Anna's "Under the Sea" party

2 days after Anna's 6th birthday she had a very fun "Under The Sea" birthday party after school. She had been looking forward to it SO MUCH! She didn't get a party last year, but had had a "bubble party" when she turned 4 (where we invited the whole Sunbeam class - we were the teachers, you see - and 12 little kids had a great time). Anyway, so this was a big deal, and I think it turned out AWESOME!

Jarod & I spent the day getting ready and I was so glad it was Jarod's flex day so that he could be home to apply his creativity to my internet research! Look at that cute Octopus he made!

 

Our guests included 3 friends from Kindergarten (including Aaron & Ridge who have been Anna's posse from the first day of school!) , 4 cousins (we were especially pleased that Travis & Kristin were still in town from Thanksgiving time, so Ethan could come), and finally Dallin who was Anna's preschool buddy for the year before Kindergarten started (and this was the first non-family birthday party that he had ever been invited to, so he was super-excited!).

In the picture below we have Aaron, Anna, Ridge, cousin Kailin, Dallin, cousin Kyla, cousin Ethan & cousin Maelie (schoolfriend Alyssia arrived later).

We played "hot potato" with a conchshell, looked for shells in the sand box, freeze danced to "Under the Sea", played tide pool toss with plush sea toys, dove under the sea (a blue sheet) to rescue marine life, had a sea turtle pinata and pinned the tentacle on the octopus.

  

Here's Anna with her 4 favorite boys in the whole world!

Even though she is "one of the boys" she still swings the baseball bat like a girl, lol! But Ridge is ALL BOY!

The favorite game by far was a tag game (Red Rover) where the "little fishies" had to run from one side of the yard to the other without getting "eaten" by the "sharks". They loved it - especially because Jakob was the original shark!

 We finished up with a fishy birthday cake and presents. It was very important to Anna that there were party hats and blowers (luckily I didn't foget!)

A tradition I've seen at other parties, which I LOVE, is to have the gift giver sit next to the birthday child while they open their present. It makes for good photo opportunities, plus makes the giver feel special too.

  

I love Ethan's face in that last picture!! priceless!