daughters 7th b'day party....and the in laws.?

[armywife]

every year from the time my kids had their first birthdays', we have had large family b'day parties. We have also been host to numerous other large family parties. Christmas, Thanksgiving, cook outs during the summer...and so on. Well, in the last year or so I haven't been really "Up" for having all these parties so I started cutting back. And for family cook outs I have been asking family members to bring something (which they enjoy doing) However, for my daughters' 7th B'day party, I am getting a bit tired of having all family members come. Shes' in first grade now and she wants friends at her parties. I really do not want to have a bunch of family as well as her friends (and their moms) at my home. Its going to be too much for me to clean up. I am thinking of having it at some cute little girlie place (where they dress the girls up and have a "spa" day)....my MIL has already been hunting me down trying to find out when I plan on having her party...SHes' a monster of an in law and I was wondering about the opinions of others in how to handle her and my reason for not wanting a bunch of people at this place.