Happy Birthday, Harry!

This last weekend was my niece's 11th birthday party.

It was themed.

Guess what the theme was.

Wait for it.

HARRY POTTER!!!

You know I was all over that! It had been in the works for awhile, and I was so excited! We received our invitations a week or so ago, they were Hogwarts letters!!

Awesome much? Yes. Much much awesome.

The party was at my Daisy-sister's house, in Joplin. So we drove up and got there a few hours early to help decorate.

My Carrie-sister made all the decor (and everything else for that matter), and it looked really cool. There were posters with sayings from the books, and places around the house that the kids weren't supposed to go had signs up, like "Chamber of Secrets."

The front door had a large sheet of paper over it painted like a brick wall. The kids had to run through it to get in. Get it? Platform 9 3/4? Get it? 

There was also one over the kitchen, painted like the painting of fruit over the kitchens at Hogwarts. Tickle the pear!

We all dressed up like characters from the series:

We have Daisy as Bellatrix Lestrange, Jeannine as Molly Weasley, my Dad as Mad-eye Moody, Carrie as Professor Trelawney, and myself as Tonks.

It's ok to be jealous.

My family is cooler than yours.

The kids all arrived and were sorted in to houses, and then headed off to Diagon Alley to get wands and owls. 

Portia, with her wand and owl. She may not look it, but she was really excited.

Portia and her cousin Ollie. They're buddies.

Then, we played Wizard's Chess and Quidditch.  

There was a chessboard mapped out of the floor, and each kid was a chess piece. They had fun "killing" each other.

Quidditch was a bit trickier, since we muggles couldn't exactly fly. We used balloons instead of  balls, and hid a small ball somewhere, as the snitch. The Beaters, Chasers, and Keepers ran about trying to score, while the Seekers searched for the snitch. It was madness.

I believe Gryffindor won.

After the games were played, we ate, and opened presents, and the kids headed home, with totally sweet goody bags.

 My Carrie-sister made everything in it, including the chocolate frog and cards. 

She rocks.

Best party ever! 

Happy birthday Jeannine Blair!