Birthday Parties

It's getting to be the time of year that I start planning birthday parties at our house. June is a busy month for birthdays at our house. Both my parents and my father-in-law have birthdays in early June and then mid-June brings Wyeth and Ella's birthdays.
From year to year I change my mind about how much time, energy, and cost should be put into the kids' parties. I polled my favorite mommy friends and asked advice from anyone and everyone. And after all that, I am not still not sure what to do. I am just looking to have a birthday plan for the years to come. Not to be set in stone, but just traditions that keep things fair and fun for the babes.
I want family to be an important focus for the kiddos. So, I think we will have a family dinner of the birthday honorees choice that includes any family. And then the kiddos are welcome to also host a friend party as their gift from us if they wish. This year Ella's birthday falls on a Saturday, so we will probably celebrate her birthday with just one party, and include her little friends? She isn't old enough to really care.
Wyeth on the other hand wants several parties. He will be five and friend parties are becoming quite important to him. Unfortunately the venue of his choice is closing in June and his second choice of the moment is our house. I would rather have a party at a park somewhere. As of right now, he wants to have a Clone Wars party. Ella wants a My Little Pony party, and who knows what is going on in Farfar's little bean.