Mystery Party

Good Monday morning... I mean AFTERNOON!

Just so you'll know, I had a broken modem all weekend. It took the repairman exactly 15 minutes to fix it, so I got right to work! (I wish all things could be fixed that easily.)

The Showcase Pic is of Roxie one more time. She made the volleyball team, and we found out at 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning. It was a great day for her... especially considering only three sixth graders were chosen for the team. It was also bittersweet, because several of her close friends did not make the final cut, but they are already talking about trying out for basketball together in October. Everyone has had a sweet attitude. (We've been on both sides, so we know about disappointment, but I'm glad everyone is talking about trying out again. That's the important thing... to keep trying!)

The Gallery Pics will be growing and growing this week since we have several activities going on. Today, I added Roxie's picture from the Gumbo Gala she and her Dad participated in on Saturday afternoon. I would have thought a Swamp Poppa was a little scarier looking, wouldn't you? But they looked very nice. Roxie loved the atmosphere, the music and the time spent with her Dad. However, gumbo is not her food of choice. Thankfully, they had hot dogs, chips and soft drinks available, too. Every booth had a special name and Roxie and Mike both liked "Roadkill Cafe" the best (name-wise... I don't know about gumbo-wise). Mike declared it all delicious, and fun was had by all.

I've also added a picture of the giant purple corsage I received for Mother's Day. Even though I will be celebrating next Sunday, I still get my giant purple corsage on the real Mother's Day. (The only thing stranger than wearing a giant purple corsage is wearing a giant purple corsage on a day other than a major holiday!)

Beverly and I took Mom to Miss Rosemarie's Mother's Day Brunch on Saturday, and it was SOOOO good. (I had chilled blueberry pomegranate soup. I know... it sounds "iffy," but it was my favorite.) If you didn't get to go this year, please try to make reservations for next year. It was very special and fun.

Josh's movie plans got very mixed up and eventually cancelled, and he found himself Saturday night very disappointed. Mikie came to the rescue, and he went on his second kid date of the day. He and Josh had a ball. Good Daddy!

Sunday had it's ups and downs. We were supposed to go to Mrs. Faulkner's for Mother's Day, but Mike and the boys decided to take the wood from the old deck to our brother-in-law, Guy, for his hunting club. (Guy was going to be at the Faulkner's house, also.) Mike had gotten a trailer, and he and the boys loaded up most of the wood. (The rest will be cleared out by Saturday. YEA!!!) We started the 90-minute trip to the Faulkner's and a little over halfway there, the trailer tire went flat. Actually, it was a blow-out.

We were not on a good stretch of highway. Mike couldn't change it even if we had a spare, so we got on the interstate going ten miles per hour (which is also very dangerous) and made it to the next exit. Oddly enough, across the street from the gas station we had parked was a small building with a large door. The gas station attendant told us they sold tires. Ahh! But would they be open on Mother's Day? Yes, they were!

We drove over and they told us they only worked on 18-wheelers. (Bad news.) Then, one of the men said, "Wait a minute," and went to the back of the shop and brought back a used trailer tire. (Good news.) Fifteen minutes later, we were on our way again.

We spent a couple of hours with the Faulkners and then headed home. The original plan was to be at Bev's at 6:00 for Tommy's birthday party, but she was very sick Sunday, and spent Mother's Day in bed with a migraine, so we had to postpone that celebration. (Feel better, Bev.)

While at the Faulkners, they gave Austin his graduation gift... a flat-screen television set for his dorm room. Although we had several pictures of Austin's face, Roxie's face was the best. As you will see tomorrow (my camera is in Mikie's truck at work right now), waiting six years for her graduation gift is not going to be easy for her. She's like her mother... patience is not our finest quality.

We made it home in time to eat pizza and watch the end of The Amazing Race (more on that Friday). It was a busy weekend, but fun.

Things are really cranking up. There is something going on each and every day until May 30. (May 31... we are crashing!)

Tonight is Austin's Senior Awards Night, so I'll have some pics to add to the Gallery for that special event tomorrow, also.

I haven't decided what we should talk about Tuesday and Wednesday, but I'm thinking. You'll have to check in tomorrow to see if I came up with anything. But for today... let's party!

Mystery Party

This was a party I threw for Roxie and friends when Roxie was in her Nancy Drew/Trixie Beldon Mystery Mode. It was fun, simple and with a little help from the brothers, it was a little scary, too.

First, I decided on the mystery. Josh was going to be captured, and the girl detectives had to follow clues all over the neighborhood to try to find him.

Once all the girls had arrived, we were standing in the kitchen. Austin walked through, saw me nod and walked upstairs where seconds later a blood curdling scream was heard. (Josh was a great screamer before his voice changed.) The girls froze.

"Oh, my goodness. What was that?" I asked, and I ran upstairs... with seven little nine year-old girls following close behind. Once inside Josh's room, they saw total chaos. I had moved the mattresses off the bed, rumpled the bedspreads and sheets, tossed the pillows, and opened the blinds crooked. (It takes less than five minutes to trash a room!) One window was open, and there was a ladder propped against the outside windowsill.

The girls ran to the window where their first clue was waiting for them. I had taken a picture of Josh wearing a hat, sunglasses, a scarf, a red T-shirt, gloves and a jacket. On top of the picture on the windowsill was the scarf pictured in the photo. I told the girls to look at the picture closely, because the clothing clues were what we would be looking for. Along with the photo and scarf was their first written clue.

It's short and made of wood,
And unfortunately has no rail.
Behind our neighbor's house
A bridge will tell a tale.

They then had to run to a little bridge behind the house across the street where they found the sunglasses and their next clue. I had put these clues and articles of clothing all over our street and the street behind us. As they found the clothing and clues, they came closer and closer back to our house.

The last clue was found on my kitchen table.

It's dark down there.
A perfect place to hide.
Each girl grab a flashlight.
And stay close... side by side.

I gave each girl a flashlight, and they made their way down to our very dark basement. Austin had tied Josh up and put him in the back corner of the basement during the clue search, and then Austin himself got into the spirit of things and hid in a corner waiting for the girls to come down the stairs huddled and giggling together. After he jumped out at them (the best part the girls declared), it took them a few minutes to calm down, find Josh and rescue him. They had a ball.

Next, we ran upstairs for a hot dog lunch with a few surprises. I had put a small drop of food coloring in the bottom of each of their clear cups, and when they poured their Sprite, each one had a different colored drink. I also put a plate of "Mystery Meat" sandwiches on a platter in the middle of the table. (It was only Deviled Ham, but several tried it just for fun before they finished their hot dogs.)

Luckily, the Nancy Drew movie had just come out for the summer, so when the girls finished their lunch, we loaded into two vans (another mom came to the rescue), and we went to see a mystery movie after solving our own.

This party could EASILY be given for boys who love the Hardy Boys mysteries. Also, if there isn't a good mystery or suspense movie on at the theater, you may find an old Hardy Boys movie at your local video store or the local library may have something appropriate. (The Ghost and Mr. Chicken would be great for a younger crowd.)

Again, you will have to make this party your own. The clues do not have to rhyme. The mystery can be a hidden treasure or a stolen jewel they have to search for. Just have fun with it!

Check in tomorrow for the new Sandra Lee recipe from her new magazine. (I tried two of the recipes, but the second one was the family's favorite.)

Take care and I'll talk to you tomorrow.