The lollipops were a big hit. The maple, especially, were divine. We ordered way too many, which is why several large handfuls went home with several eager guests, and several more handfuls made their way to camp, where they will be confiscated if they weren't consumed on the bus.
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Robespierre conducted himself like a perfect gentleman the entire weekend, completely living up to the tutor's assessment of him. He made sure all his friends met each other, thanked his guests graciously, and wrote thank you notes for every single gift before leaving for camp on Sunday.
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The invitation tee shirts were an enormous success; there was a long line at the kids' party to have names and nicknames airbrushed on the backs of the shirts. Note to self: it takes twice as long to airbrush a design on a black tee shirt; next time opt for a lighter color. Owing to the availability of tee shirts, lollipops and airbrush artist, we were able to forgo the plastic junk giveaway.
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The winner of the Hula Hoop contest at the kids' dance party was a seven-year-old cousin who Hula Hooped for TWENTY-TWO MINUTES.
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Robespierre's tallit looked stunning, although the fringes grazed the floor. Guess I expected him to be about half a foot taller by the time he turned 13.
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When it comes time for Cupcake's Bat Mitzvah I'm sending Save the Date notices at least 18 months in advance. Imagine the nerve of my next door neighbor, planning a honeymoon for the exact weekend of my son's Bar Mitzvah.
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Several of Robey's camp friends came in from other cities to attend his Bar Mitzvah. One family drove from Wisconsin, stopping along the way in Chicago to pick up another boy. We were really touched that people made such an effort.
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The kippot were lovely although ordering them was a hassle. Next time I promise to order more than four weeks in advance of the event so I can hold actual samples in my hand and not have to guess at color matches over the internet.
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The location for the post-service brunch ended up being quite charming. We had a room on the top floor of a historic old hotel right next to our gigantic, famous city park (bigger than Central Park, you betcha!), and the view was delightful. Cupcake's already declared she wants her Bat Mitzvah party in the same place, so yay!
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In the end my mother did push me ever closer to certifiable insanity, but if not for her input and energies we would have had lunch at a McDonald's drive through.
