This is the cake from Caroline's 12th birthday party.

Slumber parties rock.  When I was a kid I loved to have them and I loved to go to them.  Do you remember this:  18 or so girls, sleeping bags strewn over the living room floor, "Don't Stop Believing" or "Crazy Train" blaring on the record player while copious amounts of pizza, pop and cake were consumed?  Bonne Bell lip gloss, Rubik's Cube, prank calls.  After the lights finally went out there were trances.  You remember:  one girl lays down while all the other girls slip two fingers underneath her...light as a feather, stiff as a board...

The poor, sad soul who gave in to sleep first ended up with her bra soaked with water and placed in the freezer, her face covered in shaving cream, or her hand placed in a bowl of warm water.  Good times.  The next day was utter agony at home because you still had to clean your room on little to no sleep or nourishment.

Can I be honest?  Slumber parties nowadays?  Way different.  At least in my house they are.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining.  Four girls came to our house Thursday night.  All girls ate cake and ice cream and retreated to the basement.  All girls watched a movie, ate popcorm, drank 3 cases of Capri Sun, played Uno, did each other's make up.  No one tried to sneak out, no one played the music too loud, no one made a prank call (of course, you really can't do that very well anymore, what with caller ID and all).  These girls may have teased each other and told stories their moms might not have wanted them to tell, but they enjoyed each other and, I think, had a good time.

I like it this way better, and not just because I'm old.

As a girl even with my "friends", a slumber party felt like a fight to survive.  Those 15 hours were a social mine field.  Caroline's childhood is so different from mine, and even though I had a good childhood, I glad hers is different.  I'm glad she and her friends have different priorities and values than I did.  They are far from perfect, of course, but a laid back party and a Disney movie are fine for them now...and that's the way I want to keep it for as long as I can.  Once that innocence is lost, it's lost forever.

Bless ya!