I'll second, third? Lisa and Sov. Six years old is too young to teach a charity lesson at birthday time IMO. Their birthdays are about silly fun with their friends. Lisa's statement in regards to gifts (optional but please be sure to bring yourself blah blah) is as far as I would go. As the mother of a small child who has too much, I use these experiences to teach the gift of giving. The joy of finding a special toy (and a matchbox might be all that is for some but it's still special to a six year old) is a lesson I don't get to give very often so I really take advantage of it (our son is 4 and not yet in school). At 8 or 9 plus it's a fun idea to discuss giving a party for charity, but only as an idea for the child...you know when they're ready for this or if they ever are :) I bitterly remember the birthday where my father taught me about charity. I opened all the gifts and then they were given to the "less fortunate" (I had no idea who those people were because we didn't learn that lesson). It was really more about control (now that I look back on it) verses a lesson in charity, but to a small child...do they really know the difference? I think we often forget the "joy of giving" and focus on the receiving too much :) So I get where you're coming from, but for a child of six...it's a party :) Let them enjoy it as a six year old should. Goody bags aren't a tradition in our area of the country. But I think the cookie and balloon sounds great. Great for table decor and enjoyable for the kids to take home. Or you could go with a matchbox given the theme of the party (those cheap ones). I don't mind cheap crap...it makes DS smile. The fact that he does not know the difference between a one dollar car and a twenty dollar one actually pleases me. And I don't mind the matchbox's anyhoo...at least they're metal :) My DS is afraid of birthday cake (or was until this year when he's braved the frosting) so I guess we're not overly birthday focused, but he has enjoyed the parties he's gone to as long as we avoid the cake. I don't remember getting any party bags...wait maybe one, but perhaps that is just our circle of friends. I don't think a lecture on how to throw a party is necessary :) Family, friends, it does not matter. Kids should have special birthdays be it with their school friends or family or both. Special does not have to mean much. We had our favorite couple over with their two kids for DS's 4th. Then we repeated a simple dinner with grandma the next week (we were moving to her state). He enjoyed both parties immensely and both were quite simple. DS would love to attend by the way....do you allow 4 year olds? I promise to limit the plastic LOL

I can't see the pictures here at work, I've got to remember to check them tonight at home. The dinner sounds delicious and I'm sure will look every bit as good as it sounds. Congratulations on a job well done. So SWMBO was suitably surprised and good for the daughter, to allow that the soup wasn't totally "icky", LOL. Annie

I have Sharon's(chase) classic cheese cake in the oven as I type. I think that would work. If ya want to go with chocolate this one from Carol(dishesdone) is killer and then some. It is fine without the ice cream... Posted by dishesdone (My Page) on Fri, Mar 10, 06 at 21:26 This was also in this month's Chocolatier magazine and looked sinful! The recipe sounds long but if like to bake it really isn't that time consuming. Just lots of steps. LOL I served store bought Ice Cream so can't comment on the Frozen Milk recipe. Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Cake with Frozen Milk Frozen Milk: 3 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate cake: 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons alkalized cocoa powder (preferably Valrhona), sifted 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 large eggs 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup canola oil 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water Ganache: 1 pound milk chocolate (preferably Valrhona Jivara or Guittard) 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Dacquoise layer: 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 2 large egg whites, at room temperature 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped Peanut butter crunch: 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup Skippy creamy peanut butter 3 ounces milk chocolate (preferably Valrhona Jivara or Guittard) 1 cup Rice Krispies Make the Frozen Milk: Combine all ingredients except vanilla extract. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and set bowl in large bowl filled one-third of way with ice water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until chilled, about 20 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Process in ice cream machine according to manufacturers instructions. (Frozen Milk is best when served the same day.) Make chocolate cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9" x 13" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients except water; pour into dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. Add boiling water and stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan and bake until cake springs back when touched in middle, about 30-40 minutes. Cool cake in pan set on wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and cool completely. Make ganache: Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. In small saucepan, bring cream to a gentle boil and gradually whisk into melted chocolate. Set aside. Make dacquoise: Position rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using 13" x 9" baking pan as a guide, trace a rectangle onto a piece of parchment paper. Turn paper over and place on a large baking sheet. Combine sliced almonds and confectioners' sugar in food processor and process until finely ground. Set aside. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium speed to soft peaks, gradually adding granulated sugar while whipping. Once stiff and shiny, fold in almond flour mixture. Spread into 9" x 13" rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with chopped peanuts and bake until browned, 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool on wire rack. Make peanut butter crunch: In medium bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate. Place bowl over saucepan filled one-third of way with simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in Rice Krispies. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over dacquoise. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut chocolate cake in half horizontally for form 2 layers. Spread one-third of ganache on top of bottom half. Remove dacquoise from freezer and peel off parchment paper. Place dacquoise, peanut butter crunch-side up, on top of ganache covered cake; gently press to remove any air pockets. Spread half of remaining ganache over peanut butter crunch. Place second half of cake on top. Refrigerate until ganache is set, about 1 hour. Using serrated knife, carefully trim off rough edges of cake. Rewarm remaining ganache over a pot of simmering water, and spread over top of cake. Serve a square of cake with a scoop of frozen milk. Recipe by Nancy Olson, Peacock Alley, Waldorf-Astoria, NYC from Chocolatier Magazine March 2006 Cheescake Supreme (Sharon) 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter melted 40 ounces cream cheese (5, 8 oz packages) 1 3/4 cups sugar 3 TBSP flour grated rind of 1 lemon grated rind of 1/2 orange 5 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup whipping cream Fruit and glaze (Directions follow) Mix graham cracker crumbs sugar and melted butter. Butter a 10 inch springform pan. Press crumb mix into the bottom of the pan. Let the remainingg ingredients except cream come to room temp. Beat cheese until fluffy. Mix sugar and flour together and gradually mix into the cheese, beating mixture smooth. Mix in grated rinds. Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time beating well after each. Stir in cream. Pour over crust. Cook in preheated 500 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 and cook for 1 hour ( NOTE: I always seem to have to cook it longer than this to get it to set properly, usually 1 1/2 hours) Remove from oven, place on rack away from drafts and cool. When cool refrigerate in pan until cold. Remove from pan and place on serving plate. Top with fruit and glaze and refrigerate until serving time.~ Fruit and Glaze.... working from the centre out to the edge. Arrange 4 or 5 canned apricot halves around centre of cake(reserve juice) Circle the apricots with canned pineapple wedges, (4 rings quartered) reserve juice. Alternate fresh starwberry halves and green grapes to form outer circle. Mound about 1/3 cup blueberries in the very centre , inside the ring of apricots. To make glaze combine the apricot and pineapple syrups to make 3/4 of a cup. Add 1 TBSP of lemon juice. Combine 1 TBSP cornstarch with 2 TBSP cold water. Add to juices and cook stirring until thickened. Add a drop of yellow food colouring if desired. Spoon over fruit. Hope you have a great evening!! David

Most counties require a witness to the wedding and that person also signs the official wedding certificate to be filed at the court house. Side note: In the eyes of the court, a pair is not considered legally married until the wedding certificate has been filed. While searching my family's history, I found 2 wedding dates for my grandmother; one date on the day of the ceremony and a second date two weeks later when it was filed. Before automobiles, Pastors often collected wedding papers and went to the court house maybe once or twice per month to file the wedding certificates. There was a hazard: If something happened to the Pastor in the interim and the papers never filed; That can cause problems at later times when probating an estate or other legal matters.