The Un-Birthday

We celebrated Charlotte's Un-Birthday this past weekend.  She is finally to the age of friend parties and I was excited to get to host a party at the beach.  When will I ever get the chance again?

Charlotte decided on a Mermaid themed party and there are lots of great ideas out on the web for Mermaid parties.  We used One Charming Party for our ideas and printables.  This made it a little easier to host a great party without access to Target, dollar stores, and Michaels (to name a few).

One Charming Party gives you lots of ideas for you party and easy instructions for any DIY projects.  They even provide a menu.  I didn't get to take any great pictures of the party before hand.  I didn't leave enough time before guests were arriving and for last minute changes.  We had hoped to rent a table and be entirely down on the beach.  However the beach was already prepared for the Typhoon coming on Monday and they wouldn't let us rent a folding table.  Oh, and tinsel glitter is my new favorite thing.  It makes everything look cool.

We made the sign, the sandcastle, we dried our own seaweed (made the house smelly) to glitter, and I saw these suckers on another party and thought they looked like sea glass and we had to make those too.

One thing about having the party at a different location is you forget things.  I had cut out and glittered the mermaid cupcake decorations, but forgot them.  So, only the green ones with white chocolate sand dollars were decorated - Oh, well.

I love the paper straws.  I wanted to make sure everything was essentially safe if it was blown out to sea or down the beach.  So, we packaged their food in small paper bags and then in a bucket.  Lunch was Peanut Butter and Jelly Fish sandwiches, crab legs (carrot sticks), sea cucumbers (sliced cucumbers), deep sea pearls (blueberries), gold fish crackers, and sea weed juice (purple crush).  Of course they didn't eat much.

After lunch we played games.  Dolphin, Dolphin, Shark! (Duck, Duck, Goose).  Water Relay, we used large shells to run water from one bucket to another - girls vs. Grahm (Grahm graciously lost - with a little bit of my help).  Sea Shell Dig.  We collected shells from various beaches to provide the girls with great shells to find and not broken fragments.  Flip-Flop Hunt.  There is a cute message that you read to the girls and then they are given one flip-flop and they have to find the match.  And some Limbo.  Jayce was our DJ (he is growing up too fast).

We all ended up a little too burnt, tired, and happy after a day at the beach!

Happy Un-Birthday Charlotte!  I hope you had a wonderful day and know how special and amazing you are.  You are so sweet and tender hearted and always have a smile.  We love you so much.

Life is Beachy

I am determined to enjoy the beaches more often this summer.  Last year I gave into the boys whining about sand and begging for the pools.  The pools here are so nice because there is no mountain breeze of evening temperatures that cool them down.  They are a nice luke warm temperature.  So we can all get in without having to "jump in".  So here are some pics from a recent trip to the beach.  The boys look like they are enjoying themselves.

Charlotte and Grahm are showing off some of their new swimming skills.  They are doing well in their swim classes.  Hopefully they will continue to enjoy it and I can have some very waterproofed children.

Put Your Dukes Up

Jason and I enjoy boxing for a little aerobic exercise.  And to settle any arguments we have, just kidding.  The kids are always interested in trying them out.  We have let the boys box a little, but I get too nervous about it.  I hate it when things get heated and it always does.  You can tell by the red faces they have been at it for a bit and the fun was just about over.  Grahm almost gave Jason a bloody nose.  When Jason and I work out one of us blocks and the other does some punching combinations.  It is a great workout.

I think Tennyson will be safe on any date.  Watch out boys, she has one mean left hook.

Jason caught me working on some pictures for the blog.  I am always trying to get better lighting in our house.

Taiko Drumming

(picture source)

At the elementary school the kids have a chance to join a Taiko Drumming Club and learn the art form of Taiko Drumming.  This involves ensemble drumming as well as Eisa style dancing.  Eisa is a form of folk dance unique to the Ryukyu people (Okinawa was the center of the Ryukyu kingdom).  It is cool to watch.

This is a picture of the drum the kids use. (Picture from here)

Here are some pictures from his performance.  For only 1 performance I didn't spend the money on the correct footwear (white tabi shoes) that is why his pants are tucked inside his socks - faux tabi boots.

Grahm has been practicing weekly for a good part of the school year.  They decided last minute to invite parents to the last practice/performance.  Since they don't let the first and second graders perform this was the parents chance to see what they learned.  Grahm claims he does not enjoy the club, but he must enjoy performing!

Turn Your Back for a Sec

This is what happens when ever a chair is left out.  She climbs up there fast and enjoys whatever was left behind.  She is a busy girl.  I think I have a picture of all 4 of them doing something similar.