Playing Hooky In The City

Brad's folks arrived last night for a couple weeks, so we made an executive decision and let the kids play hooky from school today. After all, who needs stupid stuff like an education anyways. 

Yeah yeah yeah I know education is important blah blah blah it's only one day blah blah blah. 

Today was shockingly beautiful and sunny, so we left after breakfast and blasted into the city for the day. 

As the good tourists we are, our day in San Francisco was spent at the Fisherman's Wharf at Pier 39. We walked around the shops and let the kids picked out new hats and kites and a few hundred other little things and watched a few fantastic street shows on the waterfront. I mean, that's what you do at Fisherman's Wharf, right? Shop, people watch, walk around, eat. 

New fave picture of the boys with their grandparents!

Sourdough Bread Factory

Watching the sea lions on the pier

The boys and Papa got new hats

More hats. Super fun unique ballcaps.

We also went to the Aquarium of the Bay right in the heart of the Wharf. This is a first for any of us, so it was extra fun. It's not the best aquarium I've ever been to (the award for that goes to this one in Philadelphia), but it was definitely worth seeing once. It featured exclusively all the local fish life from California coasts, including jellyfish, rays and sharks. It had a touch tank where you could pet baby Rays, lots of different exhibits and two tunnels (including a shark tunnel!). We really had a good time in here and it was a great way to break up the day. 

Taken with my cell phone!! In the shark tunnel a shark swam above me, passing a spotlight. 

While we were down here, we walked by a Rainforest Cafe, and decided it would be super fun to do a special dinner for Camden since it was the last night of him being five!! (wah sobs boo cries). These restaurants are rad. It's a two story mecca of all things rainforest. The walls and ceiling are covered in vines, trees, and other flora (fake), resembling a thick jungle. Nestled inside it are lots and lots of animatronic animals: gorillas, elephants, tigers, leopards, butterflies, etc. Every few minutes or so, they get angry (or something) and all start moving and calling out and causing a big fuss. 

The boys decided the gorilla standing in front of our table was probably hangry, and they kept pretending to feed it their bananas off their plate to make it happy. 

A girl walked around and made balloon snakes for them, and then the waiter came out with a huge cake "volcano" for Cam to share. 

I think he liked it. 

Great day in San Francisco. I'm thankful for all the experiences we get to have across the country. 

Holy Birthday Party, Batman!

Since yesterday was family day for Cam's birthday, we allowed him a friend party today. Camden rarely asks for a friend party, so this was one of (if not that only) friend party he's had. 

For the last solid year he's asked for a Lego Star Wars party. But in true little kid fashion, he changed it two weeks ago to Lego Batman. 

That's not terrible. What's easier than Legos and BATMAN?

I basically threw this party together in the last 48 hours. I didn't want to dedicate a lot of money or complications to this party. I took a couple ideas out of my head, a few pins on Pinterest and materials that I already had. 

This party brought to you by construction paper and scotch tape.

He's ready. 

The dining room wall I covered completely in black construction paper towers with a Batman signal (also made of construction paper) and comic book style cutouts to say Happy Birthday Camden (printed out at home with comic book font I downloaded for free). Then of course the centerpiece is the cake, a fondant covered 2 tiered cake with a city skyline and a battle between Batman and Joker on the top. Joker conveniently was flying away via balloons, and I added Lego candy that we had been saving for two years since Calen's 6th birthday Lego Star Wars cake. 

For the actual party, I decided to create a "How to become Lego Batman" theme, based on the quote that makes me laugh "Always be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman." 

This was stupid simple. I printed out a checklist and 5 "stations" of how to become the ultimate (Lego) Batman. 

Step 1: "Wear a mask to hide your identity." $2 pack of cardstock Batman masks from Walmart.

Step 2: "Build a sweet ride for you and your sidekick."
Step 2 1/2: "Make sure you have a sidekick". 

This took a little more planning. I thought it would be fun if the kids made their own Batmobiles. After all, it's a Lego party, right? Deep in a closet we have a bin of "throwaway Legos" from sets years and years old that the kids don't use anymore. So Calen and I built 9 small Batmobile "sets" and then took them apart and placed in separated bins so they could create it on their own. For the "sidekick", I bought these perfectly perfect mystery Lego Batman figure packs for each of them for $3 a piece. This was a massive hit with the kids and they basically spent the whole party building and rebuilding Batmobiles. 

Heading towards the Batmobile building station outside. "To the Batmobile!!"

Batmobile Building Station

Each "kit" included enough Lego pieces to build a cool Batmobile, and a mystery Lego Batman figure pack 

A bin of Legos was placed on the ground, and suddenly a shark feeding frenzy of boys converged. 

Step 3: "Make sure your tummy is always full." Because obviously. Add comic book sound effect action bubbles for effect. 

Not food, but more sound effect action bubbles. BAM! Get it?? That's Bam. 

Step 4: "Don't go to jail! And if you do, escape!" This was a fun one. I took an empty photo frame that we already had on the wall with clothespins glued to it for the kids' artwork. I took it and, using construction paper and scotch tape, turned the frame into a jail cell that can be used for pictures. Done done and done. 

Moms get trapped too

With Grammy!

Cam and buddy Calvin

Calen and Cam. In the details: The prisoner number is Cam's birthdate, 4.22.2011

Step 5: "Save the city! Take a selfie while doing it" I wanted to get the kids in front of the cityscape in their Batman masks to take photos, and so at one point we moved the table over and took pictures. Absolute best thing ever. 

Cam was just so in his element. 

NINE BOYS! Ten if you count a baby! I think this might have been a success. 

This party was a wild success. Simple, cheap, and super easy way to entertain ten boys. No party games, no micromanaging, just kids, Legos, cake and pizza. 

The Day You Turned Six

Today is the day! I can't even believe it. My littlest baby boy is six. SIX!! 

Not even close to possible. He was just this little squishy baby a month ago. 

Small Fry!

But reality is ridiculous, and he really is six. 

We had an (almost) traditional birthday day for Mr. Camden today. We started off as we start every birthday each year: birthday pancakes! Which are like regular pancakes, except with whipped cream and sprinkles, a number candle and a rousing early morning singing of "Happy Birthday". He opened a couple presents from us and his brother, including a Lego Batmobile and some Star Wars guys. 

Because it was a Saturday in April, it was also a baseball day. Camden got to be the "home run hitter" (last batter) in tball this morning, and got to eat a thousand snacks and run up and down a big hill during Calen's game with his fellow team little brother and birthday buddy (both turning six today). 

After baseball was over for the day, we went to Cam's dinner of choice: Chick Fil A with a play area and free ice cream. Easy. Cheap. Done. 

As per tradition, we took Cam to Toys R Us with some birthday money to pick out what he wanted. By then he was tired and had a hard time making a single decision, but he finally decided on a Transformer, a Lego droid set, some Pokemon cards and a single Lego ninja guy. 

It was a great day celebrating our little Bam Bam today. He may be six but he'll always be our littlest tiny guy. 

Easter Sunday

Today is Easter! I love this holiday. But who am I kidding, I love most holidays. 

Easter means a lot to our family as Christians. It also is usually in the heart of birthday season in our household, so it adds to the excitement of spring for us. 

Today was a little unorthodox, due to some semi-unforeseen circumstances. 

Last Monday, I go to work and check my schedule for the following week. I totally expected to see that the store was closed on Easter, since it's on a military base, on a "Red Letter Holiday" (meaning non-essential military personnel have the day off). But guess what? The store was open. Full hours. And guess who was scheduled to work Easter morning?

To the next person that says, "welcome to retail", allow me to throat punch you. Target is closed on Easter. Come on. 

So, we had to make some adjustments. We set our alarms and all got up super early at 630 (Who am I kidding - the kids were already awake) and let the kids open their Easter baskets from us. This year featured Lego Nexo Knights, Star Wars "guys" and micromachines (hidden in the eggs), story books and a small amount of candy.

Then, we scrambled (literally...see what I did there) to make a quick but nice Easter breakfast - eggs, bacon, and hash browns. I shoved it down as fast as I could and then ran outside to hide Easter eggs on the front lawn before I had to start my shift 30 minutes later. 

The boys ran out and gleefully searched for eggs. Most were haphazardly tossed out on the lawn, but some were cleverly hidden - up in the tree, on the fenceline, on the basketball hoop. It took about 20 minutes and they found them all, and I ran to work. 

We interrupt this Easter for a 6 hour work shift. Boo. Hiss. 

Brad and the kids came and visited me in the middle of my shift after they went to church. We ate Lunchables together in the back room and wandered around the store for a bit. Again, not really something you'd expect to do on Easter. But, we made the most of it. 

After I got off work, we came home and smashed confetti eggs on our heads because that is somehow an Easter tradition. But it's extremely meaningful to the kids because 1. confetti 2. they're for once allowed to smash eggs and 3. they're allowed to smash eggs on their sibling's heads. 

After the confetti fest, we ate Ribs and macaroni and cheese for dinner, played with Star Wars toys and watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (original, 1970-whatever version) while eating popcorn with jelly beans in it. 

An unorthodox way to celebrate Easter, but we did it, and made the most of it.