I started a new house and it's called AWESOME!!!

In the Bradley family you get a big birthday party when you turn 8, 12, and 16. This past weekend we had our first big birthday party - Laine’s 8th; after much deliberation Laine decided that she wanted a Harry Potter themed birthday party. Now, if you know Laine this isn’t a big surprise. She has read all seven books, organizes the kids on the play ground and Kung Fu into playing Harry Potter, and plays Hogwarts when she is home with Eve and James. Needless to say, she LOVES Harry Potter. With the theme in mind and a date we started planning.

I asked friends, neighbors, and the internet for ideas. I meshed them all together. I added my own ideas. The outcome? The epic Harry Potter birthday party.

I must admit I was rather proud of this little adventure so I have documented it for you and I now share it all with you- via picture!!!!

It started with the invitation. I wrote this baby up and even downloaded the Harry Potter font, thank heavens for the-leaky-cauldron.org. Then I played around with putting a watermark on the back of the paper. I must admit I was rather proud of these invitations. The kids seemed to love them too. We topped them off with a Hogwarts seal and then mailed them to the invited witches and wizards.

Our children's, of course, were delivered via owl to the front door.

James was particularly excited to get a Hogwarts acceptance letter. He decided it was one of the best things ever and laughed. I wish I had thought to switch the camera over to video rather than camera so you could all see it, but he thought it was awesome.
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Then the rest of the family went to Virginia for the week and I was left alone to get the rest of the party going. Thank heavens for my mom, dad, and sister-in-law who all pitched in to help. While they were gone we made-
Chocolate Frogs
Gift bags from Honey Dukes
Wizard Hats
Wands

And Amy made these Awesome Potter Puppet Pals cupcakes!

Finally it was Friday and time for the kids to arrive. Paul and Grammy came over to help. As any student attending Hogwarts for the first time knows the first thing that has to be done is the sorting! We'd contacted Hogwarts and they delivered a special birthday sorting hat to us. This special hat had a direct connection to the sorting hat in Scotland. The kids spoke to hat and the hat, via many questions, sorted them into their houses. The kids thought it was a riot. Eve however thought that I had simply placed my phone under the hat and someone was speaking to them—Thanks Dad, your accent was awesome!

The sorting. No one was sorted into Slytherin. Just Griffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws at our party.
After everyone was sorted and were enjoying their party potion (I liked the slush the party potion left) and then it was time to infuse their wands with magic. Using magic glitter pens from Olivander's the kids painted their way to magic glory.


We then went outside for Divination Class. The kids got to pop their magic orbs to discover what the future held for them. I think they had way too much fun.
During potions class we got an owl from Gringotts informing us a band of Death Eaters had just dropped stolen Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts on our back yard. The kids all rushed to collect their wizard loot, which the Goblins were nice enough to let us keep.

When potions class was cleaned up we ate the Harry Potter cupcakes, opened presents, and then the kids went outside and had wizard duels. I had to remind them a few times that they were all part of Dumbledore’s Army and should not use the Unforgiveable Curses, they favorite was the killing curse. All in all it was an awesome party and at the end of the day everyone left their Hogwarts adventure happy.