star wars birthday party!!!!!!!

 I absolutely LOVE birthdays.  I think it's so great to have a day to celebrate each individual kiddo. Zebbo turned five yesterday and we partied like you'd never believe.   We even had our very first friend party.  I think five is the perfect age to celebrate with friends. and now we don't have to have another for several more years :)
On his actual birthday- I woke up early to decorate for him.  The boys raced down the stairs and begged for the present from gramps!  Zeb picked it out with gramps last week when they were in town- but he wasn't allowed to open it until his birthday.  He was BEYOND excited.

Then later that evening Zeb opened his presents from us. Two wii wheels.  He's been wanting them since the wii came with Metta- so I'd been on the hunt.  I actually found BOTH of these at a yard sale for stinking cheap.  I totally lucked out.

and here's his number five that he wore all day.  to the gym, store, and out with friends.  he was so excited to let people know he turned five!! and he got to wear his new star wars shirt from his cousin Henry!! thanks, Hawes!!

 the night of his birthday- kent got home at five (yippee!) and we went out to his primary teacher's house to roast marshmallows and hot dogs with friends.  It was the perfect night for zeb!! and here's the one and only picture of kent and me.  pictures of the two of us are pretty rare I've realized. I need to take more- preferably where I'm not stuffing food into my mouth.

The birthday boy and me- blowing on a stick?!

with all of zeb's strange food aversions I canNOT believe he'll eat s'mores.  He only takes one or two bites- but I still can't believe it.

Ike spent almost the entire night in the sandbox.  The night was super chilly (which I LOVED!) and perfect for a fire.  On Zeb's birthday- June 1st- it was THIRTY degrees COLDER than the day metta was born- Feb 29th.  that's ridiculous.

And today was THE day.  the party.  Zeb's been waiting MONTHS for this. He's had a countdown calendar that he checks off each day. It finally arrived and lived up to all of the hype.

Zeb kept seeing amazing crazy complicated star wars cakes online that he loved. He really wanted a giant general greivous cake- and if you know general greivous- you would realize that would even be a feat for duff- mr. ace of cakes himself.  So- he got a much more tame cake.  The dark side/light side cake- and a giant cupcake light saber.   Not too shabby when I had an entire party to plan!

The day was really a lot of fun!  we sent out these invites that I made on the walmart website for even cheaper than regular invites from the party store!  zeb got VERY concerned that the date said June 2.  We finally convinced him that a Saturday party was the best option- even if it was not actually ON his birthday.

We made all of the kiddos these fabulous light sabers made from duct tape and plumbing insulation.  97 cents for six feet at lowes!!

we did all sorts of jedi training out in the backyard!   the younglings (actual term for young jedis in training) learned how to wield lightsabers and perfect fighting skills by using the force.


we pod raced.

We even used the force to guide us across the yard while closing our eyes.  quincy got really into it :)

and then- once all of the kids became jedi masters- they had the chance to defeat darth vader.  yes- we realize his light saber is the wrong color.

Kent Darth Vader entered the room and said: "Zeb, I am your father".  Zeb thought it was soooo funny.  It is UNREAL how much this kid knows about star wars.  He's a little walking encyclopedia.

We only had tears from one party goer who was terrified of the Sith Lord.

Ike wanted to take a turn too.  Pretty darn cute vader if you ask me.

We played "pin the light saber on the jedi"!

and the kiddos got a chance to really take a beating to Darth Vader.  This lovely pinata had already been through two beatings at previous parties (thanks, greta!!!)- and I'm pretty sure he'll make it through a few more.

 His head just detaches from the hat and the candy spills out without complete annihilation.  that's my kind of pinata!

Zeb really got into it.

 My pal Kresta hung out and held metta almost the entire time. lifesaver!

 such a slobbery messy little girl.  but so dang cute.

 In the end we ate a delicious Star Wars lunch of Padawan Pizza- Droid berries- jedi juice- and more.

 Here are Kent's famous 'Wookie cookies'.  so amazing.

 Zeb got spoiled by his friends and loved every second. and Ike's pretty excited about all of the new stuff, too :)

I love my little zeb. He is a good, sweet, obedient, and wonderful boy.  I couldn't ask for a better kid.

These kids are a lot of work- but a lot of fun, too!  Now I've just got to figure out what we'll do for Ike's fifth birthday!! at least we've got two more years to think about it!