A very merry half birthday

My daughter was born in January, just a couple of weeks after Christmas, which makes the rest of the year very long for her. It's hard to be five. We usually note the day of the month that marks her half-birthday and this year I thought I would take an idea from Pinterest and let her celebrate her half birthday. 

She got to invite two friends over and play some games and have some cake. I also took two more ideas from Pinterest and we made our own bubble soap and the pinata she's been asking for since before her last real birthday. 

I was going to steal another Pinterest idea and make a half a cake, but then I realized that might not be quite enough for her guests and the guests we were having later that day for dinner. The kid was a little sad I didn’t just make two half cakes, but she still got to decorate it. 

The Bubble Soap 

Four tablespoons Palmolive (which I’ve heard is the best dish soap for bubble soap) to every one cup of water. I also added one tablespoon on corn starch for every one cup of water, which was supposed to make the bubbles last longer but didn’t seem to have any effect. 

The Piñata

Classic paste (flour and water) and newspaper over a balloon. Once it was dry the kid got to paint it and Daddy put a string around it and hung it on the swing-set. The two of them then went out to the local dollar store and found some things to fill it up with – a mix of fun stuff and candy. Three of each thing was put into the piñata, and one special toy for the person who broke it open. 

A sunny day with friends, bubbles, dancing and treats was a pretty good celebration for being done with junior kindergarten, half-way to six, and ready for summer.