Birthday Parties If You Must
b'Birthday parties: must we really? Every kid, every year? Can we skip the goody bags? Can we ban slumber parties now and forever? Is it possible to spend less than four figures on a fete for a four-year-old?\\n\\xa0In this episode we discuss ways to make birthday parties easier:\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0stopping \\u201cThe Great Crap Exchange\\u201d (Margaret will die on this hill)\\n\\xa0how to manage size of your guest list\\n\\xa0the right budget for a party\\xa0(with special dispensation for parties in the winter)\\n\\xa0the crucial-ness of the backup activity\\n\\xa0how Etsy can make your kid\\u2019s party Pinterest-worthy for less than a trip to Party City\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0In the end, it\\u2019s Mom\\u2019s loving effort that will be remembered more than the result. Right? Amy sure hopes so, because this is the LEGO birthday cake she made for her 8-year-old (stop laughing)\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0and here is the Lightning McQueen cake Margaret made once (SHOW OFF).\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0Here\\u2019s some interesting/helpful/horrifying links to further reading on this topic:\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0more on Amy\\u2019s horrible baking skills but also the time she threw a kick-ass LEGO birthday party\\n* Sarah Zhang for The Atlantic:\\xa0Blowing Out Birthday Candles Increases Cake Bacteria by 1,400 Percent\\n* baby Leo pees on his first birthday cake\\n* Parents Drop $40,000 For Toddler\\u2019s Birthday\\n* Rookie Moms: 5 Tips for a Cheaper Third Birthday Party\\n\\nThanks to everyone who entered our SmartyPants Vitamins giveaway on our Facebook page! Your birthday party worsts were truly horrible- so bad we turned them all into haikus.\\xa0In addition to featuring them in this episode,\\xa0we\\u2019ll be sharing them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram over the next two weeks, with identities obscured to protect the innocent.\\n\\nThe winner of a SmartyPants Vitamins Family Pack, including their Men\\u2019s, Women\\u2019s, and Children\\u2019s multivitamins, is Heather! Enjoy some #smartyhealth!\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'