Sunday, January 20, 2013

HI-YA! Aydan's 6!

Our Ninja Boy is 6 years old! Can you believe it? I can't. 

So when Aydan was deciding what he wanted his birthday party to be, he came up with a Ninja-Lego theme, and then I said to just pick 1 or the other, then we could have which ever he didn't choose next year for his birthday. So he went with 
NINJA!
This made me excited! And then even more excited when I found the COOLEST ninja digital scrapbook kit to use to make all of his ninja decorations!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I have taught myself how to use Photoshop. It's such a great program, and I just get tickled pick every time I create a birthday/party set because it's exactly how I want it, and it's CHEAP to print it all out. I say, if you're going to spend money on something (especially birthday decor, because you just end up throwing most of it away) you should do it how YOU want, instead of settling for something else someone else created!

Here are Aydan's invites! I found the sweet Chinese looking font off of a website for free, and I think it's pretty cool!
So to add to the party decorations, and keeping up with the "Ninja" theme, I wanted banners and lanterns, just like the Chinese use to decorate with. Well I went with a $1 pack of red napkins, and painted viper snakes on every other one, then added a strip of crate paper and an extra cupcake topper to the others. Pretty nifty huh? Then I made the lantern looking things by making them out of 2 $1 packs of red paper plates! I think it looks very "ninja." I've been laughing with my mom, grandma, and sister about decorating/preparing for Aydan's party because it was a week long process. I'm pregnant, walking around with a giant ball for a stomach, slow, and tired, and so I just did a little bit every day so I wouldn't have to do it all in one day. My usual self would be able to bust it all out, but growing a human takes a lot out of a gal!
Here are the Happy Birthday banners. And some more paper lanterns!
The party table!
The party favors!
Inside each tiny to-go box was 2 toy ninja guys, some candy, and then strapped on top was some chopsticks!
 These treats were fun! You all know JP and I love sushi, and our little Aydan-Bug does too! I've been wanting to make candy sushi for the boys for awhile, and Aydan's party was the perfect opportunity! Rice crispy treats, Swedish fish, and some fruit roll up! The middle sushi is Walmart's version of a twinky, I think.
 
Some NINJA-AID!
 So here are the cupcakes! Aren't they just so cute?! 
It's a half of an oreo cookie. I shaped the frosting to look more like a face then added sprinkles for the ninja eyes! 
When the kiddos got here I had a table set up for decorating ninja stars, and nun-chucks! Then I had a strip of white felt for every one's ninja headband!
The guest list was kind of disappointing.....Friday night before the party 5 friends were coming including 2 Justin's that Aydan talks about playing with all the time. Well Saturday morning 2 kids mom's had to work last minute and cancelled. Then we had 2 no shows, and only 1 friend ended up coming. Aydan seemed a little disappointed, but then he had his best buds (cousins) there to get all "ninja" with, and didn't seem disappointed at all anymore!
 Traceon, Kylar, and Aydan!
 This is Eliza, a friend from school. She was so funny before I took this picture of her. She tossed her hair just like she was a model, and then struck a pose! I'm just not used to that "girly" stuff! It was pretty cute ; )
 This is what I'm used to.....
 1st game that we played was "Sensei Says." I made the kids a fun sensei hat to where while they took turns.
 Then we played "Fortune cookie Toss!" 

 After that we went upstairs and had a candy sushi, and ninja-aid break! Then the kids just wanted to play.
After awhile it was time to open up presents!
 Cute Birthday boy!
 Kylar!
 Tommie!

So, my dad took this pic, and I wasn't going to post it (for obvious reasons) but it's the only evidence I have of the
 AWESOME NINJA BALLOONS!
 I drew angry ninja eyes on some red balloons that were tied to some weights, so they wouldn't float away. I figured instead of using their ninja stars and nun-chucks on each other, they could go all "ninja" on their own ninja balloon! They were fun, and it WAS a good idea!
Cupcake time! We always have to get a silly face in!
 He's looking so OLD....where's his fat baby face going?
Happy Birthday Ninja Boy!

 We had a good afternoon, and Aydan had fun being a ninja!

 Aren't they adorable? I just love them so much!
 On Aydan's Birthday day which was that following Tuesday, he had another great day! Mom brought cupcakes to the school, for him to share with his class. They of course had to be store bought, and so it was "The Avengers" theme! Then when he got home from school, mom and dad let him open up some presents! Lego's, and more nerf gun stuff! (BOTH WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!) 


 For birthday dinner, Grandpa Polson took us all out to Leo's Place for pizza and games! Then we came back for homemade ice cream, and some more presents!

Aydan went to the store with me earlier that day, and picked out all the toppings he wanted for ice cream! Yum Yum!
What a good day to celebrate such a great person! Aydan has been such a blessing to us. Everyday I'm proud of him, maybe not all day on some days, but every day. Each year as my kids grow older, I feel myself miss them as if they're childhoods are already gone. I love being a mom, and I love that I have been given the opportunity to stay at home with them. I get to spend most of all my time just with them, and for that I will be forever grateful for. 
Aydan is such a sweetheart. Every morning when I drop him off at school and watch him walk into the building as I drive away, he makes me smile. He is the kid who ALWAYS, EVERY SINGLE DAY stands in the cold holding the door open while others hurry inside to get warm. 
That is MY kid. 
Happy 6th Birthday Aydan! 

Friday, January 4, 2013

NEW YEAR'S EVE AND DAY

 New Year's Eve has been a blast the last couple of years!
We started the "Balloon Countdown" tradition last year where the boys get to pop a balloon every hour until midnight starting at 6 o' clock. In each balloon there is an activity we get to do together as a family during that hour. It's so much fun, and I had fun choosing what activities to do!

Here's the decorations for the night!

The 
BALLOON COUNTDOWN!
6 o' clock
Eat dinner and make 
HOMEMADE ITALIAN CREAM SODA'S!!
Mommy and Lincoln mixin' up the good stuff ; )
Yummy...
The boy's approved!
 7 o' clock 
TAKE PICTURES IN OUR FUN PHOTO BOOTH!
I had so much fun doing this with all the boys. They got silly for sure! I love the props!

AYDAN!
 DADDY & THE BOYS!
 MOMMY & THE BOYS!
 TRACEON!
Oh, how darling is he?
 MOMMY & DADDY!
Can I just say how I LOVE that I have a husband that does all this crazy stuff with me, AND actually likes to  do it! Yay for me! I love him!
JUSTIN!
 How I LOVE 
US!



It was so much fun taking pictures, and we had some good giggles! 
8 o' clock and 9 o' clock
PLAY BOARD GAMES AND VIDEO GAMES
I didn't take any pictures of us playing video games, and only one of the boys playing Jenga! Oops, I guess I was having way too much fun! We played some of the boys' new video games on the Wii which were really fun! 
As an adult, it is harder to play Jenga on the floor, because you're not "eye level" with the blocks, but for wiggly little boys it's much easier because they're not bumping the table!
10 o' clock
NERF GUN WAR
OH MAN, All I can say is Justin LOVES having boys! He really got into it. He locked him and I up in the boy's room where he set up all the guns/bullets/protective gear! THEN, he made the boy's come into the dark for a "rule ceremony." After that 
IT WAS ON!
Here's excited JP ready with the artillery!
The ceremony....they're bowing. Notice Justin in the corner with a play microphone.....
Yes peeps, he got into it, and I laughed hard. It was fun seeing him act like this. He's been so busy, and stressed for so long, that this was special to see!
Aydan ready to go!
Daddy!
Aydan dodgin' bullets!
Traceon and Mommy were on the same team!
Look out, pregnant lady with a nerf gun!
Traceon LOVES his new Captain America shield, and was pullin' moves from the Avengers movie!
11 o' clock
MAKE NEST IN FRONT LIVING ROOM AND TALK ABOUT OUR FAVORITE MEMORIES OF 2012!
Happy New Year! Blurry....tried to time it right!
Cheers to 2013! The year of the littlest brother!
We went outside and set off some leftover fireworks from the 4th of July!


It was a great year and a great night! Can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us!

*****************************************
New Year's Day we took the boy's 
SLEDDING!
Justin's Aunt Gayle and Uncle Ken have this perfect little hill (minus a few rocks) outside of their back yard! They were kind enough to let us come use it! Garrett, Stephani, and their kiddos came too! 
Aydan and Kylar! 
It was 14 degrees outside, but that didn't stop these two! They had so much fun together!
Daddy pulling Traceon back up the hill!
Aydan and Kylar about to biff!
Traceon!
Garrett with Collin on his back!
Garrett and Justin both tried to do this....and had some major biffs in the process! It was funny to watch them!
Aydan!
Collin! Look at that cute chub face!
Aydan and Traceon!
The boys! 
They had fun together, since I did not go down  : (
Traceon didn't last long, and so it was nice to have Justin's Aunt and Uncle's house right there to go warm up in!
Thanks a lot! 

What a fun time!