Emily Turns 11!!!

Well, we were anticipating this Pirate Party , and finally we were all ready to start. Ryan got all gussied up...or down depending on how you see it :) and took on the name Cheese Beard.. His back story was rehearsed and he was set for a room full of girls and 1 small boy to invade the farmhouse kitchen.

One more thing.....Michael decided that Ryan truly needed to live up to his new "handle" and took pleasure in smearing real cheese in his beard...yuck...

Ryan met the girls out at the picnic table and told them his yarn of hitting his head and forgetting where his treasure was hidden..all he had was fragments of a map and a single clue.....

So the girls set about putting the map puzzle together, getting their eye patches decorated , making their spyglasses and once they had transformed into pirates, they started a cannon ball waterfight.

  Teeny Elin all set for the big fight.

        Eva all ready for adventure

The first clue was read, and the treasure hunt was on.

Grammie, Grampie, and Auntie Ange were great spectators!!

Once the girls had gotten down to the last clue, they put on their life jackets and loaded up the boat to head to Treasure Island

Sami found a friend along the way.

          

I was a little nervous of the heavy laden craft, but Ryan skillfully rowed them all safely to the Island

 Birthday Girl got her own vessel for the big adventure!!

   Uncle Shawn hovered in case he was needed...that was one full boat!!

 Once on the island, the crew located the booty and headed back home!!

 Even Bear was dubbed the Pirate Dog for the occasion

 The brave , motley bunch of mini pirates, happy with their find!! The box was one of Ryan's creations from salvaged pallets. We filled it with the treat bags and the kids were happy!!

Meanwhile back at home I was setting up a feast fit for the most food-thirsty avenger of the high seas.

 Emily chose Oreo cheesecake cupcakes for her dessert.

    Now for the gifts!! She was a happy birthday girl , and Ryan and I were anxious for her to open our gift to her... She had been faithfully saving for an i-pod nano and was a few dollars short at her birthday time. Unbeknownst to her, Ryan and I had paid for the rest, had it engraved and ordered it for her. It came the day before we left for vacation....whew!!!!

 She was one happy 11 year old!!! She lost no time loading it with her beloved Odyssey episodes and Gaither music!!  We have been so blessed to have 11 years with our beauty girl. She brings our family so much joy and  we are so thankful for her.