Nate's Percy Jackson Party

On Saturday we had Nate's family birthday get together! He had chosen Percy Jackson as his theme over a year ago, so he was super excited to finally have this day come.

Choosing food to have was actually really challenging. There really isn't a lot of blue food that you can make healthy, and there really wasn't any food that was super significant in the books that would be easy to make for a party. We did pretty good though! We had:

Cheeseburgers (not pictured). In one of the books, Percy is climbing and struggling...and his stomach is BEGGING for a cheeseburger!

Percy's Pasta Salad! When I was boiling the pasta, I put in blue food coloring (it turned out greenish, though), and made a Greek pasta salad. Nate thought it was so great that it was blue pasta and honored the Greek-ness of the books.

Ambrosia, the food of the gods. Okay, so it's just fruit salad with vanilla yogurt, but it worked and was super yummy.

Medusa's Cheese Ball. I needed another food for the party, but was really struggling. I ended up seeing a Medusa ice cream sundae on Pinterest (mint chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate snakes coming out of the top), and thought it could be easily adapted as a cheese ball! I cut up a cucumber that was in a "c" shape for the snakes.

Nectar, drink of the gods. Better known as lemonade for us mortals!

I apologize in advance for the grainy and blurry present pictures; I was on the other side of the room and the glare from the door didn't help very much. Our boy received:

Hand weights! He's very into being active and getting stronger.

Settlers of Catan Seafarer's expansion board game. He played this expansion at his aunt and uncle's, and has been begging for it ever since! Settlers of Catan is definitely one of our favorite games.

A new target for archery! He can't wait to try it out.

Ear buds for his school computer. And they're BLUE! Percy Jackson would approve.

A Tim Horton's gift card. Donuts? Yes please! 

He also got a couple Lego sets, his favorite body wash (how is my boy old enough to be using Old Spice?!??), and swim goggles.

For his cake, I dyed the cake mix blue and then did an almost ombre blue cake to look like water. I did a yellow frosted trident on top in honor of Poseidon, and then had his 10 candles around the cake. We could not find a '1' and '0' candle that matched anywhere! Stores either had the '1' or the '0', but not both, and none of the candles in any store we visited matched the style at another store. Thankfully Wegmans had one set of all blue candles!

It was a really nice time with all of the family! The cousins had a great time playing together, some of the adults and kids played a board game, and there was a lot of visiting between all the families as well. We were really bummed, though: we actually had the back all weeded and gorgeous and the pool all ready for swimming, and it was cold and rainy all day! I think there's only been one or maaayyybe two years since we've been in the house that the weather has been nice for his party. It was also a bittersweet day as it's the last birthday party (and maybe formal get together) at this house.

Nate is already counting down to next year's birthday party as he'll get his very own Harry Potter party (Paige had one when she turned 11 as well), but I think the next year can go by nice and slow, wouldn't you agree? ;)

Nate's Tenth Birthday Adventures

Yesterday was our biggest little man's tenth birthday!

He woke up really slow, which was nice because I got snuggles! 10 year old boys still snuggle their mamas!!!!!

We had to have our propane shut of for a possible leak, but when someone wants blueberry pancakes for his birthday breakfast, you do whatever it takes to make them. Even if it means grilling them!!!! Our propane guy thought it was the best thing ever.

We had a fairly lazy day. The guys played a board game, and we watched Captain America: Civil War. Dinner was Five Guys! The kids had never been, and they loved it. They're anxious to go back and think they have the best burgers.

Pete's parents were able to join us for dinner, and they presented Nate with a new bookcase for his room at the new house. Well, it was just a picture; the bookcase is really heavy, so once we move he can get the real thing :)

Dessert was homemade brownies and then it was gift time! Ryan did some jobs around the house so he could get Nate a gift. He got him the Hubba Bubba bubble gum tape. Nate had never seen it before, but thinks it's amazing! Ryan was so proud and excited to give it to him!

We also got him a desk lamp for his new room...

...and an electronics kit!

I don't think he likes it, though.

And now it's prep time for more birthday fun at his family birthday party this weekend! Weather, please cooperate so we can swim at the party!

Ten Years Ago Today

Today is my tenth anniversary of being in two hospitals and getting a ambulance ride! Woo hoo!

How am I choosing to celebrate?

By interviewing the BIRTHDAY BOOOOYYYYY!!!! Happy birthday, Nate!

How old are you? Ten

Who is your best friend? I don't know. There are too many to choose from.

What is your favorite color? Sky blue and grass green.

What was the best thing about being nine? Being with Mr. Robinson (his first male teacher).

What are you looking forward to most about being ten? Division II Technical Odyssey of the Mind!

Nate and his Division I Technical Odyssey of the Mind team

What do you want to be when you grow up? A cook.

What is your favorite movie? Captain America: Civil War

What is your favorite song? "Turning Away" by Celtic Thunder

What do you want most of all for your birthday? Hand weights!

What do you want for your birthday breakfast, lunch and dinner? Food, food, and food! HAHAHAHA! Pancakes, pizza, and Five Guys!

Happy happy birthday to you, my boy! Being your mom is an honor and a privilege. You are the most thoughtful and kind person I know, and you have a heart for people. You have risen to every challenge put before you, and surpassed every expectation. I cannot wait to see how you continue to grow this year! Love you, my Nathan Thomas!

Happy Birthday, Nate!

Today is Nate's sixth birthday.

How did that happen?!?

I sat down with my boy who is growing up way too fast, and asked him the same questions as Paigey and Ry for their birthdays:

How old are you? Six!

Who is your best friend? Joel

What is your favorite color? Blue

What was the best thing about being five? Getting really smart at school. And playing the Wii.

What do you want to be when you grow up? A football player

What is your favorite movie? Monsters University. And Star Wars!

What is your favorite song? I'll Fly Away

What do you want most of all for your birthday? Skylanders!!!!

What do you want for your birthday breakfast, lunch and dinner? Star Wars pancakes for breakfast, not sure for lunch, and pizza with pepperoni, olives, peppers, and onions for dinner. With red sauce. And lots of cheese!

At a park for his cousin Z's birthday party last weekend

Happy birthday to my sweet boy, my buddy, and my favorite cuddler (shhh, don't tell Daddy!!). Love you, Nathan Thomas!


Do you have any questions you'd like to ask the birthday boy?

Ryan's Birthday Party

This year Ry wanted a 'Cars' themed party...and it was so much fun to prepare for!

Usually I make invitations, but I cheated this year and bought some store bought ones. They were handy because they also included thank you notes in the package (which we still have to finish writing up...man I'm a slacker!!!).

Playing Uno with Grandma while waiting for the party to start

I think planning the food was my favorite part. After spending lots of time on Pinterest and the internet, we mixed and matched food ideas until we found things we liked and fit our budget. You can check out my Birthday Party Ideas Pinterest board for original sources and tutorials on most of these ideas :)

Doc Hudson's Hot Rods (hot dogs)

Condiment stop light

Dip sticks (veggies and dip) and Mater's Tater's (potato chips)

Francesco's Pasta d'Italiano
(Pizza pasta salad with olives as car tires)

Flo's V8 Cafe:
Motor oil (coffee), Antifreeze (lemonade colored green
with lime sherbet in it), and Brake Fluid (Iced tea)

Hanging out with Bandesco, waiting for
it to be present time!

Another Dalek shirt from Uncle Derrick! This one has four
Daleks dressed up as the Avengers

Puddle boots stuffed with toy tractors from
Aunt Karen and Uncle Pastor Dale

Books, an Iron Man t-shirt and a new Bandesco car from Yaya and Poppa

A Star Wars fishing pole and sunglasses from Grandma and Grandpa

A stuffed crab (that we named Mr. Pinchy), under the sea creatures,
and a sea life floor puzzle from Great Grandma and Great Grandpa

The cake! It had his favorite three vehicles from the Cars movies on it

Blowing out the candle with Mommy

We had a great time. It was quieter than normal as Pete's sister and family and my brother and his family were unable to attend. Quiet was good, though, as we had just had our annual church auction the night before so the kids were up until after 9 (I think it was closer to 10 before they got to bed), so they were all very tired that day.


What was your favorite birthday experience?

Ryan's Birthday: Afternoon and Evening

After we came home from our morning adventures, the kids had a short rest. Then we watched Cars 2, because it's one of Ry's favorites. Ry got to open another present, and it was a pillow mat that I made him. It's basically a sheet that I sewed into pockets, inserted 4 pillows, and appliqued his name to. He can take it to his grandparent's house when he spends the night, or use it for movie days by folding one of the pillows under and reclining on it with his head propped up. He loves it and takes naps on it almost every day!

When the movie finished, Pete's brother Derrick and their parents came over for dinner. Ry choose my baked macaroni and cheese (which is actually my mom's recipe). It's one of his favorites :)

Then it was present time. He couldn't wait to open them, mostly because as soon as he did he could eat cake. The boy loves cake.

The pillow Paigey made him

Star Wars Legos from Mommy and Daddy

A Bandesco and McQueen shirt

 

A cool toy that's a flashlight on one end
and a mini lightsaber on the other from
Grandma and Grandpa

Lightning McQueen Pez from Grandpa

C'mon Mom! Light the candles!!!

Yummm, ice cream cake!

He had a great day! He couldn't wait to get up the following morning to wear his new Dalek shirt from Uncle Derrick. He hated having to take it off to get his hair cut!

Silly boy's just as into Doctor Who
as his Mommy!!!

It seems like ice cream cake is the new birthday dessert in my house. What is your favorite birthday dessert?

Ryan's Birthday: Morning

Ryan's birthday was on the 5th, and he had been looking forward to it for quite awhile now. Okay, so mostly he just wanted the cake, but he was pretty excited to be turning 3.

After a breakfast of toast and eggs (his favorite!), he got to open up a gift:

Birthday boy needs a new birthday shirt!

Modeling his new tow truck belt and his new age :)

Funny story: Ryan is learning sign language, and his favorite thing is the numbers. He will correct you if you do your numbers wrong, so beware! Here is is showing the correct way to sign '3'; at our church's auction, people would ask him if he was 3 now and hold up their pointer, middle, and ring fingers (you know, the usual way to show 3). And he would tell them that that was 6, and he's not 6, but he's 3 and would hold up his fingers just like that.

It's cute to see, but sometimes frustrating. He bumped his head a couple weeks ago, so I held up my three fingers (pointer, middle and ring) and asked how many fingers I was holding up. He said 6. I worried he had double vision, so I held up 4 fingers. He said 4, so I went back to the 3 fingers. He again said 6, and I said that it was really 3 fingers. He said it was 6, and then held up his thumb, pointer and middle fingers and said that that was 3.

Sometimes that kid is too smart for his own good...

But back to the birthday!

We asked Ry if he wanted to go to the aquarium or to the zoo, and he said sharks and fishies! So we packed up lunches and went to the aquarium in Niagara Falls :)

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the aquarium. But I hate getting there. We have to cross over Grand Island, and the bridge to get to Grand Island is not the best thing for people who are claustrophobic. Both bridges (to and from the island) are really big, but the one to the island is partially covered, and it's bad enough that I start to panic.

When we got to Niagara Falls, I was kicking myself because I had meant to grab the kid's birth certificates to go to the Canadian side to show the kids the falls. Oh well, there's always next time, right? We were able to see the spray on the American side:

The Falls

We timed our arrival at the aquarium just right; they were getting ready to start a harbor seal show, so we were able to get a pretty good spot so we could see the show. The kids love watching the seals perform tricks and watch them get fish for treats. The trick they like best was watching the seals spin around because we've taught our dog Mason to spin as well!

Waiting for the show to start

First stop was to see the penguins! Last year when we were there, one of the penguins was losing his feathers, and he'd stand there right in front of the window acting like he was the prettiest bird ever. There were no bald penguins this year (much to my disappointment; they make me giggle!), but they were still fun to watch.

Then we went to see all the fish and sharks:

Here fishy fishy fishy!

Nate loved this shark

Paige liked the big cat fish

Tropical fish

Turtles!!!!

Hmm, those penguins look familiar!

Ryan loved seeing Nemo fishies in their anemones

We were hoping to stay for the sea lion show, but Ry was crashing and wanted to go home. We stopped in the gift store and picked up some birthday gifts for Ryan from my grandparents (we got him a stuffed crab that we named Mister Pinchy, a floor puzzle, and some under the sea creatures), and Paige and Nate each got to pick out something small.

Once we got home, we put the kids down for a short rest. I'll post the rest of the day's festivities tomorrow!


Have you been to an aquarium before?

Side note: We have a membership to this aquarium; we pay $50 a year, and get in free every day. If we weren't members, we'd be paying $38 to get in once. We also get into the Seneca Park zoo in Rochester free, and the Buffalo Zoo for half price. If we go two of these places once, the membership pays for itself. It was cheaper to go this route than to get a membership at either of the zoos. If you're looking to get a membership to your local zoo or aquarium, make sure you check out what other benefits it includes; you might be able to find a great deal!