Tanner's Birthday Phase One

Tanner couldn't make up his mind what he wanted to do for his birthday this year. He said he wanted to go to Gem State Gymnastics, again. We've had two birthdays there for our kids and been to countless others for other peoples kids, so Marisa and I were trying to come up with something different for our sakes anyway (yes, I know, it's his party, but come on!).

So our neighborhood was having a community night at the Steelheads Hockey Game last night and a couple of Tanner's friends were going with their families. We kind of hi-jacked the idea and got a few more of his buddies families to sign up. Tanner loves hockey, so he was all in, and so it became the Hidden Springs/Tanner's Birthday Party Bus Trip to the Steelheads game.

This was the first time the community had done this so we weren't sure what it was going to be like, but it got such a response that we filled two party buses. Luckily for everyone concerned, the families with kids (and all of Tanner and Jake's friends) ended up on one bus and the serious drinkers ended up on the other one. There was beer, wine and food served on the bus. We played trivia games for prizes and Tanner opened up his presents with his friends on the way downtown to the game.

The game itself was a 7-2 blowout loss by the Steelheads, but we had a really good time. Tanner and his buddies all sat together and watched the game the whole time. He was a bit dismayed when he heard the PA announcer wish him a Happy Birthday and spent a considerable amount of effort trying to figure out how the Steelheads knew it was his birthday. He stood up and screamed for the free T-Shirt guys (we didn't get one), and in general, just had a good time at the game.

Jake and his friends got a little bored with the game (I don't blame them, it was pretty bad hockey) and spent most of the night roaming around the arena, dancing and trying to get shown on the video board. They succeeded in the third period and spent the rest of the game bathing in the victory. Faith also enjoyed dancing in the aisle and sitting with Nana, Mom and Dad.

On the way home after the game, everyone on the bus sang "Happy Birthday" to Tanner and he curled up on my lap with his new pillow pet and rested. We got home at 11:00 or so and got everyone into bed. We fully anticipate paying for the late night out (like we always do) with some cranky kids today, especially after both boys play a full basketball game each.

We're going to do Tanner's family birthday (Phase Two) on Monday. The kids are off school all week next week for Thanksgiving Vacation. We're going to take them to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on the day before Thanksgiving and Marisa is trying to organize a neighborhood pot-luck/flag football game for all of the families staying in town (it's just a ploy to get pie), so there will be plenty of posts upcoming.