Monday, July 30, 2012

Happy 5th Birthday

How in the world did my babies get to be 5 years old???   I swear they were just born yesterday.  It’s just scary how fast it’s gone by.

The kids woke up and enjoyed a candle in their chocolate donuts.  We headed out midmorning for a fun day of birthday celebrations.  We stopped in Salisbury for lunch at Hap’s Grill.  After lunch we continued on and arrived at the Lazy 5 Ranch.

The Lazy 5 Ranch is a cool place where you ride on a wagon and you feed all kinds of animals.  Everything from ostriches to buffalo to all  different kinds of deer.  The coolest is feeding the giraffes.  You get to be so close to them and they eat out of your bucket. 

I hope the kids enjoyed their day.  It was pretty warm out but they acted like it was scorching hot out there.  They kind of wilted in the heat and they didn’t seem very excited on the wagon ride.  After the ride we headed to the playground and got some ice cream and they perked up quite a bit. 

We did have a run in with one pesky ostrich.  Lindy was sitting with Drew and was just holding a handful of food and the ostrich went after the food.  It did scratch her hand but it mostly scared her.  She got over it quickly but I’m glad we didn’t lose any fingers on her birthday! 

We ended the evening with Mexican food and a birthday cupcake.  They got to talk to most of their family today. 

We had a fun day celebrating them.  It’s amazing how much you can love two little people.  We did miss Adam today.  It would just make this day so much better to have him with us. 

Happy Birthday Lindy, Will, and Adam!

Here is their day in pictures: DSC_5677Opening presents from mom and dad.DSC_5679DSC_5684DSC_5686DSC_5696DSC_5698DSC_5700DSC_5704DSC_5710Lunch in the car from Hap’s GrillDSC_5711DSC_5716DSC_5725DSC_5731DSC_5733DSC_5738Papa’s close encounter with the ostrich.DSC_5742DSC_5746DSC_5753Lindy was intent on holding the buckets of feed.DSC_5761DSC_5765The mean, pesky ostrich that came after my daughter!DSC_5783DSC_5791DSC_5800DSC_5810The baby ostriches were so cute!  DSC_5814Feeding the buffalo and their yucky tongues!DSC_5823DSC_5827DSC_5833DSC_5838DSC_5842DSC_5845DSC_5851DSC_5856DSC_5857DSC_5858DSC_5860

Sunday, July 29, 2012

5th Birthday Party – Arrrrghhhhh!!

Will and Lindy decided they wanted a pirate birthday party this year.  Specifically they wanted a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.  

I think the kids had a great time.  They were so excited to see their family and friends from school.  Of course Micah and Claire were here, and one friend of Will’s from his class last year, and then the rest of the kids were from Lindy’s class last year.  Will will be in class with some of them this year so it worked out well.

The party started at 2pm and our first game was musical pirate ships.  I played Jake and the Neverland pirate music and whoever got out had to ‘walk the plank’.  It came down to Will and his friend Jared, who is about twice Will’s size.  Jared won.  After musical pirates we played Pin the Treasure on the Map.  After pin the treasure on the map we headed outside for a little treasure hunt. We made Captain Hook hooks and we had gold doubloons and beaded necklaces all over the backyard.  The kids had fun running around wild searching for treasures.  Our last game was a pirate ship piñata.  It was a well constructed piñata as it took quite awhile to break it open.  We finally let Micah just wail away on it trying to get it open.  Will took a few last whacks and the candy started to come out.  I finally just ripped the rest open to get the candy out.   We came inside to cool off.  We ate cake and snacks, and then finished the party by opening presents.  After all the kids left Lindy and Will got to open presents from the family.  

I think the party was a hit.  I really enjoy making all kinds of crafty things for this party.  My parents helped make all my plans a reality!  Because of some crazy busy weeks my plans pretty much got left until this week.  If they weren’t here I’m not sure it would have all gotten done!

Mom and I made the pirate ship cake.  It only took two tries!  We got the base made on Friday night and we started in on the front of the ship.  We needed to stack up 5 triangles and get them frosted.  It didn’t go well. We got them stacked and they were leaning so badly.  They would have never stayed up.  We decided to just leave the base and try again in the morning.  After an early morning cake run by my dad, we tried again.  This time we got it!  We fixed all our mistakes and we got a pirate ship! 

Enjoy tons of pictures from the party!

The party invitationblacked outWelcoming our party guestsDSC_5177My dad built a plank for the kids to walk on.DSC_5184Mom and I made a pirate flagDSC_5180X marks the spot!DSC_5183The pirate ship cake mom and I made.  Second time’s a charm.DSC_5154DSC_5156DSC_5161The Captain Hook hooks.DSC_5166The treasure chest my dad made.  I had plans to make it out of a Styrofoam cooler and he came in with this awesome chest!DSC_5167DSC_5169The pirate dressing station when the kids first came in.  The girls got a pink bandana like Izzy and the boys got red sashes like Jake (Izzy and Jake are characters from Jake and the Neverland Pirates).  They all got pirate tattoos too.DSC_5173 The monstrous treasure map in the living room.DSC_5218The birthday girl!DSC_5185The birthday boy!DSC_5200DSC_5191DSC_5192DSC_5196DSC_5217Our pirates!DSC_5226ARRRRGGGGHHHH!DSC_5232DSC_5222DSC_5235The food table. DSC_5245A pirate ship watermelon!DSC_5246Fish and chipsDSC_5247Cannonballs (whoppers)DSC_5248The cookie cake Drew’s aunt and uncle brought.DSC_5249Musical pirate ships.DSC_5250Sorry, Lindy, walk the plank!DSC_5257Who do you think won???   DSC_5276Pin the treasure on the map.DSC_5286Heading outside for the treasure hunt.  Will said this was his favorite part.DSC_5303Micah using his hook to find treasure!DSC_5319Helping Lindy find gold doubloonsDSC_5327Captain WillDSC_5330We had another set of twins at the party.  DSC_5333The indestructible pirate ship piñata. DSC_5354Hard to see but her tongue is out.  DSC_5368DSC_5373Check out that swing!DSC_5380DSC_5395It was like seagulls at the beach when they find food.  They swarmed the candy!DSC_5408Getting ready to sing happy birthday!DSC_5413Lindy went crazy when we sang to her.  More tongue action, waving arms, laughing.  It was so funny!DSC_5424DSC_5428Will got all shy when we sang to him!  DSC_5433DSC_5436All the pirates at the party!DSC_5459Micah, Kris, Katie, and ClaireDSC_5541Lindy got her own broom.  She has swept all day!DSC_5549Will got his own putter and a little putting return game that he has played a ton already.DSC_5556Grandbob!  Suzette couldn’t come because she had surgery on her wrist this week but we definitely missed her!DSC_5591Janice, our favorite babysitter and honorary grandmother!DSC_5587Molly, Ed and JamieDSC_5593Mimo and Aunt Anna!DSC_5608Nana and Papa!DSC_5616DSC_5610Lindy baked for us all evening!DSC_5621This afternoon Lindy and Will got their birthday present from Nana and Papa – a mini outdoor trampoline! They had a blast bouncing around.  DSC_5651DSC_5655DSC_5664DSC_5668Papa made pancakes tonight!DSC_5671DSC_5672

I can’t believe my babies turn 5 tomorrow.  How did that happen????