handsful

Did ya’ll think I totally forgot we had a blog?

About 2 weeks ago, we hosted a birthday bash here for Marley, Payton, and Ethan and their friends.  I was going to blog about that…and, then remembered that I failed to blog pics from Lainey and Dylan’s party with THEIR friends a couple of weeks before that.

So, we’re going back in time a bit.

There’s a cool place in Charlotte called Bounce U, with lots of indoor bounce houses, slides, and climbing walls.  Perfect place for a bday party with 6 and 7 year olds!

This was a big hit…the kids climbed through layers of fabric straps (kinda like webs) inside this very tall structure, and then slid down a slide.  Out of all the kids there, Lainey, Dylan (prosthetic leg) and their friend Anna (born with spina bifida) were the only ones to make it to the top…several times!  So impressed with their “never give up” attitude!  (that’s Dylan at the top in the pic)

The cupcakes were Batman theme (the kids choice), so this was just right for the party :)

Marley joined in the fun, too!

Make a wish!

Batman mask…loved it!

Thanking her friends for her presents…

Everyone agreed, it was a fabulous place to “party” for your birthday!

Approximately two weeks later…the trips finally found a date where they WEREN’T busy, and we had their birthday party.

They started the evening with a neighborhood scavenger hunt…oddly enough, no pics of that.  They were divided into 3 teams with about 6 kids on each (Marley, Payton, and Ethan as a captain on each).  We drove them to a near-by neighborhood with a list of things they had to either find and bring back OR take a picture of on their phone.  They experienced some very friendly neighbors (all three teams came back with a t-shirt) and some very unfriendly ones (a couple of doors slammed in their faces).  In the end, EJ’s team won.

Once back home, they scarfed down 6 pizzas (the kitchen looked like this, or worse, the whole night) and then it was time for the game Marley planned…

We put out sheets to cover the floor, paired everyone up guy/girl (a couple of girls paired up because several guys said “no way” to this game), and broke out the make-up and blindfolds.

Girls blindfolded, guys endure the agony…

This next part we’ll call…”the guys revenge”

After filling a trashcan full of make-up stained baby wipes, it was time for…Cake!  As usual, EJ wanted a cookies and cream ice cream cake, Marley wanted a vanilla with buttercream frosting (that her and her friends made that day), and Payton wanted a warm apple dessert.   They requested a “group” bday song this year :)

M’s cake close-up…tie dye!

Anyone up for charades?

It was around this time (midnight or so?) that I was fading fast…Randy always takes the “night shift” with these late nights, so I bid everyone goodnight.  The kids split up into two groups…one watched a movie, while the other went down to the Shop and had an impromptu dance party.  In the morning, I was up early(ish) and put out a quick breakfast for everyone cause most of us were due to be extras at a movie set at 10am.  :)

So, with July gone, the 5 birthdays are over and done with.  The next family birthday will be Jack, the top dog around here.  He’ll be 11 in September…or 77, however you wanna look at it.

This past weekend, our trio of 13 year olds invited their friends over for a day of lake fun to celebrate their birthday.

The weather was less than perfect, but not a party-canceler by any means. Just cloudy and cool. The water temp (82) was warmer than the air (72)!

That didn’t stop them. After pizza….

They headed out on the boat. Thankfully, we got the new boat the day before. We had 13 kids and Randy drove. Boat holds 14. Nice.

They left at 1:10. Party was scheduled to end at 4:00.

4:00 came and went, and parents started arriving. Still no Randy.

Time got away from them, and they pulled in at the dock about 4:30.

Worked out nicely, all the parents got to share the brownies and birthday cakes.

These cakes went like lightning. I never got a piece!

Party went perfectly, everyone had a blast, and I’m clear of birthdays for a while! Whew!