One Sick Party!! OR tooting my own horn OR how to fake it really really well!

Now that the dust has settled, and the ringing in my ears has stopped, I think I can update about Aidan's Pirate Party!!

First, they came!! And as they each arrived they put their jewels on their treasure chests (Where jewels = sparkly stick on earrings). And then we got out the ink and gave them all tattoos. (Where ink = temporary tattoos)


Then there was games! There was Pirate Pirate WALK THE PLANK! Think Duck Duck Goose. It was hilarious to watch, but a complete disaster, since the kids had no clue which way to run, or they cut through the middle of the circle, or just stood there confused :) My George brought a blue tarp (Think Ocean) and a wooden board (think Plank) and whoever made it back to their spot first had to WALK THE PLANK! I came up with this one all on my own (TOoT!) OH! Almost forgot, I got each of the scurvy brats a pirate hat thingy or bandanna.



After that we played Cannonball ATTACK! I flipped my sectional couch so that the two pieces were back facing back, and split the kids into two teams (Which really means the girls wanted to be against the boys). I blew up a gazillion black balloons into small "cannons" and the kids launched them at each other. Good times. (Sorry about the dark picture, I should have closed the curtains!)



Then.. Umm.. My George challenged the kids to a silence contest. If you make a noise you're out! The girls were Amazing! Wouldn't say boo for nothing!! As each kid went out for making a noise, I had them decorate a sail (White paper slid onto half a skewer. Once they were done, I stuck each 'sail' into their hot dogs (lunch) and my Mom threw some Goldfish crackers onto the plates. It looked so neat! (Forgot a picture though :( I saved a couple sails though, and I'll take a picture next time I make hot dogs :) ) The Hot Dogs really looked like boats! (props going out to the wise old internet for that one!)

After lunch they ran around like monsters and were really really really really really (okay, you get it) LOUD! I think we might have played another game in there, but for the life of me I can't remember, and there's no pictures. (Julie D, I think I need to hire you to take all my party pictures!!)

And then the most fun!! What Pirate gathering would be complete without a Treasure Hunt!? I had run out of time to write clues and plan out the hunt, so had all but given up on the idea. But then, about 20 minutes before the kids all got here, I magically found the coolest treasure hunt Ever! Complete with clues! The premise is the Pirates have stolen the CAKE! the clues led the kids everywhere, from the fridge, to the closet, to the bathroom, to the front door, to Aidan's room, to the kitchen, to the top of the stairs, and finally to the table, where my partner in crime (Think, my Mom), had snuck the cake while the kids were searching for their clues! It was AWESOME! So, then there was cake.



So, judging from the ridiculously flattering comments I got on Facebook, people are impressed. But seriously, I could do an entire blog on how much I dislike this cake :( I think it's the icing. I tried to use a chocolate buttercream icing, instead of using my usual tried and true recipe, and tinting it brown as I had first planned. It tasted great. And I will certainly use it again, but probably just for brownies. It was a Stubborn icing! How absurd is that!? But it's true. I found it greasy at times, and too thick at others. And I could have sold my soul to the devil and Still not gotten a smooth finish with it. I have Never wanted to throw a cake out the window more than I wanted to that one. But, all that said, Aidan was Thrilled with it. And more than one of the kids at the party didn't believe that it was actually a cake! :) That's saying something...although, they were 5, so it's a tough audience to judge :) Oh, and I goofed. I was so anxious to get the 'lid' off the cake, that I completely forgot to sing Happy Birthday to Aidan and let him blow out the candle before I took the lid off! Oops! Sorry Aidan!



After cake we did more running around like mad pirates. Screeching and hollering at the top of our (meaning their) voices. I wrangled them all together again, and got the gifts opened and thank yous said just as parents arrived. It was so great. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to play pin the X on the treasure chest, but no one seemed to miss it, and I'm glad I ended up with a back up instead of scrambling for something to do.

As each pirate headed out the door, they were given their decorated treasure chests (pictures to come of them as well) which my mom had sneakily filled with loot (Ring Pops, Candy necklaces, chocolate coins, gold bars (also chocolate), jewels for the girls, and tattoos.) I also got great deals on pirate paint kits and pirate eyepatch and earring kits, so I made sure each pirate got to take at least one of those home as well.

One of the pirates' mom's bowed to me at the school today. I'm guessing she got to hear all about how it was TOTALLY the party of the year, and that I am the coolest mom on the universe for throwing that wicked party for Aidan. :)

Oh..And did I mention that I planned this all, made the cake, pulled off the party of the year..with a RAGING case of unmedicated, undiagnosed, Tonsillitis?!? Oh yes. Fever, sore throat to the point of spitting my saliva instead of swallowing it (sorry, tmi, I know), body aches to rival a mountain climber (I"m guessing at that). I managed to drive myself to the clinic, the store to get my meds and home again before collapsing. I slept like I never have before.

And I did it with a bare minimum of help, since Al (sadly) had to do mandatory overtime on party day. Which we found out about the day before.

I don't say it often, but I am so proud of ME. :)