Wednesday 30 April 2014

Setting up for Blake's 5th Birthday Party

Saturday 26th October

We had to have Blake's birthday party the week before his birthday as we were going away to our Annual Conondale Trials competition......  For Jade's birthday - we'd made a giant cardboard maze and we'd realised a few "errors" along the way - it got too hot in there - and it could have been bigger.... so... this time, we got smart....

Unfortunately it was left to the last minute to get boxes - so we'd freaked a little.  Last time we managed to get complete boxes - so they stood nicely - they joined nicely and were very sturdy.... however, this time... they were all cut in half - which then gave us more creative ways to put them together... so, something that could have been a complete disaster turned out to work really well....

Drew had come down to help us set up for the party (and he crashed for the weekend so that he could come to the party too... and he was our official party photographer! oh yeah! we did it right this time! eheh)

To eliminate the hot issue... we installed two airconditioners that Mom and Dad had removed from their investment property while they were doing the renovations to sell it.... they still worked so we just had to get power to them....


We set up everyone's camping awnings, laid tarps on the ground and got to work assembling the maze.....  we had to make sure that it could only go in one direction so that little kids didn't get lost....
  

Everyone was climbing into these things to do their part... we were all kept extremely busy....



some hole were already in some of the boxes - and some holes had to be cut to make doors etc....



Drew inside making holes so that we could cable tie all of the boxes together so that we didn't have a major collapse in the middle of the party....



I was even allowed to play with the jigsaw...


I mean, do really serious cutting....



So. Much. Fun!








Yup, adults can walk through this.... though... crouched over!





The first Aircon....



And a bench to sit it on.....


Once it was put into place - we had to tape cardboard around any potential danger parts of the aircon - as well as over any buttons that the kids could have pressed to turn it off... etc....


Jade tested it....




((Video))
Walk Through of the Maze


After we'd finished with the Maze, Mom came up and helped me make up all of the Lolly Bags.....  We'd made stickers of a "Super Blake" type Logo... ie. superman but with a B instead of an S... and stuck them onto these awesome Blue lolly bags we found....

(I was impressed with my efforts!)

Jade's Specialist....

Monday 21st October

Jade's specialist told us that we should get Jade enrolled in the COGMED program to help with her focus issues... I'm all for going down the non-medication roads... so we phoned and booked in - but couldn't get in to see them until the end of January....

Next Step.... take the study results back to the school and see if they've got any suggestions for what to do with Jade to help teach her to self-focus....

We emailed the results to the school and requested that we come and see the school principal..  We sent copies of the reports to the school counsellor and to both of Jade's teachers (oh yeah, did I mention that she has part time teachers?  one did three days a week - the other did two.... so great... two teachers that had to be taught on the best approaches for Jade and to keep her focussed... JOY!).

So, now to just wait and see what their suggestions are.... (this does develop... but, Blake's party came next!)

Bundy Trip for Jade's next appointment......

Saturday 19th October

I took the kids down early Saturday morning for Jade's next Specialist appointment... we'd received the results from the Psychologist up in Rockhampton that suggested that she was ADHD but with a high IQ - which means that she doesn't need to pay attention to get through her classes... unfortunately, that will only get her so far... so, we needed answers as to where to go next.... so our next appointment was booked and it's always a good excuse for a weekend in Bundy visiting Mom and Dad...



While we were down there, we picked up a new BBQ that everyone chipped in for me for my birthday....


Then, we headed to Spotlight to pick up fabric to make shiny capes for Blake's party the following weekend...  (We got Blue, Red, Silver, Black, Purple and Pink - we had to cover the girl cape angle - because Blake has female friends too.... and we still weren't sure exactly how many kids were coming).

(I should explain that I guess...  the kids don't get to have huge parties every year, there's way too much planning involved in that and then you have issues with them wanting something bigger and better each year... so we decided years ago that they get a party at 5 and then at 10.... for other years we go to the beach and have a BBQ and do something simple... (we made the mistake of Jade's one not being AS simple this year.... so we'll probably have to do that kind of thing for Blake's 8th - just to be fair)).



Jade testing out the first pink cape....

The kids have discovered Ginger Beer.... so, lets get a pic of them... a nice smiling pic....


Uhmmm.... a little creepy Jade!


Does it hurt to have your pic taken??


Umm... I have no words...


Ok, I give up... DON'T SMILE FOR A PHOTO THEN!


Blake trying on one of the Blue Capes....



Yeah, this will work!



We ended up with 32 capes in all of the colours... this way, kids could choose a colour and there would be spares... so they should all be happy!!! (well, that's the theory!)

Rocktober Roller Disco

Friday 18th October

Another Roller Disco... another theme.... more costumes!!!  ARGH!!!  But, the kids do love the dressing up, so who am I to deny them??  a couple of $5 t-shirts and a pair of scissors.... and then some coloured hair dye and VOILAH!  done!

Oh, and it wasn't hard to convince them to pose for these photos....






Jade & Charlotte


Cass, Kiri & Baby Alex...





Zerky


Nick


Nick, me & Krakka


Katie 


Zerky, me, Katie & Lil Miss


Blake and Ronan... extremely worn out... but still Rocking on!

February - Slumber Party Roller Disco

Friday 10th February PJ Party Time! Jade had arranged with her friend that they'd go in onesies to the disco.....  so tha...