Pirate Party

Our Little Man turned FIVE this past week and to celebrate this milestone, I planned his first "kid" party -with a pirate theme. The invitations were empty water bottles with a pirate map tucked inside. I also added some sand, seashells and some fun beach foam shapes. I had planned to turn our back deck into a pirate ship, complete with a mast and crow's nest, but the weather man was calling for thundershowers. Fortunately, I was smart enough to have a "rain plan" and moved the party indoors. This was okay, because it allowed me to set up some of the decorations a day in advance.

I made a banner out of red and black Bristol board. I stenciled a jolly roger on the black triangles to add to our pirate theme. I was really wanting a wooden barrel to have as a prop - I found this rain barrel in the garbage and grabbed it - lucky find!! ( hubby wasn't as excited as me)

Charlie and I made a treasure map out a garden leaf bag. This was used for " X marks the spot" game - a variation of pin the tail on the donkey.
I looted though our Halloween box, and found some skulls and creepy gauze fabric to decorate the stairs. I added some blow up fish from the dollar store, that I later gave out to my two helpers ( my older son and his friend.)

The mantel was decorated with pirate gear; a hook, balloons, a jolly rogers flag, driftwood and seashells. The pinata ship was a great decoration before it got smashed by my five little pirates.

Another craft that the Little Man and I made before the party was this Pirate chest. We used two boxes from the grocery store, painted them brown, and used yellow electrical tape to decorate it. This box is where the pint sized pirated stored their loot from their treasure hunt. I have learned over the years, that these hunts are happier if everyone works as a team to find
treasure and I divide it up evenly later.

Hubby was the brave soul who held the pinata for our excited pirates. Pinatas are always a "hit!" Another hit were the loot bags. Each boy took home a pirate sword, book, eye patch, blow up shark, bubbles and a backpack key chain of Captain Jack Sparrow. I also let them take home their craft. It was a black paper cup with an aluminum foil hook attached. We used the hooks to play "pick up pretzels" at snack time.

Charlie - and all the other boys had a great time. He is such a joy to watch grow up and I was honoured to give him this special day. But by the time the last boy was picked up we all were beat. Just after the last boy was picked up, one more arrived. His mother read the invite wrong, and thought the party started at 5:00, rather than pick up time at 5:00. Well there was no way that I could send this little guy away, so we invited him in.

Charlie and his late arrival had fun playing with the presents, eating more cupcakes, and blowing bubbles on the front lawn. What a super fun day.

June 12 -14 - Busy Weekend

June 12 - Ugly shirt self portrait
On Saturday night we attended a ugly shirt party. I dug out this shirt that I made in grade eight with my best friend Dawn. We had matching hats too. What were we thinking? This shirt is horrible. I cant seem to let myself throw it out - but I have retired it to being my hair dye shirt. Anyways, my ugly shirt did win me the prize of the night - dinner for two - a box of Kraft Dinner. Too funny. We had a good time, but as soon as I got home, off came the shirt. Enough ugly for one night.
June 14 -
I finally got out the invites to the Little Man's pirate party. I am very happy with the way they turned out. Charlie was so excited to drop them off at his friends houses. We have a few more to drop off tonight.

June 13 & 14 - And She's Off!!

The Kids is on her way to Quebec today with the school. She will be gone for 4 days. I know, not long, but it's the longest and farthest away she has been from home. I am sure she will do fine. At least I am pretty sure she will do fine. She tends to have a low bullshit tolerance - and that makes me worried that she will stress herself out instead of enjoy the experience.

I knew that I would not be able to drop her off myself with out making a public embarrassment of our family. I did have a bit - okay a big cry on Sunday night. After all the lists were checked, the clothes, ipod, camera, books for the bus, deck of cards, bathing suit, umbrella, emergency first aid kit, emergency rain poncho....it hit me she was going. The Kid would have to take care of herself if there was a problem, I could give her the tools, but she had to be the one to utilize them. Its what we do as parents, teach your children, so they can be independent. And if the goal is independence, then what then is my role as mother. My role as mother is to be ready and interested to hear all about her adventures. To be a soft spot in the world to land, to give encouragement or advice when needed. My role is to step back and watch her grow.

So I am watching her grow. It used to be that I would look at her and see traces of the baby she once was, and now, I look at her and catch glimpses of the woman she will become. If I look hard enough there is still evidence of my little girl, just check out Winston, her teddy bear packed in her bag.