I'm afraid you'll have to just take my word for it though, sans photographic evidence of my catering! I ran to get my camera as I put the last platter out on the table and found I was out of batteries. DAMMIT! The doorbell rang at that moment, and that was that, really. 

18 children and more than twice that number of adults so the espresso machine ran hot, the organic apple juice went down a treat and there wasn't a whole lot left when the last friend went home!

Here's what we ate; the whole menu carefully created by Henry: 

* "Grown up cheese" (Brie and Camembert) and brown rice crackers

* Carrot sticks and hummus

* Mini cupcakes with piped icing smiley faces

* Frittata with bacon and cheese

* Lovely big fruit platter with melons, strawberries and apple

* Choc chip biscuits (yep, "visitor biscuits")

* Date muffins and choc chip muffins made by my darling pal Anita

* The only non-homemade thing: IKEA meatballs and tomato sauce

And of course, birthday cake:

Allowed to choose any cake he wanted for the occasion, Henry wanted round, tall, chocolate with sprinkles. So that's what he got. Two ring-tin simple chocolate cakes (butter cake + cocoa, I promise to blog this version soon), one on top of the other. 

It was so much fun. I think everyone had a good time, the kids certainly did, and we had a cracker day so hung out in the back courtyard drinking Buena Vista coffee (thanks, Dad) and watching the kids play on the trampoline and in the sandpit and in and out of the house. Everyone made their own party hat and took home a treat bag with my one concession to junk, a Freddo (hmm, any left?) Plus Marx brothers funny glasses, balloon, blowy whistle thingo and a little IKEA toy.

Henry wants to plan parties when he grows up. CHEERS TO THAT!!!

Hope you all had a cracker of a weekend.

xxx