Life is a special occasion

The house... is a bit warm.. but quiet.. no dog panting... no tv on... no one calling my name.. I have about one hour to myself.... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... So I am choosing in that hour... to catch up on my blog.
My son has been home all summer, yes we enrolled him in a few different camps.. but he has been home... too.. We have been to the demolition derby... in Rhinebeck... we had a Farmer's market/Lemonade stand... right here in our own neighborhood... and we celebrated... my son's birthday with a pirate party.....So today... I will share the party with all of you.....

Here is the birthday boy....* picture courtsey of my neighbor....
We decided.... to build a boat.. for people to see when they entered our yard.. so we use a moving dolly and chicken wire... and pvc pipes painted black for the mast.. and old black clothes for the sails.. we added brown butcher paper... and flags... and wahla...........

  So we tried to decide.. what we would eat....so we made a Grub station

with sub sandwiches.. with flag masts ( not pictured) and deviled eggs.. and octupus hot dogs ( not pictured)

When people arrived we got them dressed .. if they did not come dressed.. these fellows... came dressed....
and so did this neighbor and her brother...

We were sure to decorate around the house.. too...

 Hats, eye patches and sashes were given out here.....

So you could find the treasure on the map.. x marks the spot.. on our mailbox

 

The goody bag ( trunk) wall

We played so many fun games.. we walked the plank....

We had a outdoor treasure chest in the sand... to find.. things....

We borrowed a blog up Alligator.. named tic tock

the loved sifting.. through the gold, jewels, rings and bracelets... for items

We had a water gun... shoot the "can's" game...

The indoor clues... my brother helped... facilitate.. it was good practice... the kids got to read.... the clues

the received a bag of pirate booty and a water.. for the prizes in the indoor scavenger hunt...
We also played a captain hook game.. where you had to get a necklace... on a hook.. by tossing it...

My step son's girlfriend... made a great assistant and pirate.. and she organized the game.. swab the deck.. with mops and small ping pong balls painted black.

kit kat walk the plank treats....
You got yellow tickets when you did a game.. .that you got to redeem at the end of the party at the pirate store....

Then it was goody bag time.. and cake time...

Aunt Dawn and Uncle Darin got this cake.. for the party

yum Aunt Heather's friend.. send these to us... wow!!!! she did an awesome job...
they are cake balls.. like the sell in starbucks......

Look at the smile!

Then it was time to look at all the loot.....

well.. they sure enjoyed eating.. them.. thank you... Sweet Valley treats

I went to the library... to get tons of pirate books...

they got a necklace... wristban.. if it was a boy.... eye batch.. bracelet, cookie, playdough and a ring... oh and the eye scope...

and a soap...

red and black smelled like drakar.. pink and white... smelled like strawberry shortcake.....

the store...

My mother in law made 5 bags.. for the loot..... and then I had a few.. pink bags...

 

I worked on this party every night for a month.. I  made a lot of things.. and I ordered a few things.. but Life is a special occasion.. not just a birthday..... so I like to make it memorable.... We had Jack Sparrow.. take pictures with the kids... .( it was my husband)

when the party was all over.. I asked him what his favorite part was... and ( I was sure he was going to say the gifts) but NO.. he told me... all of  it.. and he named all the things.. and he said.. and playing with my cousins...

Maybe you want to learn how to talk like a pirate too???
Avast: means What's up?? or what are you doing?
Pieces of Eight: spanish silver coin
Walk the plank- punishment in which one must walk off a wooden board of the side of a ship..into the ocean.
Doubloon-( my neighbors son is 4.. and he asked me all day... when do I get my gold doubloon's so cute)
a gold coin minted by Spain or Spanish colonies, worth about seven weeks pay for an average sailor.
Shiver me timbers: An expression of surprise or fear. or blow me down
Booty-Treasure
Sea dog-an experienced sailor
Jolly Roger: the pirate flag with it's skull and crossbones
Scallywag-a bad person
Thar she blows!- a whale sighting
Grog_ alcholic drink and Grub food
Me Bucko- my friend
Aye-Yes
So whether.. you are out capturing a wedding or a birthday.. or just a day... outside with your child.. make this summer... a fun summer... because Life is a special occasion.......




Fair winds ( means goodbye or good luck in pirate)