Birthday Week!

Here in our house, we do 'Birthday Week!'. We mostly do this so Landon isn't over whelmed with Birthday stuff right on his birthday. He always has gifts sent to him from our family and I feel he appreciates the gifts he gets from them a little more when that is the only gift he gets that day. He plays with it and calls to thank whoever got it for him. I don't know if I would do this is we had more kids, but it sure is fun doing it now!

The Navy life is never as you want it to be. You don't get to pick when they are gone or home and date ALWAYS change. J was all set to be home for Little's birthday. He was going to be home the day before! Then something happened and they came home early. They said they weren't going to leave till their next set time, then it changed, and changed again.....he was going to leave a few days before Little's Birthday. I was crushed. It was going to be the first Birthday he had missed. I think I would have been fine with it if I had known the whole time....but it kept changing. I was sad.

So Birthday week started with Daddy home. We went to Rainforest Cafe for our big dinner the first night since J was leaving. We had a blast as usual and L got the cutest little elephant to add to his many others.

Then J didn't leave.

We had more Birthday fun over the weekend! Lunch, movies and tons of at home family fun(with a gift from family opened each night). Then on Sunday night we surprised L with his favorite cake, candles and a loud edition of 'Happy Birthday'. Monday morning we got up early, got DD and took Daddy to the boat to leave. At 8PM we got a call to come bring him dinner! They didn't leave again! Haha. The next day or so, them leaving was called off. He WAS going to be home for everything! Hahaha. Gotta love the Navy!

So J got to spend the rest of the week with us and Thank goodness, got to help with the party!

Little woke up on his birthday to Balloons covering his floor and streamers blocking him in his room. He loved it! Later that day, J got out of work early and was able to take cupcakes to Little's class with me. L was sooo excited that his Dad was there and even more excited when he got to stay and help out in the class for the rest of the day!

The week ended with the Birthday party. It was a long week, but I'm sure it's the things like this that Little will always remember(or I hope he does!)

Mad Science Birthday Party!

This past weekend, Little had his 7th Birthday Party! It was a HUGE hit!

When the kids arrived, they were stopped at the check-in table. There they got funny Dr. names, a name badge and a goodie bag with glasses and a mustache. Then they headed into the main room and did sticker sheets while everyone else arrived. (the check-in table was so much fun. The kids got really into the names they were given and the glasses and mustaches were great!)

(all of the decorations!)

I made keep out & disaster area door signs and we had eye balls hanging in all of the doors.

After everyone was there and settled, we got ready for the science experiments! First we did 'Instant Snow'. The kids got a kick out of the growing snow and I highly recommend having large plates they can dump it on to play with it! Haha. Those plates saved me! Next we did SLIME! We let the kids mix the slime and shake it. It was so fun to watch what kids were in to it and what ones thought it was gross.

(Little with his experiments)

Next, we ate! I froze candy brains & eye balls into ice cubes and we served them with sprite and water. We also had jello petri-dishes with worms and pizza(brain-bit pizza, eye ball pizza and penicillin pizza). Little wanted lime cupcakes with lemon frosting this year! What a combo!

(Food)

After lunch we did cake and ice cream.(and a few family pictures)

(I love his get-up for the party!)

When ate was done and the party was winding down, the kids got in a line and I filled their goodie-bags. We had test tube candy, bags of blood, petri-dish lolli-pops, Radioactive Rods(glow sticks), gummy eyes, brains and other body parts, sticky eye balls and other little trinkets. They also got to keep their slime(if the parents okay'd it!)

(Table of goodies!)

It was a really great party and I'm so glad everyone had a great time! Little is so blessed with so many amazing friends here. It's going to be hard when a lot of them move away this next year.

Mad Science Birthday Party(Sneak Peek!)

Little is turning 7! Eeekkkk!

His Birthday Party is going to be a blast this year! I've put so much work into making(yes making! The invites took forever to get done!) all of the paper goods and I'm so excited for it all to come together!

You can buy the party stuff at my shop on etsy! To take a look go HERE!

Cupcakes & Underways

My husband is gone again. He shouldn't be gone long and I'm taking this as a time to get the house cleaned and ready for him to be home for a while!

Every time they leave, I go down to watch the boat go out to sea. It makes it a little easier to handle knowing he's gone and not just sitting down on the base(because they NEVER leave on time).

This time, I couldn't chase the boat all the way out. You see, it was Landon's birthday. While some would say that it sucks that they left on his birthday, my husband was overjoyed. They were going to leave a day earlier, which would have meant that he would have missed L's b-day for the first time. They left late and J got to spend the morning with our little boy. It's one of those small things that you are forever grateful for. Six Birthdays and not one of them missed.

 

I watched them pull out. Then headed on my way to Little's school.

He was so excited that I came in. I was there to help for a bit, then passed out cupcakes and juice.

I love the crown they made him! He was loving all the attention.

On their birthdays, the kids get to lead everyone in singing happy birthday. It was super cute!

Cupcakes and juice!

Normally I would have made the cupcakes, but due to the NASTY weather, preparing for underway and no school.....I bought them. Landon was excited that he got football cupcakes(his birthday always falls before/on Superbowl weekend. We decided when he was born that we are taking him TO the Superbowl for his 16th birthday...lets hope he likes football!)

When we got home he got a delivery from his Grandparents! He loved it! It's huge and only about half gone! Haha.

Six Years Ago.

Six years a go today, I was having my little boy. I'm not going to go into his birth story since I've done it on here already. But just know that it was one of the scariest, happiest and most unbelievable moments of my life.

Here he is Year by year!

Birth Day.

(Everett WA)

Turning One!

(Camano Island, WA)

Turning Two!

(Orlando, FL)

Turning Three!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Four!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Five!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Six!

(Groton, CT)

It still hasn't hit me that my little boy is six! I know it will at some point.

We have gotten so very lucky that J hasn't missed a single birthday. I know it isn't common and we thank God everyday for the memories he's given us.

This morning J & I did a little dance in the car at the exact moment six years ago that our little boy was born. We were sitting at the pier waiting to say goodbye for another underway. They should have left yesterday, but they didn't. He got to be home for Landon's Birthday, even if it was only for a few hours filled with early morning donuts and cocoa. I will take what I can get and it was perfect!

Rainforest Cafe!

Every year we take Landon to the Rainforest Cafe. I thought it was only since we moved here, but when we thought about it we realized it's been EVERY year! Crazy!

It's our little tradition to go up for dinner then we let Landon pick ANYTHING he wants from the Disney store.(this year we got  off REALLY lucky. All he wanted was a $12 stuffed animal!)

This year the B's came with us. they had never been there before and it was so fun going with them for their first time.

Our view from our table. We had a huge table in the back right next to the elephants! (if you've never been, every 30 min they have a mock "storm" where the lights flash and all the animals move and make noise. It's great!)

This was right above out table!

My boys!

L is getting good at taking pictures! Haha.

For some reason, we never tell them it's his birthday. this year we changed that. He loved it! From now on we know!

VOLCANO!!!!!!

We ALL shared this since it's HUGE!!

Lan and I were taking a picture when Bitsy told us that she really wanted a picture with us to! I love her!

Future Mr. & Mrs? Haha.

Me and the Birthday boy!

J decided he wanted to drink L's ice cream. Grossest thing I've ever seen!

All of us after dinner! We had so much fun. Everything is better when great friends come along!

The elephant right by our table!

We really love going up there for dinner! I hope wherever we move next has one close by or I don't know what we will do!

It was a MONSTER BASH!

I am not a sheep. I lead. My son? Not so much.

A few months back Little went to his first "friend from school" birthday party. He had the time of his life.  So when it came time to plan his own party.....he wanted the same exact thing.  I get it, having a birthday in the winter is hard for a kid. Not much to choose from. So we did Monster Mini Golf just like his friend did. Thank goodness I know the mother and she didn't care one bit.

You get the room for 90 minutes. Then all the kids get to go mini golf!

Little before the party started!

He wanted a Monster theme since it was Monster Mini Golf.

My rule on birthdays: Every even year we do a big party out in "town". When we do this I buy everything. I don't stress and make everything. On the odd years we do a party at home where I do EVERYTHING. It's crazy hectic when we do it at home(but cost a LOT less). So every other year is a perfect mix!

Coldstone cake! It was frozen solid when the poor kids were trying to eat it. I felt a little bad. lol.

Candles!

Our little family!

Golfing! So much fun!

Me and my little(not so little) boy!

Hahaha. Because it was his birthday he got to pull on the tickets! He ended up getting over 500 of them right here! He loved it.

The troll in the middle of the golf course.

Lan & Bitsy! I can't say it enough, but they are so close. I love that even with the age gap they are best friends.

L golfing.

Daddy & boy. I love that J got to be here for his party. We've gotten really lucky and so far J hasn't missed a single birthday(of Little's).

Me & Bri! I love her! They spent Little's whole birthday weekend with us and it was amazing!

Me and my man!

Done!

We had so much fun! After golfing we played games for another hour or so. Lots of money and a bunch of crap toys later we were home.

Little's birthday isn't for a few more days.....but it's sinking in that he's growing so fast. He's going to be our only, so I'm making sure to love every moment of this!