Pirate Party!

Couldn't have asked for a better day for a our boy's party. Sunshine and blue skies and a quiet breeze to accompany us as we dashed about preparing for the shindig.

Phew.

This may be the last of the big parties.  I love the magic, but it doesn't happen by itself.   Feels like we worked continuously for a good 24 hours to set everything up for four hours of fun. 

But it was.... wait for it.... worth it.

Our group of wee scalliwags dashed about in the yard with glee, sword fighting and zip-lining, munching on snacks and playing in the playhouse.  It was good to see our yard being used, full of friends.  Adults lounged around tables and in the grass.  Nat, ever the pied piper, led the kids in pirate games:  walk the plank, pin the X on the treasure, and the treasure hunt. Sunshine filtered through the trees as the shadows moved across the yard and a good time was certainly had by all. 

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Pirates always have an agenda.  And watermelon pirate ships.

Pirates also love snacks.

Elizabeth (and her family!) arrived in full pirate regalia.  Love them!

Oars imported from a barn in upstate NY....

We paid the sunlight to act like this.  We like to pretend that it is actually heaven in our backyard.  If heaven had lots of mosquitoes, really uneven grass, and overgrown foliage, that is.

The pirate cake and desert island cupcakes.

Auxiliary cupcakes.  I like the "buried treasure" cupcakes with chocolate sprinkles and silver balls.  Tried the technique of dipping the frosted cupcake right into a bowl of sprinkles.  I love the effect.

Our sweet neighbor Rachel was able to come. My kids just love her, and have had the good fortune to have had playdates with her three days in a row now.  She's a total sweetheart, going into 3rd grade, and lives just around the corner.  

Boys!  Arrrgh!  Simon, Matthew, and Tommy in the play area.  Note the moustaches.  Nat had a grand time applying them to at least 15 children.

Brooks in the woods.

Ivy in the treehouse.  Nat put the big ladder up so kids could come and go as they pleased.  It was crawling with little pirates almost the whole time.  I've never seen the treehouse so happy.

Baby Peter!  He's just delicious.  He had a constant circle of admirers in the seating area we created in the shade.

The pied piper at work, about to make Finn walk the plank.  Nat came up with ingenious reasons for punishment for each child (mixing your metaphors, bringing your own sword, inching up in line) and led them through three rounds of increasing difficulty. They loved it!

Melinda, Will, Scott and assorted littles enjoying the shade. 

Treasure hunt time!  We made four teams, led by the kids who got their X closest to the treasure on the previous game, and sent them off around the yard searching for four pieces of a puzzle... (Ethan and Finn are about to head to the door at the back of the yard...)

.... and then they all worked together to assemble the map...

... and dash, en masse, around the house to discover doubloon necklaces and a pinata beating stick hidden in the front woods.  Adventurous sorts got to climb over the fence on the silver ladder to get back home.   The much anticipated pinata, that was homemade, painstakingly, over the period of 3 days?  Demolished on the second hit.  Next year, the little kids go first.  Seven year olds have some mad technique.  It's all OK, though, as kids don't really care about hitting pinatas.  They just want candy.

Here's the front-of-house decor, by the way.

After a pizza break, it was time for cake and presents.  Managed to get no good pictures whatsoever of the singing and candle blowing.  Will try again on the real birthday.  At any rate this is a photo of the recipient  of  the "most creative present ever" award, from Christy and Jamie and their girls.  A bucket, decorated like an island, with a mini-treasure chest full of gold Sacagawea dollars buried inside.  Seriously.  Too cute.

Jack is blessed with thoughtful and generous friends.

 Here are a few more action shots from the wonderful afternoon...

Naomi, sword master.

Elizabeth, zip-lining in a fluffy princess dress.  Perfect.

Happy guests.  :)

Baby Laney.

The mustachioed Princess.  Of course.

Admirers, waiting.

The assembled company. If you look closely you will see that we are all saying "aaaargh."

Our boy is almost 6 and today we celebrated him, and all the people who love him.  We are blessed to be surrounded by enough friends to fill our yard.  And we are blessed that their children are all so cute, and so good!   Our darling Jack only cried 3 times and even told Lulu that he'd had a great party.  Success!

And totally worth it.