Birthday Time!

Samuel's 6th birthday was last week and we were up in Idaho for his actual birthday. He got to have a "Speed Racer" cake, with cars on top that he got to keep. He got new toy lightsabers and a new nunchuck for the Wii, so that he could play some of his favorite games with other people. He and his Uncle Bill played boxing on the Wii until they were both sore.





A couple of days after we got home, we had his big birthday party (which we had been planning for a month) and it turned out very well, if I do say so myself! On even numbered birthdays, my boys get to have big birthday parties with friends. On odd numbered birthdays, we just do a quieter family party.

This year was a big party and Samuel picked a Star Wars theme. We lined the dining room walls with black plastic tablecloths and glow in the dark stickers. We had a few Star Wars themed decorations and when the kids showed up, we had them color some SW pages I had printed off the computer. They added a nice, fun, personal touch and the kids liked showing them off to the other kids that arrived after them.





We had Star Wars music playing in the background the whole time. Once all the kids arrived (there were 9 total including ours), we started the Jedi Training. We came up with some games where the kids practiced different skills to become Honorary Jedi Masters. First, a game of hot potato to limber up so that they could get their lightsabers. I found great inflatable ones at the party store. Then using the lightsabers, they practiced destroying bubbles and then keeping balloons up in the air using just the sabers.









Once they were done with lightsaber training, they went out to the patio and destroyed the Death Star! Aaron had drawn a chalk drawing of the Death Star on our brick wall and the kids destroyed it by throwing water balloons at it. Was that a big hit! Unfortunately, I wasn't very quick with the camera at this point, so I didn't get a picture of it before it was destroyed :(




After that, they came back inside and "Rescued the Princesses!" We had blown up about 30-40 balloons and hidden inside two of them pictures of Princess Leia and Queen Amidala. They had to pop the balloons as quickly as they could and find the pictures to rescue the princesses. They liked that one a lot too!



Finally, that completed their training and they received their Jedi cloaks. Yes, Jedi cloaks! I had found some cheap fabric at Walmart ($1 a yard!) and with the help of my dear, dear mother, made several kid sized cloaks. (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MOM!!! for all of your help). The kids liked them and they felt like real Jedis.





We finished off with cake, ice cream, presents and a Darth Vader head pinata. The pinata was a disappointment, since it only took one or two taps to break it open. But it made a fun helmet!





The party ended soon after, but instead of collapsing, I was a good girl and went to the General Relief Society meeting :)