Over the past weekend, we celebrated Jaxon's 3rd Birthday. We chose to do the 12th so that family could come... (You know, living in East TN, everything revolves around college football, and this Saturday is a huge rival football game between UT/Vandy haha)... 
f course wanted a Cars themed party, and not one to be simple, I gave him a full on CARS Party! I made a hand made "Pin the Tire on Lightning" game, made a Stop Light for the game "Red Light, Green Light", and really tested my patience by baking and assembling Mator Cupcakes! I also searched high and low for the best "Non-Crap" Goodie bags for the boys and found things at the dollar store that were all Disney Car's and actually good toy, vs. the typical noise makers, candy, etc... that usually just gets tossed in the garbage. I was quite proud of myself. After everyone arrived, and the parents and I had a team effort talk, we got the party started! We let the kids mingle for a while, and shortly after I got their attention, we played Pin the Tire on Lightning, which was pretty entertaining! Jax did REALLY good for never playing before. Two of the kids were older brothers, and they clearly had the tilt your head up and be able to see method down... Ha! 
After that, we ran through Red Light, Green Light, and again, the bigger kids dominated that game as well. When we were done with the games, we got down to business with the Mator Cakes and homemade ice cream. Rachel, my sister in law, had been sending me links to all these amazing, easy, kid friendly crafts, and one of them, was ice cream in a bag. Minus one parent/kid bag having a leak and getting stuff every where, it was a success and hit the spot with the cakes! Talk about a guilt free way to eat ice cream... you have to really work hard for 5-10 minutes before you enjoy, which actually gives you a good work out, so the calories don't really count, right?
After the sugar high... we got Jax and the kids sat down for presents. Man oh Man! Jax made out like a bandit! He got so many awesome gifts! From board games, activity books, dress up clothes and of course Cars toys, he really got a lot! After that, we blind folded Jax and brought the boys outside for the big reveal of his new truck! I know I was counting down the seconds for this, and I was just as happy to see his face as he was to see his new tru
ck! As soon as he climbed in, it was on! All the boys went racing to jump in and take a ride with the birthday boy!!! A little intense, but again, I saw that coming. Jax drove his friends around, and even shared the driving, and let one of the older boys show him how it was done!!! I've had such a blast with him over the last few days and his new toys! Of course the funniest is the fact that to a kid, it can be a $5 toy or a really, really expensive toy... Gramma sent Jax a box of presents and in that box was a baby's letter book, that has A-Z, 1-10 and shapes and colors... And what toy do you think he liked the best... Hahaha... So happy that learning still takes precedence over new TOYS! :) I mean he definitely LOVES his truck, but he has to take his new letters book to bed, in the truck and every where else we go!
Jaxon's actual birthday is just a day and a half away now... I can't believe how fast the years have gone! My little guy is growing so fast, and getting too big!!!
