Lucy’s been going to the Gardner School of Arts and Sciences for almost an entire school year, and has attended several slumber parties in that time. When her 9th birthday rolled around, she (and we) decided she was ready to host one.

This is part of our 100 Things in 2017 challenge. Here’s the full list. Click on the photos for a closer look!

She invited seven of her closest friends (all the girls in her 3rd/4th-grade class), and we planned all the food and activities. Dinner was from Burgerville (which worked marvelously, everybody got exactly what they wanted) desserts from Back to Eden (a lovely little gluten- and dairy-free bakery), and for breakfast Becky and I made something like 200 tiny pancakes, a giant mess of tiny sausage patties, and lots of bacon.

Activities included rocking out on our new karaoke setup, playing twister and other board games, watching a movie, and in the morning as guests started trickling out, the dress-up bins were broken into for some very creative costuming.

We had a great time (though I will say that it was loud). Lucy would describe it as a great success, not just for her but for the humane society — she asked that rather than giving her gifts, people should send donations to her favorite charity. Happy birthday, Lucy!