Super Hero Party

Good Monday morning!

Did you have a good weekend? Did you spend time with family and friends doing something out of the ordinary or something very simple and fun? Did you encourage someone on Saturday or Sunday? Did a name come to your mind for you to call and say hi? I hope so.

You'll notice from the pictures at the top of the page this morning that it snowed at our house. We woke up Saturday morning to this beautiful sight. I took pictures, thankful that my pumpkins were still intact and that whoever took the trouble to roll our house did an excellent job! You have to appreciate a good work ethic in this day and age. Anyway, the culprits drove by early Saturday morning to check on us (and Mikie went on the porch and gave them a big ol' thumbs up). A couple of the guys even came back to help clean up. Now that's what I call "conscientious vandals." Good job, guys!

Like I said in Friday's post, our weekend plans were canceled, and we didn't really know what we were going to do, but it worked out great, and I got to spend a day at Auburn with the Faulkner Five (and the Tigers won), and I got to eat at the Mellow Mushroom for the first time, and it was the most beautiful fall day EVER for the drive down to The Plains. (That incredibly long sentence pretty much sums up our Saturday!)

It was Homecoming at Auburn this weekend, so before I post today's Super Hero Party (one of my favorite parties ever), I wanted to share a little "Mike and Me" story that happened over 21 years ago when we first became engaged.

When Mike and I first became engaged, we went to several Auburn football games. These were wonderful dates, and although I wasn't a die-hard Auburn fan, I enjoyed the time with my beloved. The day came when Mikie asked me to the Auburn Homecoming Game.

Since we were both 26 years old and no longer attending any institution of higher learning (and it was a record 98 degrees), I dressed accordingly (jeans, cool shirt, sneakers, etc.). Imagine my surprise (not delight) when Mikie came to the door with a large white box the size of a small appliance. Imagine my shock and dismay (again, not delight) when I removed the world's largest white mum corsage with eight foot streamers.

"Do you love it?" Mikie asked.

"Yes," I lied. "I've never seen one this big!" I honestly replied to make up for the whopper I had just uttered.

I then tried to pin the monster mum onto my summer weight blouse. The weight of it actually pulled my collar and sleeve around my neck. I had to change shirts, but ultimately decided on a heavy long-sleeved denim blouse (and a Jane Russell foundational garment for added "mum" support). We finally pinned/tied/welded the corsage securely and left for the ball game. I was totally unable to turn my head to the left without getting a mouthful of mum petals, so the ride to Auburn was reasonably quiet.

"Have you noticed most of the girls here don't even have a corsage? Isn't that sad?" Mikie noted. I didn't point out how "happy" the sad girls looked.

We arrived at our seats moments before heat exhaustion claimed me, and I ordered a large Coke from the vendor and told him to keep them coming. Streams of water poured down my face and body, but the mum seemed to actually absorb the moisture and, if I'm not dreadfully mistaken, grew. Large bumblebees started to swarm the mum and after a few unsuccessful swats, I gave up and let them do whatever bees do on giant mums.

Well into the first quarter I was actually praying I would be stung and have a severe reaction; severe enough to be taken to a local hospital where a kind nurse would say the words I longed to hear, "Let's remove this mum, and get her into a nice, cool hospital gown. Oh, yes. And make sure the gown doesn't have a back." That little daydream helped for about ten minutes into the second quarter, and then I was consumed with an absolute hatred for the giant mum for the entirety of the game.

It didn't help that at half time, one of the announcers looked up into the bleachers and asked if the young lady on the top row was as a member of the homecoming court. I mean who else would show up wearing a flower the size of Rhode Island and NOT be a contestant. I waved politely and told them I had dropped out of the competition for personal reasons.

The day ended and Mike, the mum (I had named it Rhoda) and I rode home. Mike was totally unaware of the discomfort I had suffered that day, and I had no intention of telling him until we had been married at least nine years or so. (At 20+ years, the secret is out.)

The moral of this little story is this: I can't imagine how awful Mike would have felt if I had rejected the mum. I also can't imagine how God must feel when we reject or fail to appreciate his many daily blessings and gifts. I try to remember, "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above," James 1:17. To me that means my Mikie, my kids and giant foliage with eight foot streamers!!

Super Hero Party (Boys)

Ages 4 to 7 (Ask 5 to ten boys depending on whether you have the party inside or outside.)

This is my by far one of my favorite parties. It is super (get it... "super") easy and inexpensive and so much fun.

You will need the following:

Two or three plastic tablecloths to cut into "capes"
Stickers (stars, super hero stickers, etc.)
Markers
Masks that cover the eyes
A Dad dressed in black jeans, black t-shirt and black mask

When the boys start to come over have the capes on the floor with markers and stickers ready to decorate. They can also decorate their masks. Pin the capes onto the boys' shirts when they are done, and they can wear the masks. We did this party for six and seven year-old boys and they never took off the capes or the masks.

Once they have decorated and finished their costumes, it is time for the games. The first game is simple. Ask them, "Who can run faster than a speeding bullet?" They should answer "Superman." Have all the guys line up. Yell, "On your mark, get set and go." The kids have to run around the entire house and back to the starting line. Give the winner a pack of sugarless gum to put in his goody bag.

The second game is just some fun with Silly String. Each super hero gets to see what it's like to be Spiderman and try to catch the Villain in his web. This is just a fun game of chase, and at the end you'll probably have to help the Villain clean up a little before the next game begins!

The third game asks the question, "Who can leap tall buildings in a single bound?" Again, the answer is Superman. Have a small mini-trampoline (which we borrowed), a beach towel and a stack of plastic cups about five cups high (in a pyramid formation) placed in the middle of the beach towel. The child has to run, jump on the trampoline and clear the beach towel and cups without knocking anything down.

Now, it's time for a little more information regarding the VILLAIN. This is the Dad dressed in all black with a black mask and a large white sign taped to the front of his chest that simply says, "THE VILLAIN." His job is to hide from the kids and keep from being captured by all the little super heroes running around for as long as he can. This is more than tag... this is capture and defeat. The super heroes must get him to the ground and conquer the evil VILLAIN. (It's just a big chase and capture game, and the Dad can wrestle with the boys until they finally WIN... and remind him, they do get to win!)

Devotion

The devotion for this party is my favorite. After the Villain has been captured, have all the super heroes sit around in a circle. The Villain will then open a shoe box. He will reach inside the box and pull out an action figure of Batman. "Who is this?" The kids will answer. "What super hero powers does he have?" The kids will answer. Next he pulls out a Spiderman and asks the same questions. Next he pulls out a Superman, Ironman, etc. and asks the same questions. Don't worry... the kids will know the answers.

Finally, the Villain pulls out a cross. "Can anyone tell me who this cross represents?" The kids will answer, "Jesus!"

"That's right. Now what kind of special things can Jesus do?" Some of the answers you can add if the kids hesitate are (1) walk on water; (2) make the blind to see; (3) calm the storm; (4) make the lame to walk again; (5) raise Lazarus from the dead; (6) rise from the dead Himself; and the list goes on and on and on.

"That's right. Those are some pretty cool things you just listed. Can anyone tell me the difference between all the other super heroes we've talked about and Jesus?" Give the kids the chance to answer. If you don't get the answer you want, go ahead and explain.

"As much fun as it is to play Batman and Superman and Ironman and Spiderman, those guys are just make-believe. They are great fun, but if you ever really needed help and called out for Superman, there really isn't a Superman who could come flying out of the sky to rescue you, is there? The main difference between all those guys and Jesus is... JESUS IS REAL! He really did walk on the water, and he really did make a blind man see, and he really did make a storm stop just by saying the words. And that's not all. Jesus is still alive today. He really does hear us when we talk to Him, and He really can answer our prayers. He is the one and only TRUE SUPER HERO."

Give the boys a second to soak all this in, and then finish up with your verse of Hebrews 13:5. "The Bible tells us (and the Bible is always true) that, "He will never leave us or forsake us." That means he will always stand by us. Does that mean we will get everything we always ask for? No. Sometimes our prayers are answered with a "no," but that doesn't change the fact that Jesus is real; Jesus loves us more than anything; and Jesus is a Super Hero like no other."

We had such a thoughtful response to that party. It didn't diminish the love the boys had for playing and pretending they were super hero characters, but it made Jesus more than a story from Sunday School. It made Him very real to them and on their level.

Cake

For the cake, I had a creative friend who made a large sheet cake and cut it into an oval. She iced the oval with very bright yellow icing, and in the middle she placed a large paper bat we had traced from a picture on the computer. She outlined the bat on the cake and filled it in with black icing. This made a wonderful bat signal cake.

Of course, you can always make a regular sheet cake and use real action figures on all four corners holding the candles, or something else creative. It doesn't have to be fancy to be appreciated.

Goody Bags

Cape
Mask
Sugarless Gum for the winners of the games
Small, inexpensive action figures (one or two) from Wal-Mart

This is a party that is best when it is held OUTSIDE. It is also a party my son always goes back to as one of his favorites from growing up. You can definitely make it your own by using your son's favorite super hero for the games, etc. Just use your imagination.

Tomorrow I have a great recipe for an easy, easy dinner. I hope you like Mexican. You can make it ahead, and pop it into the oven 45 minutes before it's time for everyone to sit down to eat together.

Have a great day, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.