Katelyn's Epic 8th Birthday Party!!

We've had a lot of fun parties in our family the last few years, but this was definitely the best one yet, and I don't know if it can be topped!  The whole world of Harry Potter is just so rich with detail and cool unique things, we had plenty to choose from.  I try to let the kids control, as much as possible, the direction of their party, and I think I had as much fun, or more, planning this party as Katelyn did!  We looked at everything on the internet together and some things that I thought would be great, she didn't want to do--but most things we were unanimously super excited about!  

The first was the invitations:

personalized Hogwarts acceptance letters, signed by Professor McGonagal and including a ticket for Platform 9 3/4....

sealed with wax and addressed Wizard-style...

and delivered by owl!!  

obviously this was SO fun, Whitney has a stuffed owl named Hedwig and the girls loved delivering the invites, even though most of the kids didn't really appreciate how cool and appropriate the owl post was haha!  But several of the moms loved it :)

Here were some of our preparations, including the only picture I got of the butterbeer.

Our front yard was transformed into Diagon Alley, where the kids all got their school robes, wands, and spellbooks at the various shops...

Like Flourish and Blotts

and Ollivanders- me and Kate made all those wands!

Then they were ready to get on the Hogwarts Express!

They had to go through the "brick wall" to get to platform 9 3/4...

so cute!

The students arrived at Hogwarts and went to the Great Hall to be sorted.  At this point I had to go feed 3-day-old baby Maris :)  so Grammy asked each kid the questions that would determine their House and Eric did a GREAT job as the voice of the sorting hat. :)

Each kid got their house badge and scarf! 

Then Eric took them outside for a snitch hunt (here he is explaining what a snitch is, he was so awesome!)

Whitney with her snitch!

And a rousing game of Quidditch!!

I love this one Katelyn really looks like she's flying!

Then we came back in for some lessons!

They had Charms class and practiced spells...

and then Potions class by Grammy and Aunt Elizabeth- they came up with such a cool fun potion for the kids to try that bubbled everywhere, it was perfect!

Then the kids went back out for the "Triwizard task" Obstacle course, which included rescuing your partner like in the second task, and using Expecto Patronum to chase away a dementor (pop a black balloon hanging in a tree!)

And lastly, the kids came back in to "Hogsmeade" and had owl cupcakes and the snitch cake, butterbeer and pumpkin juice, and then they got sweets from Honeydukes to take home: Chocolate frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, and Acid Pops.

The cute big 8-year-old Hermione/Katelyn :)

Katelyn opened her presents and then they went outside to wait for their parents/duel with each other. It was SO FUN and Katelyn was so happy the whole time, which made it all worth it. :)  It was totally insane to do right after Maris' birth, but thanks to hours/days of work by my mom, weeks of advance preparation by me and Katelyn, Eric stepping up and taking charge of tons of the party, and Mary and Elizabeth coming to help, it all came together!!  Harry Potter Forever!