How about a Handy Manny Party?

Today was McKinley's 2nd birthday party - it is completely nuts to try to come to grips with the fact that our precious baby pictured all the way over there on the left is a full blown two year old...baby no more. So, before I get into all the party festivities Cary and I had planned I've got some deep thinking I have to add.
There are times in my life where I have to practically step back out of a moment to take a breath. It catches me completely off guard when it happens. God has truly blessed us with some amazing people and equally amazing moments - all who have made me appreciate life in a way I never thought possible. Today I had a lot of those moments:
*People who will, in friendship drop everything they are doing to help a girl out who just went into full crisis mode because of some ground beef and balloons.
*The beautiful children who surround us in our daily lives.
*Seeing my friends' families grow and expand and watching all these people interact and interconnect.
*People who will take time out of their busy lives just to be with our son and watch him blow out candles on his Handy Manny Toolbox cake.
*Grandparents who will risk embarassment by wearing a retro Chi-Chi's host/hostess costume for their Grandchild's Fiesta just to see him smile.
*A husband who jumps at the chance to pull around a bunch of kids in a wagon - all while donning a sombrero and laughing the whole time.

Through a very difficult time I went through a few years ago, I've learned that life, for me is all about making the most out of this short time we are given on Earth. I think there are about 30 or 40 people who did that today right along with me! What an amazing day to spend with friends and family.

So, the party...
Put behind immediately due to the caterers not having our food ready, then not having given us the right amount of MEAT for TACOS (uh meat for 6 instead of SIXTY). Kylie came to the rescue and we had meat! All the phone calls I had to make left me with no time to prep the taco bar, in step Mary and Barb and everyone else who helped dice tomatoes, avacados and onions, run cheese, sour cream and other fixings to the food table and so many other wonderful helpers who fixed the mishap. Whew. Insane.

Finally, bellies were full and it was time to party! All the kids gathered around the giant freezer box sketched with Handy Manny's storefront (courtesy of Nonna). Each child wore an over-sized t-shirt with McKinley's 2nd Birthday screen printed on the front (I made them - I'm so proud!!!) then grabbed a set of paints (washable...) and an array of brushes and off they went! It was so cute to watch and the kids were well occupied for a long time. Savannah painted her toes (and foot...) purple, Lila only wanted pink, Lincoln wanted to taste the paint (non toxic...), Reagan stayed in the lines, McKinley used his fingers and the Gatrell kids tried splatter art, added words and even some blotting. The end result is pretty sweet, Manny would be proud.
Moving on...PINATA TIME! We hung the giant "2", filled with 4 pounds of candy from a tree and let each child take a whack. Mary delivered the pinata-busting blow then her big brother, Forrest sent candy flying - EVERYWHERE. I'm proud to say McKinley displayed some excellent technique with the Pinata Stick. That is clearly inherited from Daddy...not me. Like I had to tell anyone that.
On to the cake! All the grandparents and Cary and I climbed into my old Chi-Chi's uniforms (yes, we STILL have them...) and paraded outside with the tool box cake. McKinley did a pretty good job with his candles and LOVED us singing the Happy Birthday song. It was so cute.
McKinley had a fantastic time and we hope everyone else did too.
We had so much to do that we barely opened 5 of McKinley's gifts! We're adding that to the to-do list tomorrow on McKinley's official birthday. We were just too wiped!
Check out all the pics on the slide show. WHAT A GREAT DAY!

To Mother Nature - we will resume full-on recycling since you held up your end of the bargain...no rain. Can we do this EVERY YEAR???
:-)
Lynn