Camping 10th Birthday Party and Ice Cream Cake

My baby girl is now ten. Double digits! Last year she partied like a Rock Star. This year the request was to camp in the back garden with friends. The guest list was capped at 5 much to her disgust. Thankfully the weather was kind and it was a very mild and dry evening. The tent was erected and bedecked with bunting on the outside and cushions, beanbags, banners and lanterns on the inside.

All summer we've been constantly on the look out for an Iona coke bottle but with no success. It is one of those within the 1000 new names added for 2014 but alas we've never tracked one down. Last year she had to make do with being a Happy Chappy whilst the rest of us found our names. A friend who'd helped in the quest to track down Kyle told me that I could order them online so I duly purchased a case of six personalised with the names of her and her party guests. They were a huge hit.

Pizza and Cupcakes were the only specified party food. Seems that 10 year old campers have less specific requirements than 9 year old rock stars. Vanilla cupcakes topped with chocolate fudge frosting and sprinkles. Party snacks were served up in a genuine retrotastic Tupperware Party Susan.

The Birthday Cake of choice was an Ice Cream Cake. This came from the awesome Aunty Betty's in Stonehaven. This is a shop that has to be seen to be believed. Traditional old fashioned jars of sweets combine with divine cakes and bakes and the most amazing Ice Cream concoctions. There are permanent queues out the door in both summer and winter. They also have the best ever customer feedback form.

If truth be told Girl is actually much more of a fan of Sorbet than Ice Cream so she was disappointed to discover that a sorbet cake wasn't possible. A quick change of flavour choices led to her Ice Cream creation containing Chocolate, Honeycomb and Mint Choc Chip. It looked and tasted amazing. The girls made quick work of demolishing it.

With brain freeze and sugar rush it was time to don Onesies for some glowsticks and fun and games in the garden. Surely this would tire them out?! Alas unlike us they hadn't spent the previous night watching the results come in for the Scottish Referendum! Some campfire fun round the Washing Machine Drum fire bucket toasting Marshmallows followed by Hot Chocolate with Squiry Cream and even more Marshmallows.

Goodness knows what time they did finally fall asleep. They were still going strong playing truth or dare at 1am. Clearly they have youth on their side as they were up bright and early next morning with Iona to open her parcels. Is there anything better than a Sweetie Pizza for a birthday breakfast?!