When my vision crashed and burned

This weekend was my niece Charlotte's third birthday party. I had prepared all the decorations, including goodie bag stuff and food labels to drive with us up there on Friday. Look, it is all packed and ready to go.

When Lauren and I were texting last Sunday she said she was feeling overwhelmed with the party coming up, plus working full time, plus taking care of two small children, a husband and two dogs. (I might have added that last part). I offered to help and prayed she would say yes. By the time she did I already had a Pinterest board started and my vision was coming together. I was a Party City, Michael's and Jo-Ann's all before 11:00 am on Monday.

All during the week, anytime my children were in school/napping (including when I would have been writing blog posts) I was cutting styrofoam balls in half (to make the moon, duh).

 Using my cutting tool to make Charlotte-nauts.

And buying clip art on Etsy to make the gift bag tags and food labels.

It was all coming together. I didn't cut any fingers making the moon centerpieces for the tables, though I did run through a lot of glue for the rockets and fire.

 Zach said the moons needed a flag so he whipped one up quickly for us.

 Lauren had purchased moon sand on Amazon, and I had the bags and labels ready to be filled Friday night.

 The last thing I did before packing up was to make the "moon rocks", aka popcorn balls.

You all know I was SO pleased with myself. Everything was darling. Fully coordinated and ready hours ahead of time! THIS is clearly why I can't have a full time job.

We loaded up the car and as we were cruising through downtown, I was reading a book to the boys in the backseat (can't you just picture it) when Zach projectile vomited. All over himself, his bear and my car.

I stuffed some wipes in his face trying to contain it and stem the onslaught as Alex started asking if I want him to just pull over or turn around. I refrained from calling him the names I wanted to and told him to turn around. Clearly we were not taking a puking kid to Dallas.

Well, hell. What about the party?? I had all the supplies! I began to hyperventilate a bit. It could have also had something to do with me breathing only through my nose while riding backwards in the car trying to clean up vomit.

I just could not believe this had happened. We were all exposed to a stomach bug over a week ago. I thought for sure we were in the clear. And I have never been solely responsible for someone else's party before! Are you kidding me?

So I knew the only thing to do, after checking into flights for just me, was to run to the FedEx store and have the box of supplies overnighted with 9:30 delivery. Did I mention the party started at 10? Yep, but I had to do something. I had to try to get it there.

Lauren was remarkably calm about the whole thing. She, in turn, went to Target and got replacement things for all the stuff I had sent just in case.

The box did arrive just before they were going to leave so she could use the moon sand bags and favor tags. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law put together the moons at the start of the party, which made me very, very happy.

Though I don't know why this rocket is going the wrong way....

Doesn't matter. I was just so glad they could use some of it. My mom sent me pictures of it all as well, which I appreciated it. 

And look, no one is even noticing the things we didn't have, they are just having fun, which is the entire point of these parties anyway, right? Especially for the sweet birthday girl.

I feel there is some lesson in here for me about not being able to control everything, no matter how hard I try.

Or, it could be to have everything finished by Thursday night, complete with diagrams for the tables, in case of such an event.

I am still thinking on it.