Pajama Party!!

Last month our church hosted a marriage conference with Kent and Barbara Hughes . They shared a wealth of knowledge and information about how to be a family of excellence, creating moments of joy, and ultimately bringing glory to the Lord.

They gave really practical suggestions we could go home and implement without requiring huge amounts of change or overwhelming execution. And so, one of the Hughes' great ideas was The Pajama Party.

Mr. Right and I were excited to 'host' a party. First, we explained to the kids what a Pajama Party is; it can happen any time, so they always need to be ready. In order for a Pajama Party to take place, all children must have gotten to bed with relative ease and need to be settling down quietly.

Next, when Daddy decides it's an appropriate night for a Pajama Party, he makes the anticipated announcement (in his own pajamas of course!): "P-A-J-A-M-A Party!!" (This is best done in a New York accent, but obviously not everyone has this option!), at which point all children leap out of bed, grab their pillows, robes and slippers and make for the front door.

Finally, after everyone is buckled in, Daddy drives to the party destination, which remains a surprise until arrival, and the rest is about making a memory.

Our first Pajama Party was to the local Dairy Queen. When we arrived, all the chairs had already been placed on the tables in anticipation of closing time. Mr. Right checked with the girl at the register before hauling his troops in to the restaurant. He explained his mission and she was so excited for us! Can you just imagine the scene as a Mommy and Daddy in their pj's, followed by six not-so-sleepy children in their pj's, placed orders for their favorite ice cream treat? In fact, as we were watching the clock in an effort to respect closing, the manager came out and said, "No, please stay as long as you want!" (we didn't!). Oh, what fun!! Even Spider-Girl got her first taste of ice cream. I wish I'd had my camera...

Our second Pajama Party was just last week. We pre-arranged with Grandpa and Grandma, who had recently returned from a trip to Yellowstone, to invade their house for a slide show of their pictures. They were such great sports as they greeted us at the door in their pajamas! Grandma even made cupcakes and had popcorn waiting.

Lovin' those elk pics!!

And they want their next Pajama Party to be to Yellowstone!!

Popcorn remnants on the rug and a sleeping Davy Crockett, what better way to end a party?

We can't wait for our next Pajama Party. Some ideas for future themes are as simple as banana splits and a card game at home, a late night trip to Krispy Kreme, and meeting up with another family for a movie.

One fun story Kent Hughes shared was of the night they took their kids to Dairy Queen and then, as they were driving across town, he pulled into another DQ and announced "Seconds!" Our kids' tummies aren't quite big enough for that yet, but someday they will be...

The possibilities are endless, and so too, we hope, will be the memories!