Rowan is 8

He's getting so big!

Rowan had a fantastic birthday. We took cocoa krispy treats to his school on his actual birthday, and then had his party today. He got a bike from us, a helmet from Pop and Fannie, a wad of cash from Aunt Kimmy and Uncle Ruben, and lots of fun games and books from his friends. It was a good time.
I've been working on details for his party for the past couple of weeks. He wanted a Harry Potter party, and as we all know - it's the details that make it happen.
We had to have wands from Ollivanders, (we lucked out because this guy is right in town and let John come pick up a bunch) potions class, Honeydukes, and a hunt for the Sorcerer's Stone.
Oh, and a Snitch pinata that refused to be broken.
The first thing we did was have Potions class. I'm a much nicer professor than Snape is, so we did a fun potion to make goop! (Our recipe came out of the kid's concoctions book, but that link will show you how to do it.) All it is is a mixture of troll boogers (glue), distilled phoenix tears (water), dried doxie venom (borax), and dragon's blood (koolaid powder with a little water).
If done in the right way, you get fun slime! And remember, the doxie venom is poisonous, but the phoenix tears neutralize it so it's okay. Just don't eat it.
Then the kids went and played a little while in the yard, running around, being boys.
After that we did the pinata, and I must be either really great or really awful at making them because this thing just would NOT die. John ended up pitching it to a couple of kids, and then one of the other dads ended up pitching it to John before it finally broke enough to get the candy. But it was necessary - because also inside was the first clue to the hunt for the Sorcerer's Stone. I set them up in an order that would have the kids tearing all over the house, front yard, and back yard to figure out the clues and track down the stone. The crowning moment was when Rowan spotted the stone in the fireplace, grabbed it, and held it aloft while all the other boys clapped and cheered. He really had a moment in the sun there.
Then more playing and finally wizard cakes to top it all off. It was a great time, and I had a lot of fun making it happen for him.
Pictures are all up here and it's set to public so you can see. I love this age. Little signs can turn candy into something magical, and the koolaid powder in water really could be Dragon's Blood... but only if you believe.