Dear MK South Puget Sound Subscriber,

I am late publishing today - so sorry but I am a widow of college basketball today, tomorrow and for as long as my husband lasts in his bracket.  As my friend Brad so eloquently put on his Facebook status today "We interrupt this marriage to bring you the NCAA Tournament" - so true for so many of us! 

In this week's issue we profile the Top 6 Best Cupcakes in South Puget Sound, offer up 3 great South Puget Sound locations to host your birthday parties and provide articles on how to make, enhance or buy the perfect cupcake and how to follow the correct Birthday Party Etiquette from A to Z. 

Also, this week is our your last week to ENTER TO WIN a Family Overnight to Great Wolf Lodge so check out the contest below.  Additionally, we chose another winner from our readers submissions of their best South Puget Sound Birthday Party Ideas - scroll down to see this week's winner! Next week will be our final Birthday Party dedicated newsletter until next year so please send me any submissions of ideas, locations, vendors, etc and if we use them in our issue you will win as well!  sarahb@macaronikid.com

Have a Happy Day,

Sarah Beyersdorf

Publisher

Macaroni Kid South Puget Sound

www.south-puget-sound.macaronikid.com

Macaroni Kid is excited to announce our BIGGEST CONTEST YET!!!  With a generous offer from Shop N Swap Children's Consignment Sales Events (www.shopnswapsales.com), Macaroni Kid is giving you a chance to WIN AN OVERNIGHT, FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, AT THE GREAT WOLF LODGE!!!
 
It's so easy to enter.  Sign up to subscribe to one or more of the Macaroni Kid sites below and you will be entered to win!  To subscribe, click on any link below and click on the "subscribe now" button, enter your info, and where it says "how did you hear about us", please write: CONTEST ENTRY.  It's that easy!!!
Remember, you must pick a new site to subscribe too, not the Macaroni Kid you already receive!  For example, if you receive the Snoqualmie Valley Macaroni Kid e-newsletter each week, to enter you must sign up for one of the other four Macaroni Kid sites!

www.south-puget-sound.macaronikid.com (Auburn, Tacoma, Lakewood, Kent, Renton, Sumner, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, Bonney Lake)
www.mercerisland.macaronikid.com   (Mercer Island)
www.northsound.macaronikid.com (Edmonds, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Mill Creek)
www.snoqualmievalley.macaronikid.com (Issaquah, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Fall City)
www.the-eastside.macaronikid.com (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, Woodinville, Kenmore)

We would like to thank each of our loyal subscribers for your support, and we would also like to thank Shop N Swap Children's Consignment Sale for supplying such a generous prize!  Please visit their website for more info on their Children's, Women’s/Home Décor & Bridal Consignment Sales Events, Next Children’s Sale - March 20 & 21: www.shopnswapsales.com.

Contest info: New subscription must be to a different site than you currently subscribe to.  No limits to how many sites you may subscribe to, up to four.  Up to four total entries per family.  By entering the contest, subscribers understand that their email address may be used for marketing purposes solely by Shop N Swap Sales, and Macaroni Kid, but will NOT be sold to any third parties.  Overnight is to be used at Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washington.  Winner will be announced at the end of March on the Macaroni Kid sites, as well as each night at the Shop N Swap Children's Consignment Sale, March 20th and 21st, 2010

Amber Livesay had the best suggestion for a South Puget Sound Birthday Party this week so she wins a $10 Starbucks Gift Card - Congrats Amber!  Please read below for Amber's glowing review of Jim's U Fish in Spanaway!

In Amber's own words - "Jim’s U Fish in Spanaway is a FUN birthday place!  A friend of mine had her son’s birthday there and they have a huge fish pond with a little bridge, a bait shop, they provide all the poles and bait and they’ll even clean and bag any fish you catch (or you can throw them back in).  Plus they have a barn with animals including a huge camel!  There are also ducks and other miscellaneous farm animals running around.  There are picnic tables outside and under canopies where we had cake and her child opened presents.  It’s a cool and different spot and my son Anthony just loved it!"

Check out Jim's U Fish in Spanaway and tell them you heard about them on Macaroni Kid South Puget Sound!

Jim's U Fish at Old McDebbie's Farm

4924 268th Street East, Spanaway

(253) 875-0356

www.jimsufish.com

Indulge Cupcakes

1913 Main Street, Sumner

(253) 447-7824

www.indulgecupcakes.com

Sweet Things Cupcakes & Couture

2510 North Proctor Street, Tacoma

(253) 503-0709

www.sweetthingscupcakes.com/

Hello Cupcake

1740 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma

(253) 383-7772

www.hello-cupcake.com

Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes 

900 South 3rd Street, Unit A, Renton

(425) 235-1717

www.commongroundcupcakes.com

The Cupcake Lady of Fox Island

The Fabulous Fox Island Indoor/Outdoor Market

Nichols Community Center, 690 9th Ave., Fox Island

www.thecupcakelady.biz

Something Delicious Bakery

21224 84th Ave S, Kent 

(253) 395-5572

www.somethingdeliciousbakery.com

If you have a great cupcake recommendation, please send it to us - sarahb@macaronikid.com

This Week's Picks:

Teen Scene:

Plan Ahead:

Make cupcakes unforgettable at your next party with these awesome tips from Momologie.com!

Step 1:  The Cupcake

From Scratch:

The cupcake has become quite the craze, and with good reason.  The nostalgia and convenience (no more cake-slicing debacles) make them a great way to celebrate birthdays and other rites of passage.  Michele even has favorite cookbooks she counts on for inspiration.  She especially loves Hello, Cupcake! for clever decorating ideas and great recipes for mildly sweet and moist cakes.  The end result looks quite intricate, but the book breaks down techniques in a way that makes it doable for anyone.

Semi-DIY:

We can’t always bake from scratch, so we’re continually on the lookout for shortcuts that make the grade.  Michele’s favorite cupcake mixes from Barefoot Contessa are delectable. High-quality ingredients result in down home goodness.  We love the chocolate cupcakes because they’re not too sugary.  Michele got rave reviews when she took them to her son’s school for his birthday.

From the Bakery:

Cupcakes are America’s favorite treat, and some of the best varieties are cropping up in bakeries dedicated to making them an art form.  If you don’t like to bake or don’t have time, cupcake shops allow you to customize your order with a variety of cake and frosting types to please a crowd.

Step 2:  Decorating

Whether you bake them from scratch or a box, the cake itself is only a vehicle for icing.  At our last party, more than half of the kids licked off the icing and left behind soggy cake. 

Here is where the fun begins!  Don’t forget that you can start with making your cupcakes in patterned or metallic baking cups or wrappers to add color and design. Then, you’ll top with colored icing, sprinkles, berries, candies, flowers, specialty picks, and other special effects to create your showstoppers.

We love  the Layer Cake Shop for their retro-kitschy inspired designs.  The selection of toppers and kits are the easiest and fastest way to decorate in practically every theme imaginable — pirate, baby shower, birthday and luau. Williams-Sonoma has a cupcake decorating kit that's designed especially for kids with icing containers are easy to control. Jimmies are one of our favorite toppings—you can combine them with a topper, cover the entire cupcake or simply roll the edges (they’re great for covering mistakes).

Step 3:  Transporting and Packaging

If you’re transporting your cupcakes to another location, make sure you protect your work.  There are many great carriers available to keep treats intact and then display them when you arrive.

We love the gingham pattern of this recycled cardboard carrier for outdoor events.

The stackable Cupcake Courier holds up to 36 cupcakes in three layers with a protective covering, keeping everything in place and well protected from spills and bugs.

Crate&Barrel’s cupcake carrier is designed to take you through the whole process – bake, cool, carry and store.

Or, purchase cardboard boxes like you’d get at a cupcake shop to send leftovers home after the party.

Step 4:  Displaying

We love a tiered stand for making cupcakes accessible and displaying your hard work. A tall stand with a lovely grosgrain ribbon edge makes a statement and easily disassembles flat for storage. Or a wire stand that holds each cake in place is reminiscent of a tea party.

Federal Way Community Center

876 South 333rd Street, Federal Way

(253) 835-6900

www.itallhappenshere.org

Celebrate your next birthday or family event at the Federal Way Community Center. Their party packages offer a complete and fun-filled event sure to please any boy or girl. Each party package includes one hour of activity (pool, climbing pinnacle or gym) and use of a poolside party room for 45 minutes — plenty of time to open gifts and blow out the candles! You bring your own balloons, streamers and other decorations to customize the space.

Or if you want to take it easy yourself, for a modest fee, their staff will handle event set up and take down, decorate (using your decorations), and guide your group through their activities to keep everything on schedule. All you have to do is accept the compliments for hosting such a fun-filled event.

Odyssey 1

2310 W. Mildred #110, University Place

(253) 566-3233

www.odyssey-1.com

Odyssey 1 in University Place is a little kids' heaven - parties are packed with excitement and adventure!  Choose between a Laser Tag, Jungle Gym or Game Party. The coolest thing for the birthday girl or boy is they get to enter the "Birthday Machine" where they get 35 seconds to grab as many tickets to redeem for game tokens. Their food and customer service is amazing which is an added bonus.

For specific birthday party packages visit their website - www.odyssey-1.com

Be a host or party-goer that Miss Post would approve of! Leading etiquette experts and parents who've been there solve sticky party dilemmas.

Do I have to invite everyone in my child's class?

No. But you should try to be discreet about it. Assemble the guest list with your child; she'll have a good idea about her class' social dynamics. Drop off or mail the invitations — don't let your child distribute them in class — and discourage her from talking about the party at school.

We "should" invite more kids than I can handle at the party. What should I do?

Plan a playdate or outing at another time with different groups of kids. For example, if your first-grader has friends from school and a soccer team, plus a few cousins, limit the party to the school friends and family, then plan an outing to a pizza parlor or sporting event with the team for a separate day. If you're not inviting kids whose party he's attended, you might want to use it as an opportunity to teach your child about the importance of reciprocating hospitality and plan a get-together with those kids as well.

Can I call people who don't RSVP to find out if they're coming?

Absolutely. Don't let others' bad manners spoil your party. On the other hand, don't use the phone call as an opportunity to share an etiquette lesson. Find out what you need to know and save any snide remarks until after you've hung up the phone.

How do I make sure my child is gracious to the guests?

Start by setting the tone when you begin to plan the party. If you emphasize the importance of guest enjoyment from the beginning, your child will be more likely to recognize her role as host. Also, create opportunities for her to interact with guests individually. For example, put her in charge of handing out a prop to each guest as he arrives and distributing goodie bags as the party-goers depart. Be forgiving if she forgets her manners sometimes, after all, there's a lot going on, but don't be afraid to remind her gently to thank guests for gifts.

Are competitive games a bad idea?

Not necessarily. They've stood the test of time, most kids know the rules, and they're fun. The key is make sure no one goes home empty-handed, and that the winners' prizes aren't outrageous, like that one special toy everyone wants to have. 

What do I do if someone brings a sibling or a parent stays unexpectedly?

There's not much you can do except squeeze in another chair. You can always put an extra parent to work, but younger siblings will have to be incorporated into the festivities. If you can, prevent this problem by being as clear as possible on the invitation — state the child's name directly rather than use "you" — but keep a few extra goodie bags on hand, just in case.

I'm worried my entertainer won't show up.

A small degree of paranoia can be a party-planner's best friend. Approach your party with a back-up plan, so you can handle unexpected rain, delays, or no-shows with grace. Plan for extra activities or games, and try not to over-hype an entertainer until he arrives. Buy yourself some reassurance by confirming the entertainer a week before the party.

One of the guests is being a complete brat. What should I do?

Be as positive as you can be. The combination of excitement and sugar can be too much for some kids. Try to distract the child with a task or make him feel special with extra attention. If other parents are there, you could ask one of them to take him under her wing. If niceness fails, pull him aside and warn him that you'll have to call his parents to take him home if he won't behave.

What should I do with my other child during the birthday party?

Siblings can present a challenge at a party. Sometimes the best option is to plan a day for your other child with a friend somewhere else. However, if a sibling will attend the party, invite a friend of hers to keep her entertained. Avoid letting an older sibling simply stay in her room during the party — it can encourage bad manners and contribute to jealous feelings. Another good way to solve the dilemma is to involve the older sibling in the party planning and delegate her tasks she'll enjoy during the festivities.

What if my child hates a present?

This problem can be neatly circumnavigated by not opening gifts at a party. The trend is towards that anyway — it saves time, guest jealousy, and protects everyone from the embarrassment of your child's true reaction to an unwanted present. However, if you choose to open the gifts at the party, be sure to remind the birthday child ahead of time what gifts represent: the thought behind them. While he may hate the present, it's simply mean to reject another person's thoughtfulness.

My child received four identical gifts. Can I ask other parents for the receipts so I can exchange them?

Not really. Practical parents may include a gift receipt with the package. If you know the person well you may be able to discuss it without offending her, but it's better to err on the side of politeness. Many stores will accept a return for store credit without a receipt, so try that first. But if that doesn't work, stash it on the shelf for a spare in case the first one breaks.

Are thank-you notes necessary?

Absolutely. It teaches responsibility, politeness, and consideration for others, as well as gives your child an excellent writing and creativity exercise. The notes don't have to be long or detailed, but should thank the gift-giver for their attendance at the party, their gift, and mention something specific she likes about it. Even pre-literate kids can draw a picture or "autograph" a note you write as a thank-you.

My child's been invited to a party. Does that mean I'm invited too?

Ask! Chances are if the invitation doesn't say "and family," your presence is not needed unless it's a party for a child under 3. However, the best way to know ahead of time is to discuss it when you R.S.V.P. If your spouse will also attend, let the host know. The big no-no is bringing other siblings to the party without a direct invitation from the host. Unless you have an infant, it's not particularly polite to even ask the host if you can bring a younger sibling, but if you're stuck it's always better to discuss it rather than surprise her.

I'm accompanying my child to a party. What should I do when I'm there?

Let the host set the tone. Offer to help, but if she says no, leave her alone. If she doesn't give you specific directions, act as a helpful — yet unobtrusive — chaperone. Be sure to ask before you use anything, especially the stove, changing table, high chair, etc. Also, keep consistent with the host's rules and exercise common sense to help protect the guests and party area.

Family Fun Center & Bullwinkle's Restaurant

7300 Fun Center Way, Tukwila

425.228.7300

Fun center birthday parties are a fantastic way to celebrate your child’s milestone day! From go karts to bumper boats, arcade games to batting cages, the Family Fun Center has all the great activities that your partygoers will enjoy!   Do something different this year and challenge your friends to a race around the go kart track or battle it out in their laser tag arena. Choose from their basic package, Bullwinkle package or create your own package from their list of great attractions! Food, drink and dessert are also available as part of the birthday packages.

Reservations are required so please call (425) 228-7300 ext. 13 to schedule your fun center birthday party today!