Mission: To Throw an Army Party

Mr. Boy has wanted an army themed birthday party all year long and would talk about elaborate plans, such as a flyover by the Stealth and the Blue Angels.   Then when it came time for invitations to go out, he said, "No wait! I want an Angry Birds Party!" I scoured the Internet but there are only so many ways to recreate a game like Angry Birds and all the products are licensed which means everything costs a small fortune.  Finally, I sat Mr. Boy down and made a case for the army party, I should have been an attorney because I won him over.

It was the easiest party I've ever done!. Every guest had to "enlist" when they arrived, and was handed a goody bag with their "gear". They were advised to put on their helmet and binoculars. The kids soldiers got to work making paper airplanes.

Then we played pin the medal on the soldier, kind of like pin the tail on the donkey, which I thought they would hate but they loved it.  Mr. Boy and I made this sweet soldier out of camo duct tape.

The boys were ready for their mission! A parachuter went down somewhere behind our house and the boys had to find it. They had to look for clues, such as the landing site and parachute pieces.

 

We live in the best place for an Army Party... the hillside was the perfect place for our mission.  Oh man, I love this house. 

Oh look they found the missing soldier! I had no idea Baby Roller Hand was in the army. Nor did I realize she was a parachuter.  Baby Roller Hand has such diverse talents.  

After completing a successful mission, the soldiers were rewarded with Army issued soda and camo cupcakes.

Mr. Boy and I had the best time making these camo cupcakes. It's just different colored batter glopped into a pan.

 

Thank you Pinterest for making me look like such a champ!

They turned out so much better than last years X rated Cake Wreck, Mr. Boy was pretty proud of us.

I bought a fancy frosting tool, but it still looks like a child frosted it.  Baking and Cake Decorating are not where my talents lie. 

 

The boys then got some R&R time to play on the waterslide and in the pool.   Zoey thinks she is a 7 year old boy and joined the kids on every activity. 

This party was so crazy easy and by far one of the best kid parties I have thrown to date.  While the kids swam, I played lifeguard and Mr. Man cleaned up.  My favorite was the loot bags, which were generously provided by the local US Army Recruiting Office.   I provided the helmets and the binoculars and an MRE (a candy bar) and they gave us tons of other loot. 

 

In exchange for the swag, I just had to promise to enlist Mr. Boy on his 18th birthday... Fair trade.. Oui?

Easter

There are two times out of the year that I get to take my darling children and dress them in ridiculous outfits,   Christmas and Easter. Even Baby Roller Hand gets a new dress to match the kiddos.

 

And then I force them to put their arms around each other and pretend to love each other. 

I beg and plead with them, "Please smile, Please, I beg of you of you, just one good picture."

Personally, I love little girls in Easter Bonnets and girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes.

 

Finally, my countless bribes and endless pleading pays off.  

 

Do you think these guys are going to mind if I make them dress in matching clothes when they are in college?

Life is Good.

 

That Baby Roller Hand.... leads a pretty charmed life.

Christmas 2010

Since the kids went to bed super late, they woke up late, which was awesome. I must remember this tip for next year. 

When asked who was on the naughty list, they were quick to name each other. 

Mr. Man must have been pretty good, because Santa brought him Star Wars Chapstick. 

I made AK a book all about her princess visits to Disneyland.  She loved it most of all. 

Well, she did until she got some Star Wars Action Figures of her very own. 

Even Baby Roller Hand got a gift from Santa.

Mr. Boy got Mr. Man this sweet hat.  Mr. Boy ran out the room screaming, "Wait!! Daddy! Wait!" before Mr. Man could open it. Mr. Boy came back into the room wearing his favorite Fedora.  "Okay Dad, now you can open your gift."

We sent Mr. Boy on a hunt for his final gift.

The look of sheer joy when he opened it was contagious.

And I loved his spontaneous gratitude.  He's a good kid. 

Later on Nana & Grandpa came by.  Nana had been too tired to come the day before. She slept a good part of the day, but the kids loved the time they got to spend with her.

AK shows off her spoils.

Mr. Boy does the same.

I love Lazy Christmas Days, hanging around in PJ's, playing with toys. 

God Speed My Friend, God Speed...

It was quite the traumatic weekend for the family. My previous post was inspired, as we lost a member of our family this weekend.

Mr. Boy trying to bargain a better deal with Mr. Man

It was the annual neighborhood garage sale on Saturday morning. Mr. Man and I had thoroughly cleaned out the house in preparation. During the last hour the kids joined us outside, and after putting Buzz Lightyear and Roller Hand back into the house 4 different times during the hour, somehow... Roller Hand went missing. I would like to think that she was taken by accident and not swiped somehow, because I'd like to have more faith in humanity.

The kids at the garage sale prior to "the incident"

The next two hours were spent tearing the house apart looking for Roller Hand, while AK wandered around in tears saying "Baby Roller Hand where are you?". We gave up after exhausting every possible option. The next hour we poured through birthday pictures from AK's first birthday, enlarging, zooming, in an attempt to try and read the label on Roller Hand's box. Then an internet search for every available retailer of that brand. Original Roller Hand was discontinued replaced by version 2.0 which includes a mouth that accomadates a pacifier. I never in my life thought that I would feel that much panic and desperation over a toy!


Mr. Man and I tried to break the bad news to AK, "Roller Hand is gone, would you like a new baby?" Her answer was No.... repeatedly. So, we decided to take her to get the new baby, and see if picking it out would help. She insisted on carrying the enormous box through the whole store, on the way home, and into the house.
After she had acquainted herself with the new baby, she only asked for her other baby one other time. Later that evening we asked AK, "What is your baby's name?" and she looked long and hard at the new baby and said... "Baby Roller Hand". Welcome Baby Roller Hand 2.0 to our family, and God Speed the Original Roller Hand.

AK with Roller Hand 2.0... notice the new baby's clothes are already taken off. All is Well. Phew!

Baby Roller Hand

So, AK is adorable we all know that, no one dares argue that fact. She constantly cracks us up with her AK-isms. She has a big heart, and constantly will mother anyone around her. On her first birthday my friend Bob got her a baby doll. We were shocked when AK, who couldn't even walk at the time, snatched it up and gave it a kiss. She rocked her baby, fed her "ba ba's", ring around the rosie'd with her and wrapped her in blankies. There was a constant thunk thunk sound as AK dragged her baby around by one arm as she crawled around the house. We asked AK several months ago "what was "baby's name?" She responded with "Roller Hand". We kind of shrugged waiting for her language to improve. A few months later, a woman at the store asked what her baby's name was, and again she responded with "Roller Hand". Consistently, for months she calls the baby "Roller Hand". We have NO clue where it comes from, or why she is Baby Roller Hand. Now, many moons have passed since Bob gave us Baby Roller Hand. Roller Hand has gone EVERYWHERE with AK, naked of course, in spite of the large doll wardrobe, and has been well loved. There is a skidmark on Baby's head from being dragged down the front steps and the driveway each morning as we leave the house. At some point one of Roller Hand's eyes kind of became a bit wonky, and she is no doubt in need of a good scrubbing. She has had several trips in the washing machine after I consulted a doll collector's message board to get washing tips. Bottom line, Roller Hand looks very well loved. We have bought AK new dolls to replace the battered wonky eye'd doll, even let her even pick out a new doll, but they are cast aside within a day, and replaced with Roller Hand. Baby Roller Hand is here to stay. I ordered Roller Hand a wooden cradle... it can be personalized with the doll's name.... do you dare me to put "Roller Hand" on it?