ten-year adventures

Children's parties have gotten a bit larger and more Pinteresty than ever before. When I was growing up, my parents always let me have a few friends over to celebrate. I'd pick the meal (macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, or cheese fondu), we'd play a few games, open a few presents, eat some cake, and call it a day. My 10th birthday, however, was a big one. We used the school (my mom was a teacher and the principal there), invited every girl I was friends with, and we did skits in the gym, ate pizza, and I opened my cheese presents (no, not cheesy presents--I got mostly cheese that year. Not sure if you've noticed a theme, but I love cheese). Yes, my parents always made sure I was thuroughly celebrated, but my 10th birthday was definitely one of my favorites!

After reading Bob Goff's (pictured here with Kate and Elia) Love Does aloud to our girls, Greg and I thought it

would be fun to steal his "ten year adventure" idea for our own kids. You see, Bob, upon his children's turning a decade, lets each child choose anywhere in the world, and any adventure, and then proceeds to take them to fulfill their wildest dreams. (One kid chose the desert, I believe.) So we ran with this idea, only with a small Schemper twist: I'd take them one weekend, to talk about the facts of life and shop, and Greg would take them a following weekend, You know, to straighten out anything I left unclear. Oh, and both weekends had to stay under $700, so no desert for us.

So, two years ago, for Kate's tenth, and last May for Elia's, I waited for the perfect opporunity (till my parents were going to be out of town) and we headed to their Byron Center resort--er, home. (I call it a resort because they have a jacuzzi tub, a TV in their bedroom, a king-size bed, and wine in their cupboard.) Each girl and I spent two glorious nights together eating, shopping, talking, and watching TV in bed. Greg, in turn, took each girl to Chicago. He and Kate stayed two nights and saw Blue Man Group, and walked "a lot!" and he and Elia went for a long day of museums, the American Girl Doll store, eating, walking, and shopping. I honestly believe that it doesn't matter as much where you go, or how much money you spend; it's the uninterrupted one-on-one time that makes the ten-year adventure concept so very important and worth it.

And now, Greg's parents are starting a 12-year adventure with their grandchildren. Kate is the oldest, so she will spend next weekend with them and go to see Wicked! No matter what age, no matter how much money you spend, and no matter what exactly you do, I love that the adventures continue...and I'm so looking forward to my 42-year adventure that no doubt awaits (pending a sponsor of course)!