My Baby Turned 9...

Where did the time go?  It is so difficult for me to accept.  It is just flying by so quickly and I want to make sure I make every moment count.  I get so upset when I waste moments being upset or stressed out.  I love this little girl so much.  Her smile swells my heart to overflowing.  Her gentle kindness towards others astounds me.  She is such a delight to be around...and she just turned 9.  I love that she still calls me Mommy.  I love that she still wants to hold my hand.  I love that she still lets me pick out some of her clothes.  I love that she wants my help to make decisions.  I love that she is beginning to find her own style.  I love that she shares my love for being in the kitchen.  I love seeing her beginning to explore her own interests.  She amazes me. 

She decided this year she wanted to have a Mystery Birthday Party.  We are not the huge birthday party type.  It's just not our thing.  So we opt to have a couple of friends over for one truly magnificent time.  Closer to summer we will host a party for tons of friends without the weirdness of presents.  I love the fact that Kate thinks I can do anything....because I know a day is coming when she will think I can do nothing.  So because of her belief in me I really put on my thinking cap and got to work on her Mystery Birthday.  It was so much fun to plan because her smile was my main motivation. 

After many searches online I finally decided to do a CLUE game style party.  Every one was assigned a character from the game.  Here are the invitations:

Kate made the invitation in the shape of a magnifying glass.  She used tracing paper for the "glass" and put her fingerprint on it.  Once you opened the card the information inside gave the Who, What, When.  A secret code message was also in the case file indicating more information about the secret mission.  The "agent" needed to crack the code to learn more details about the case.  The "agent" also needed to use the provided magnifying glass to read important information about their secret identity for the case or "alias name."  One was Professor Plum.  The "agents" were asked to come disguised as their "alias."

Front: Miss Peacock, Mr. Green, Miss Scarlett, Mrs. White

Back:  Nancy Drew, Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard

We enjoyed a nice dinner party of homemade pizza and rootbeer floats. 

Afterwards we moved to the "Lounge" to get the sleuthing under way.  There were three teams: Scarlett & Peacock, Mustard & Plum, and Green & White.  Nancy was the host!  Each team was provided suspect sheets, clipboards, and pens so they could stay organized (well, except for Mustard & Plum).  Th

Each "room" where the crime could have occurred had been determined (i.e. the schoolroom was the library, the girls bedroom was the ballroom with symphony music playing, the playroom was the billiard room, etc.).  In order for a team to earn a "guess" they had to roll a dice.  Depending on what was rolled they either had to complete a challenge (Minute to Win It challenges) or solve a riddle (word scrambles, break the code, name things from a category using the alphabet, etc.).  A 6 was ALL PLAY and every suspect had to play.  The team who won the challenge then got to make their guess. 

Float the Feather

Making a guess

Face the Cookie

Human Burrito

Nose Dive

It's Dicey

It was Professor Plum with the Rope in the Library.  Team Mustard & Plum won...even though Plum was the culprit!  :)  After the game we chilled out with the Nancy Drew movie and popcorn!

Oh...and notice Cash had to join in on the relaxation too!  HA!  It was a blast!