And don't forget your superpowers.

Last weekend I brought Cadence to an "old fashioned" birthday party. No Disney character printed napkins or rented bounce house. No token hungry kids running around an arcade. It was perfect.

Five parents watched as five children ran barefoot through sprinklers and made giant bubbles in a tiny plastic pool. We sipped homemade punch and ate pineapple upside-down cake. Cadence climbed her first tree and ate rock candy that she scored from a paper-mache pinata. We took pause while the birthday girl opened up two gifts (one being my hand-crafted finger puppets), and another being a paper doll set.

Nobody talked about politics. Kindergarten was the hot topic on the large breezy porch. The littlest one got soap in her eyes. Twice. And then I looked at the time and it was already late.

I certainly hope I can pull of something as respectable and truly enjoyable as that quaint celebration.

Of course, what I'm working with is a guest list of twenty-eight, two bags of Disney themed party favors and swag from Cadence's grandma, and a crap-ton of hot dogs for the grill. I'm not going to freak out and go on a cleaning spree like I usually do when we have invited guests over. NO. As part of my flow into a simpler life, I'm letting things go I usually wouldn't.

We'll use real napkins and real plates and real forks. Call me crazy. Water rolling off a duck's back. I like the idea of a party that won't end in two heaping bags of trash and a Xanax.

Come over. Eat some melon and a hot dog. Just have a good time, please.