Birthday Boy!

The much anticipated 6th birthday has arrived!  Ian has been wild about his Pirate Party and the park around the corner-locally called Pirate Park because of the big ship built there!  We invited all of the boys in his class plus a couple he is still buddies with from last year's class.

So, birthday morning started with the usual swimming lessons, minus his favorite teacher who was out sick.  Sad face!  Rachel, Alex's friend, joined us for the day to help out.  She and Alex had planned the pirate treasure hunt for the kids, so figured they would want to lead it as well!

Once we got back, I got baking cupcakes in ice cream cones and ship biscuits with worms (cinnamon scones with mini chocolate chips!).  The kids loved both!  Lots of cut fruit, cheese and crackers, dips and cold juice boxes and water.  It was a warm afternoon-about 85 degrees with "abundant sunshine" as they say in the weather reports!  Passed out the sunblock and bug spray and they were off!

Lyle led the newspaper hat folding as the boys arrived.  Once they were all here, we handed out eye patches and swords, and they were off for their hunt!  Alex and Rachel had 2 teams that as they charged all over the park they collected clues and parts of the map.  Once each team had their pieces, they came together and checked the map, and headed back.  Those Raiders of the Lost Ark fans-you know the scene where Indy is being chased by the headhunters as they come over the hills by the river?  Yeah, that was them.  We could hear them coming through the trees well before we saw them, then they break through, streaming in a line back towards the ship.  Hysterical!  The treasure box held gem rings, gold necklaces, uncut gems (bright chocolate Easter Eggs!) and plenty of pirate gold coins (chocolate too!).  The hunt was a blast!

We handed out cold drinks and eats to the hot and sweaty kids, sang for the Birthday Boy, ate some more, and played pirate until parents came back to claim their sweaty boys!  Arr, Matey!