Jackson Turns 8! (In March)

My second baby boy child

turned 8...

in March.

Which means he is now

8 and a HALF!

But I am thankful I have found a little time

to post a few updates

and can maybe get us up through the end of March...

soon...

(hahahah!)

We decide birthday plans as a family.

We give our guys options

then discuss them together 

and come up with a decision and a plan.

Last year we celebrated Jackson's 7th birthday

with

 a family camping trip 

and 

a family celebration.

This year,

after much discussion,

he decided on a party...

A Ninja Party!

My sweet boy is pretty much obsessed

(as much as Jackson gets obsessed with stuff)

with ninjas!

He has been a ninja for the past 3 Halloweens

and is asking to be one again this year.

Sigh...

So thanks to Pinterest,

we pulled one together.

A sweet friend came over and helped me 

(did most of the work for me)

make 20 ninja masks

and 

20 red ninja belts.

(because I don't sew)

Then thanks to help from the local hardware store,

we made:

swords using silver spray painted 5 gal paint stirrers,

nunchucks from foam insulation tubing,

red and black duct tape to decorate them,
and
red and black construction paper throwing stars!

Even my dad jumped in to help!!

Rico is modeling the belt, the hood and 

absolutely holding the sword UPSIDE DOWN!

Oh well...

Whose idea it was to give a bunch of 8+ yo boys 

wooden swords and foam nunchucks...

I will never know.

(not my best mom-idea, but they had a blast,

and no one got REALLY hurt)

My middle sis,

Her daughter

and

my daughter.

 Mr T looking more like an undertaker 

than a ninja here...

But totally showing off his 

"ninja skills"

here...

The boys,

and girls,

trying to see exactly how many this airplane 

can hold at one time..

Rico practicing on his 

hand drawn ninja silhouette.

I was super proud of how this turned out,

that kid can draw.

I seriously have 

NO

idea where 

THAT

 talent came from!

(see it in the tree?)

Sister close up... 

Girl cousin sliding.

Lex wants a sister so bad.

Sorry girl,

you are stuck with 

three stinky brothers.

Tony Cruz jumped on for a ride.

Cake Time!

I am SUPER proud of that banner 

hanging behind the kids.

All this took was a printer,

black card stock,

white paper

and my handy paper cutter!

Here comes the cake!

I make the kids cakes every year.

I enjoy it...

This was my take on a 

Ninja Cake!

Complete with white chocolate throwing stars!

I think the birthday boy liked it!

Cutting the cake.

Red velvet on the inside.

After eating cake,

the hood went back on

for the opening of the presents...

But no one could see

 his facial expressions,

so his big brother helped him take it off.

So we could see this smile.

(yes, that is cooking oil - to go with his new camp fire popcorn popper!!)

Then mommy couldn't resist this shirt...

it just fit the theme way too well!

(Warning, if ninjas attack...I'm using you as a shield)

Sweet cousin Lucy,

post birthday cake.

After our friends left,

we got some great quality time 

with my sister,

her husband

and 

their daughter.

Cousins!