8 Year Birthday Party

Our little man celebrated his 8 year birthday party with 22 of his friends at a local gymnastics's club and sports center Sunday afternoon.  For an August birthday with people on one last vacation before school starts, I was shocked at how many of his friends were able to make it.  Because we have been watching a lot of the American Ninja Warrior competition on TV, we thought it would be fund to hold a Ninja Warrior team competition for the party.  The local gym thought they would be able to pull this off.

When the kids arrived, they said around a large parachute to hear about the rules which included having fun.  Then, they picked out of a bucket either a blue or a red warrior-style head band to determine which team they would be on.  Collin was on the blue team.  Next, they lined up to start running through the large obstacle course.  The kids looked like they were having a blast running through this.  Some were so fast, I did not have time to change the setting on the camera to be more focused.

Beckett, Linden, Saige, Carson, Collin, Diego, Jacob and Will sitting around the parachute.

Collin focused on the instructions for the party

There he goes to the next part of the course

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Timmy hung in right there with the other kids.  Here he is jumping to the high tower.

 After the obstacle course, the teams lined up to run and spring-jump into the foam pit.  This was a hit!  Some of the kids landed so deep into the pit, I could not see them until they started to "swim" out.

Huge jump into the pit

Finally making it out to go again

Leah's huge jump into the pit

Back in line to jump again

Focused to make this jump a good one

Can't you tell that it was a little exhausting to try to get out of the pit?

Here comes Leah!

While waiting for his turn, Collin had fun with his friends.

Jacob being silly with Collin.  What's Collin thinking about here?

Next was the trampoline competition.  A member from each time would jump on a different trampoline to see how high they could jump.  They then jumped into the pit to start over again.  I would have loved to have done this one.

Saige and Collin got to jump together

Collin catching some air!

Timmy jumped fast and high

Leah was all smiles when it was her turn to jump

Next, the teams were separated into the different teams.  One team jousted another member of the team and then they ran down a trampoline into a padded wedge that fell over so they could tumble down the ramp.  The other team had to capture a fake shark without getting hit by a ball.

Strategizing how to get the shark while waiting in line

Hiding so he does not get hit by the ball.  He and Clayton where the only kids on the blue team to get the shark.  Great job boys!

Jousting instructions

Collin and Timmy jousting.  One hit, and Timmy was down.

Collin and Beckett

Same story with Beckett...one hit and he was down

Running to hit the padded wedge and fall over

Tumbling down

While all of this was going on, Pappy and Ty were bonding.  :)  Tyson wanted in on the action and was practicing running while Pappy ran behind him.

All of this took an hour.  The kids where getting tired and hungry so it was a good time to break for cake and snacks (started at 2pm so they should have already had lunch...not Collin because he was too excited).  Before leaving the room, all of the kids were awarded a medal for participation.

Collin wanted to know why he was sitting in a really big chair.  He did not realize this was a special chair for the birthday boy.

Happy with his medal

Blowing out his candles after a VERY loud Happy Birthday song

Serious picture of most of the attendees

Funny picture.....love how creative some of the poses are.

After the 1 1/2 hour party (yes, not two hours like most parties.  We liked that it was shorter.), Mimi and Pappy brought the cousins over to the house to help Collin open and play with some of his presents.  I had to lay down because of a bad migraine (maybe from the party noise or the 50 miles I rode that morning....combination?) so I missed most of the play time.  When I woke up, the kids were resting watching Up and eating my popcorn stash.

He got several Zombie Nerf guns, gift cards to various places, a candy pillow shaped as a "C", huge flying disc, and more that I cannot remember at the moment.

We gave him a Razor scooter that he has been wanting since his sleep-away camp, some Under Armor shirts for school, watch and volcano kit.  He used the scooter around the house with his "C" pillow around his neck.  Guessed he really liked these gifts....until he opens the rest of his presents.