I told myself I was done with the theme birthday parties at age 6, as kids tend to have a greater say in what they want by that time, and their desires typically don't involve homemade banners strung on fireplace mantles and table tents that label creative food choices. Because let's be honest, these theme parties are about feeding my creative outlet more than anything. :) So when I asked Cruz what he wanted his birthday party to involve this year, his answer was simple: a nerf war. Still caught up in our neighborhood nerf war a couple of weeks prior, Cruz wanted another opportunity for kids vs. adults, this time with his cousins and a bigger supply of nerf guns he and Beau had accumulated (as boys do) since the neighborhood party. And while it was hard for me to avoid Pinterest for ideas and my typical to-do list planning that goes into our birthday parties in the past, I remained strong!
Unfortunately, the rainy Saturday disrupted our plans for a big game of capture the flag, but we still had a wonderful day celebrating the birthday boy. Thankful for a basement space newly cleaned and just waiting for carpet, we had the perfect space to get creative with our nerf guns. We played a couple of target games, including taking turns hitting labeled balloons to see who could score the highest number. Soon enough, thanks to a number of adult men who turn into small boys around nerf guns, a nerf war did commence, and it didn't even take me planning for one. :) The kids dodged darts and parents wore painters tape under their eyes and Taylor took my mom hostage at one point and everyone was hiding behind couches and exercise balls and I looked over at Cruz at one point and he had a grin bigger than California across his face. We may be finding darts until next December, but my kid was happy and so were the parents!
We had party subs and Mom's delicious potato salad, too many cheese balls because they look like nerf balls, and cake and ice cream. The kids ran in circles and got out every toy in the house, I found Harper brushing her teeth with Mila's toothbrush more than one time, and everyone stuck around for seconds and a place in front of the TV to watch the Cubbies play. It was a cozy night with a house filled with all our favorite people, celebrating one special boy turning seven.
And Sunday night, Cruz got his Capture the Flag. Sunday was beautiful outside and the Gabels came over for burgers and leftover birthday cake. Every neighbor boy just happened to be out as well, so we called together the nerf war Cruz has originally requested. It was the perfect way to end our weekend, and a fitting way to usher in birthday week for the Cruz.
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