Will's Super Spy 6th Birthday Party!

Less than 2 weeks after Ellie turned 3, Will turned 6!

We started the day with donuts again (thanks again to Cookie & Lovie!) & he was off to school.

We joined him at school for a special lunch together.

However...

Will's class eats at 10:30 am.  It's more of a brunch, really.  You know what is tricky to find before 10:30am?  

McDonald's that serves lunch!

He had begged for McD for his birthday lunch & I was determined to make that happen.

I got told a big NO at the McD I went too so I sent R to use his professional voice & threaten legal action if necessary / beg at one close to his office.

I don't know how he did it but Daddy came thru with the Happy Meal.

All was good.

Ellie & I ran and picked up party rentals & then went back to school with Cookie's cookies (per Will's request) for his class.  They sang happy birthday to him & he was a very happy boy.

When I originally planned his party, I had lots of fun spy activities lined up.  However.

I did not anticipate record high temps for the summer - 102 plus degrees with 972% humidity.

The day before the party, I learned of a water slide rental company that is less than half the cost of the rental companies I had called with websites.

So I called this man and spoke my 2nd language to negotiate a great deal.  See Mom & Dad?  Not only did those college courses in Spain result in a husband, but now I can get great deals on waterslides.

Needless to say, with the high temps it was a lifesaver!

Will was excited to see it up in our backyard after school & Ellie faithfully cheered him on.

Will has been fascinated this year by spies & secret agents.  We decided that a spy party would be perfect for him!

We created invitations together.  I ordered the main informational part of the invite online 

Will helped me with the Confidential & Top Secret Stamps and we decorated mini manilla folders to hold the invitation.

We then stuck the invite and file folder into manila envelopes (decorated with more stamps.)

The whole thing ended up being a 5x7 size and much cheaper than Ellie's invitations to mail.

 Finally it was party time!

There were walkie talkies at the doors for the agents to give the secret password to gain entrance.

I did the crime scene tape a few days before the party - & then wondered if this might be concerning to any of my neighbors.  I did have a delivery guy who kind of freaked out at first. 

NCI = National Chaos Institute
My code name was "Coordinator of Chaos"
Fitting

When the agents entered the house, they had to get past a security laser and immediately go thru "security control."

In "security control," we made their id cards (code name, super strengths, & fingerprints) & did a fingerprint scan on the ipad

Once they cleared security, the agents headed to the training camp in our backyard.

First up- target practice with nerf guns & missile launching

There was also bomb shooting (water balloons in a sling shot)

I love Will's sense of style & imagination.

He did not want to wear his special secret agent shirt but insisted on his Happy Birthday shirt... with his secret agent fedora and a red cape.

Then, the boys had to solve a mystery using clues around the backyard and woods.  They were really cute reading mirror writing, invisible ink, & using a magnifying glass.

They had to get through a laser obstacle course in our woods before finding the final clue.  It was a narrow escape.

The boys headed up to the fort to solve the mystery of the stolen loot bags...

and not only did they find their loot bags - but their names were in invisible ink making it tricky to determine whose bag was whose!  

Plus, there was a pinata "bomb" hidden with the loot!

Thankfully, they used their super strength to diffuse the pinata bomb. (basketball pinata spray painted black - because I'm fancy like that.)

I couldn't really come up with creative "spy" foods... (what do spies eat?!  Those spies are pretty secretive about their diets  - couldn't find it online!)  Plus, I was tired from Ellie's mermaid party & the start of school so I skipped the creative foods & ordered pizza.  Brilliant idea.  The secret agents were quite happy with that.

I did make a homemade cake.  I used a soccer pan mold & made two cakes which I put together to make a somewhat round(ish) shape.  I then covered it in black icing.

I am not a baker. At all.  But Will was happy with my mediocre job so I was happy.

He especially loved (was slightly fearful of) the sparkling "6" candle I found - perfect for a bomb cake!

And then the agents cooled off!

Will loved being surrounded by all his buddies!

(This was the first party where most of the parents dropped their kids off!  I must have missed that parenting memo because I had no idea that would happen so soon!  I had lots of pizza & had rented tables & chairs to accommodate parents... & then didn't have very many stay.

I have to admit - it made it easier to focus on the kids & their spy activities... and the boys LOVED feeling so independent & BIG.  They were adorable.  Now I know - apparently 6 is the magic age for drop off parties!)

Ellie was pretty happy too.

(Two of Will's friends give her lots of attention & really dote on her.  She loves it.)

 Sometimes the agents took breaks from the water to work on their missile launching skills.

Will got a new bike for his birthday & already we are seeing great improvement!

This girl loves cheering for her brother!  She got upset with me because I wouldn't let her go inside to get her pretend camera phone to take his pictures.  I'm telling you - she mothers him!

Secret Agent Will went for a night time training ride on his new bike!

Despite total and utter exhaustion, I was determined to get our money's worth out of this slide...

so bright and early on Saturday, we woke up the kids and grabbed swimsuits and headed outside.  Friends showed up at 8:30 with coffee and donuts and the kids played their hearts out.

Donuts with friends in the backyard?  Yes please!

I don't know how many 6 yr olds have an "after party" but this was a really fun way to keep the celebration going in a much more low key way.  (There was no security control.  In fact, friends just walked right on through the back gate.)

Whew.  

One more birthday recap to go!