tree branches, digging moats in the sand area or playing tag among the boulders.  The brisker weather ended up working to our advantage as we had the whole place to ourselves.  Not only did the kids have fun, but the adults too!  Many of my friends had never been to the Tamarack Nature Center and were as delighted about discovering this gem of a play area as their kids were. 

Despite all the work that had gone into this "simple" party, it was clearly worth it.  Not only did my kids have fun, but it was wonderful to be reminded how loved they are by so many people.