Bracing My Back and Girding My Loins

I need to mentally and physically prepare myself for about 12 fifth grade boys and girls coming over to the house for Drew's 11th birthday party this afternoon. You read that right - DREW IS TURNING ELEVEN. I had to write it in CAPS just to see if it is any easier for me to digest. Nope. I really can't believe that we have an 11 year old son.

But stepping away from my stage of denial, I'm proud of Drew for the party he has planned. He has invited both girls and boys to the party, and we are going to start things off by going on a hike in a greenspace near our house. Then the group will be divided into 3 or 4 teams and will have to embark on a scavenger hunt. Here are the list of items the teams need to "scavenge":

1. Something orange
2. A coin that was issued on the year Drew was born
3. A piece of string longer than 12 inches
4. A napkin with a McDonald’s logo on it.
5. Something with a Starbucks logo on it.
6. Something written in a language other than English
7. A battery
8. Something that you would get in a hotel bathroom (travel size shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, etc…)
9. An airsoft BB
10. 5 business cards (from different people – not 5 of the same card)
11. One lime
12. Something with the ‘Y’ logo on it (from the YMCA)
13. A balloon
14. A to-go menu
15. A starlight mint (the kind you can get from some restaurants – the red and white mints)
16. Something with a logo of a bank
17. A piece of Bazooka gum (hint: Sweet D’s)
18. A button
19. A Lego piece
20. 20 toothpicks

After that, it will be back to the house for some time playing the Kinect (Drew doesn't know it yet but he is getting an Xbox and a Kinect for his birthday - shhhhhh!), home made ice cream sandwiches (Drew isn't a fan of cake so he and Missi made the cookies and we added in his favorite type of ice cream - coffee - in the middle), and presents. But the fun doesn't stop there: about 6 of the boys will be spending the night and the boys have an airsoft battle planned for tomorrow.

Wish us luck! And I'm sure there will be pictures to follow!