R's 8th Birthday Party

**Warning- Lots of pictures**

We decided to have R's party after the holiday, and it worked great! 

My little lady is obsessed with geography. She knows all the states and capitals, and their locations. She knows most the state flags, and is working on the rest of the world. I like to do themed parties (lame, I know), but R was set on a geography party. She was so excited I had to create her own board on pinterest because she was pinning so many ideas. Pinterest ended up being a huge help with this random themed party. After pulling ideas from many different parties, we ended up with our own amazing party!!!

I do have to brag about how well the invitations turned out. 

I made them, and LOVED them!!!

 R was set on a globe birthday cake. 

I baked, and I'm lucky enough to be married 

to an amazing artist who decorated it!

 I think it turned out awesome for amateurs!

I made each kid their own passport. 

I even found pictures of each kid to put inside beforehand!

I also made "luggage" for each kid too

When the guests arrived they each found their passport

 and filled in the information on the inside. 

Then picked a luggage bag.

 After everyone arrived, they "boarded" our "plane"!

Jared was such an amazing trooper as I made asked him to dress the part of the pilot! 

P was the co-pilot and was dressed the part too!

We put the ****paper**** around the outside so each passenger had to enter and exit down the aisle and out the front! 

 These were my "flight attendants". While I was setting up the next country activities (and the party guests were back in the plane)they would ask trivia questions about the next country and handed out candy for correct answers. They also were in charge of "stamping" each traveler's passport as they got off the plane.

First country-

We played Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

Each kid would get 30 seconds to see how high they could get their tower before it fell over.

 I love Sydney's face in this picture!

 Then each guest got a gummy pizza as a "souvenir" from this country, 

then loaded back in the plane to "fly" to the next country.

Which was-

We decided that we would alternate between doing a game in one country, then do a craft in the next. So as a craft in Australia we made dot art which was their souvenir from here.

 I gave the kids an outlined shape or a blank piece to create their art.

 They loaded the plane again, which thanks to a fun pilot was one of the best parts for the kids!

We then headed to-

Because of all the museums, and famous art we played pictionary. To make it more interesting each kid rolled a big dice with different ways of having to draw. Some had time limits, while others had to do it with their eyes closed...

 ...and the most entertaining was drawing with their mouth!

I didn't get a picture, but as a souvenir they each got a box of crayons.

Then the next country-

This ended up taking longer than planned, but the kids loved making "worry dolls"

Then we rushed to the next country-

This was hilarious!!! 

We wrapped R up first before starting the game, then split the group into 3 teams. Then I used the flight attendants as the leader of each team. The goal was to see who could get all the kids in their group wrapped like mummies with toilet paper first.

 Then all at once the kids broke through the toilet paper.

It was funny.

 As the souvenir R and I made these necklaces for each kid. I found a website which would translate each name into hieroglyphics. We traced then color each name on shrinky dinks and cooked them to make the pendants! They turned out cute!

It was at this point that we realized that parents would be showing up in 10 minutes. We still had one more country to visit, sing happy birthday, each cake, and open presents.  So I didn't get any picture of the kids in the next country because of the mad rush!

But the last country was-

These actually turned out really cute too. Each kid made 2 different kind of candy sushi, and had a to-go box to put them in before putting them in their luggage! Luckily I had everything precut. So even though it was fast, the kids loved making them!

Here is a page of a passport with some of the "stamps"

We only lost one friend that had to leave, so it ended up being okay that we went over. 

The birthday girl with her globe cake!

 Eating and chatting!

 Present time!

 Our annual birthday picture!

 and picture with the birthday girl!

It seriously was a GREAT birthday party. A lot of work went into preparing for it, but was totally worth it! At every party I've done, at least 1 or sometimes more games/activies would flop but all the kids had a great time, and even I had fun! With such a strange request of a theme, it ended up being awesome! 

I am so lucky to have R as a daughter. She can sometimes be a smart-alic, but most the time is a super sweet girl. She has a HUGE heart, and loves everyone! She wishes and thinks she is older, but 8 really is great!