Well, it's been over a week since Owen's birthday and I finally have a chance to post some pictures from his party. In July when Owen was full-on bike-crazy and watching the Tour de France with Ken everyday he got an invitation to a friend's birthday party that said "Do you like cake? Do you like Ice-cream? Do you like costumes? Then come to Kieran's birhtday party!" Owen announced that his birthday invitation would say "Do you like riding bikes? Do you like watching Lance Armstrong? Then come to Owen's birthday party!" And he never wavered. So we had a Lance Armstrong/LIVESTRONG birthday bike extravaganza. The invitation wording was a little different than Owen's original design, but it a bike-filled birthday. The kids all brought their bikes and they made custom number plates for their bikes. And Owen and Ken designed a bike obstacle course for everyone to ride (the highlight of which was breaking through the finish tape at the end - really it could have been a straight line ride of 50 yds as long as they got to break the tape and I think they would have been thrilled). And Owen asked his friends to bring a contribution for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and so his party managed to raise at least $100 for LAF, which I think is pretty cool. Especially because Owen, and even some of his friends, really got into the idea and were talking about it and excited about it. Every year for his birthday we have picked a charity and asked friends to consider a donation to that charity instead of bringing gifts and have also let family know that they are welcome to donate to the charity as part or all of a gift to Owen. But this was the first year that Owen really helped in picking the charity and felt some connection to it, I think. And it was the first year it was tied into the theme of the party. And everyone got a yellow LIVESTRONG wrist band for coming to the party. Unfortunately Ken had to leave for work just before the party started so he missed the fun. And I was scrambling all over to try to get the food ready and keep things moving (yes, everything was highly organized as usual. Fortunately Owen is still at an age where most of the parents stay for the birthday parties and all of the parents' really helped out). But Owen loved it and I think everyone had a great time. So despite the fact that we planned and executed the whole thing in 5 days (I know - Owen told us in July he wanted a bike/Lance Armstrong party but we didn't start planning until 5 days before his birthday - we never learn), and despite the fact that I was so sick by the time the party was over that I had to call Ken to come home from work early, I think it was a great success!
Making the number plates
Some of the finished designs
Our front yard littered with bikes (it's usually our living room)
Blowing out the candles (except it was too windy so he had to pretend).
Well, it's been over a week since Owen's birthday and I finally have a chance to post some pictures from his party. In July when Owen was full-on bike-crazy and watching the Tour de France with Ken everyday he got an invitation to a friend's birthday party that said "Do you like cake? Do you like Ice-cream? Do you like costumes? Then come to Kieran's birhtday party!" Owen announced that his birthday invitation would say "Do you like riding bikes? Do you like watching Lance Armstrong? Then come to Owen's birthday party!" And he never wavered. So we had a Lance Armstrong/LIVESTRONG birthday bike extravaganza. The invitation wording was a little different than Owen's original design, but it a bike-filled birthday. The kids all brought their bikes and they made custom number plates for their bikes. And Owen and Ken designed a bike obstacle course for everyone to ride (the highlight of which was breaking through the finish tape at the end - really it could have been a straight line ride of 50 yds as long as they got to break the tape and I think they would have been thrilled). And Owen asked his friends to bring a contribution for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and so his party managed to raise at least $100 for LAF, which I think is pretty cool. Especially because Owen, and even some of his friends, really got into the idea and were talking about it and excited about it. Every year for his birthday we have picked a charity and asked friends to consider a donation to that charity instead of bringing gifts and have also let family know that they are welcome to donate to the charity as part or all of a gift to Owen. But this was the first year that Owen really helped in picking the charity and felt some connection to it, I think. And it was the first year it was tied into the theme of the party. And everyone got a yellow LIVESTRONG wrist band for coming to the party. Unfortunately Ken had to leave for work just before the party started so he missed the fun. And I was scrambling all over to try to get the food ready and keep things moving (yes, everything was highly organized as usual. Fortunately Owen is still at an age where most of the parents stay for the birthday parties and all of the parents' really helped out). But Owen loved it and I think everyone had a great time. So despite the fact that we planned and executed the whole thing in 5 days (I know - Owen told us in July he wanted a bike/Lance Armstrong party but we didn't start planning until 5 days before his birthday - we never learn), and despite the fact that I was so sick by the time the party was over that I had to call Ken to come home from work early, I think it was a great success!
Making the number plates
Some of the finished designs
Our front yard littered with bikes (it's usually our living room)
Blowing out the candles (except it was too windy so he had to pretend).
1 comment:
Happy Birthday Owen...and you are so beautiful little Zora.
Love from Vegas.
xoxoxoxoxo
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