Yo Ho Mateys Away {Birthday Edition}

This past weekend we celebrated the kids' birthdays with none other than a Jake and the Never Land Pirates Party. Are you surprised? Didn't think so.

It was a duel party.
1. Because I can and it makes momma's life easier. 2. Because they are exactly 1 month apart and 3. Because the level of obsession they both possess for Jake and the NLP may require counseling at some point.

{The Invite}

Also this is the FIRST ever real, we are inviting friends par-tay. It was a Y pool party, fitting right?!

{The cake}
Made by yours truly. :) Remember guys jealousy is un-becoming, I can't help my mad cake skills. ::insert sarcasm:: At least my 4 year old daughter thought it rocked and that is all that matters.

Leighton is making some weird face and MW absolutely.always.refuses.family. pics when GPs are around. It is beyond maddening, but my motto is "go with the flow" I am NOT going to force a cranky, naughty, screaming child to take a picture and ruin it for the "good" child. So there you have it no birthday boy with his cake.

{The party}
We had the room for 30 minutes before swim time. I personally didn't think it was enough time to eat cake and hang out, but I guess all the kids cared about anyway was swimming.

{Candles}
The Y provided the other much nicer cake, but since they didn't do Jake I had to.

{Pool Time}
Here's a neat little story from the day.
So our Y's boiler has gone down probably 3x in the last month. With the 3rd time being Par-TAY day.
I get a call at 12 {after I had finished icing their fantabulous Jake cake} telling me this fantastic bit of news. In their defense they were helpful and came up with some suggestions, just none that would be workable for a bunch of 4 and unders.
We were a bit upset. Finally they decided they WOULD re-open the pool and told us it just may be cold. Oh, okay no biggie, said nobody ever. Chad wanted to post-pone. I didn't. I figured we could end up in this same boat in 2 weeks, I said we will just go and make the best of it. I prayed all afternoon that somehow, someway God would fix that boiler and/or keep the water warm. HE did. The water was way warmer than I imagined it would be and the kids didn't seem to mind at all...as Lo and Avery had to be drug from the water to go home 1.5 hours later. HA!

My dad actually took all of the pool pictures. I was really impressed on what he took and how he orchestrated a bunch of good photo ops. Thanks dad! I really appreciate it!!

My friends seriously have some of the cutest kids I know!
Ezra and MW are like 2 peas in a pod. Ezra is just so cute! and squishy!

My favorite red headed boy. I can't believe how much I love that hair now, but it is starting to blonde up.

Trying out a new editing action...Auntie Meg is the best. She jumped right in there with the kids. This momma just stood on the sidelines. I am a wuss.

He may not have wanted a cake picture, but he wouldn't leave my side for long at the pool, so we grabbed this "family" pool pic. Lo didn't want to be bothered with picture taking.

After awhile we did wrangle her into a picture, but this is the best we got. I actually love it, it is us.

I am 4!

Tired love bear. MW had been battling croup all week. I asked our doc and he said as long as he was fever free for 24 hours he could go. He was, but he is still worn out by it.

When these cute little girls got cold they would go and sit by the sauna door to "warm up!"

I am telling cute cute and CUTE kids!

One of the prettiest little girls I know.

My besties, from HS. Here we are 12 years and 2 kids each later and at times it is like no time has passed at all! I love these girls!!

Party goers.

Leighton found the rock wall and proceeded to climb it.

After the pool party we headed home with the GPs to eat pizza and open gifts.
What's that Lo? You got WAY too many gifts and don't need another thing for the rest of your life?!
Oh, except money for your college fund?! Sounds like a great idea. Glad you thought of it. :)

Seriously?! We have great friends and family, but this may have been overkill.

Oh course they received the rest of the Jake and the NLP stuff on the market as predicted. Should have bought stock in that. Dang it. MW LOVING this sword!! Loving. PS isn't his puffer vest adorbs?!?!

My neighbor seriously put craftiness to shame with the stuff she comes up with. This was to die for. Photo shoot here we come!

This car mat is a huge hit around here, takes up an entire living room, but it has provided tons of entertainment around here!

My cute little pirate.

It was a great party. We were definitely blessed by family and friends. I am so glad I had the joint party and will probably continue to do so until it just doesn't work anymore. Scratch that I may not always have a "real" party for the kids every year, sometimes less is more and simple is peaceful. But this was definitely fun and I am so glad we did it! 

Happy 2nd Birthday Buddy! AND Happy 4th Birthday  my sweet girl. We love you both so much and proud of the two little people you are turning into!

Love Mommy and Daddy