Ali's Birthday Carnival

For her birthday, Alison wanted to have a party at Chuck E. Cheese's or at BouncerTown and invite the whole world. It turns out that it's pretty pricey to host such an event for the entire planet, and the kids end up going off and doing their own thing so that much of the fun of having friends together for a party in the first place is lost.

So, to solve this dilemma, Ali decided to host a carnival at our own house in the basement. Alison carefully made, illustrated, and decorated signs that we put out in front of each carnival game. We gave each attendee a bag full of pennies (tokens) to pay to play the various games that we had set up:

• Shell game (vs. Nathan)--and it's a lot harder to fool 1st and 2nd graders than you might think!
• Dig for coins in a bucket of wheat
• Toss a frog (non-organic) onto a leap pad
• Wheel of fortune (spin the spinner to win tickets)
• Find the coins in a tub of Easter eggs
• Ring toss
• Basketball shootout
• Bottle knock-down
• Blackjack (kidding)

Based on the kids' ability to win the various games they earned tickets--real tickets that look exactly like the ones you win at carnivals. (We looked all over town and were able to find a roll of 2,000 tickets for $3.00.)

Then, with the tickets the kids amassed, at the end of the party, they were able to redeem tickets for prizes that we had set up on our counter.




The kids loved being able to "buy" bubbles, squirt guns, play dough, noisemakers, whistles, and candy with the tickets that they won. I quickly learned that in the economic world of 7-year olds low cost, instantly gratifying candy are in demand much more than quality soaking squirt guns that may cost more "tickets". I've never been on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, but I imagine it is probably something similar to the group of hyper-energetic, anxious-to-transact, elementary school girls in our kitchen at Ali's party.


Our neighbors graciously loaned us their play bounce house, which we set up in the backyard and which we used for play time before and after the basement carnival's official hours.


We wrapped up the party with a High School Musical 3 cake, and present opening.

Happy Birthday Alison! We love you and hope you had a wonderful birthday.

Heaven

I've never been to heaven. Certainly it wouldn't be heaven unless Megan were there too. And, it wouldn't be heaven without my family there either. That's the truth.

Before I was married, I dreamed that heaven would look something like this:


A room full of musical gear--keyboards and amps and drums and recording equipment and microphones...

...with electric guitars like Fenders and Les Pauls on the wall...

...as well as acoustic guitars like Martins and electric basses hanging prominently alongside CD's I'd recorded.

If only I could be home more to actually record!

But, to put things in perspective, I am one pretty lucky man. I'm lucky to be married to a woman who is practically perfect in every way. We luckily have 3 beautiful children. And, I--I mean, we--luckily have a basement recording studio.

************

Now, on a completely unrelated note, I must show off some pictures of at least one of the kids...

Lately, Max has been particularly clingy--constantly wanting to be held. So, I had to mow the lawn with him in one arm. It was tricky. Not only was it uphill both ways, but the lawn mower was also self-propelling. I somehow had to hold down the gas the whole time while walking behind the mower.

Note: In addition to "helping" to mow the lawn, Max also likes ice cream and messes.