It is hard to believe that Madigan has turned 7 today. Days with my kids can be very L O N G but the years seem to fly by. Madigan's day started this morning with breakfast in bed, a tradition in our house. You only get the blue "Celebrate" plate on special occasions.
Today Madigan is spending the day at YMCA Day Camp with her friends. Her specific camp is called "Top Model". (Thomas is at a putt putt golf camp). Madigan came home yesterday afternoon with pink and green hair... and eye shadow. Oh boy. For dinner, we are going to the Corvette Diner. It's a fun 50's themed restaurant. Uncle Matt is in town on an off this week (flying for FedEx) and as it works out, Madigan gets a bonus guest for this year's birthday dinner.You'd think that would be it for her birthday, but no. We make a big deal about birthdays. Yes, we (really it's just me, Patrick just plays along to appease me) are part of the eleborate kid party problem. Admitting it is the first step I hear...
Birthdays when Patrick and I were kids, consisted of a few gifts and cake after dinner with your brothers and sisters. But then when I was at Boston College and discovered the pleasure of a week long birthday celebration - yes Sally D, I'm talking about you - I was hooked. By the time I graduated college, I had two really good friends (Kelly and Clare - see the party pictures) that had the same birth date as me and we had some really great parties together. And part of the reason I overdo birthdays is because of my sister Nancy and the Irwin sisters. They always have fabulous parties for their kids... really memorable. So now I am doing it for my kids, and I have lots of help, so it's out of control... but I LOVE it! On Sunday Madigan had an Enchanted Tea Party at the Grand Del Mar.
Linda discovered this invitation in a book. Linda made all of the crowns, so all I had to do was the wording and assemble the cards.
Kristin made these amazing wrist corsages out of blank slap bracelets. Yes Elizabeth, they are butterflies and I did save you one... and one for your sister.
Kristin and I worked our fingers numb making pearl, crystal, and flower hair pins.
Linda and I made up a princess bingo game.
From the same book as the invitation, I made these placecards. The candies inside are called "Dutch Mints" and they are delicious.
Kristin made up the party favors. When we went to the El Capitan to see "Enchanted" last December, we collected and saved 20 popcorn buckets. Since Patrick was in Afghanistan, Uncle Gordy carried them around all day for me. He's such a sport. Then Kristin sent pet gummy rats and "I Love NY" t-shirts. We added an apple for good measure - not poisoned of course. 
Kristin made up the party favors. When we went to the El Capitan to see "Enchanted" last December, we collected and saved 20 popcorn buckets. Since Patrick was in Afghanistan, Uncle Gordy carried them around all day for me. He's such a sport. Then Kristin sent pet gummy rats and "I Love NY" t-shirts. We added an apple for good measure - not poisoned of course. Aunt Linda and Uncle Gordy had bought Madigan a beautiful pink and light green tea dress. Sadly Madigan proclaimed "it itches" and she begged to wear her all white Flower Fields dress. Still pretty, but I was disappointed that she wouldn't wear the green and pink dress.
Gordy, Patrick and Thomas walked the girls from the valet to the library dressed in their tuxedos.
The Grand Del Mar is a spectacular hotel. It's my new favorite place and it's only 5 minutes from our house. For the tea party, the staff put us in the library by ourselves. With 15 girls and a few parents watching it was perfect. 
We had one server named Jessica, who as fate would have it, is in school studying to be a teacher. She wants to teach first or second grade, how funny! She was absoultely wonderful and really great with the girls. 
Without requesting them, the chef made these beautiful choclate covered strawberries for Madigan's birthday party. I just can't say enough about the food and service and The Grand.
Gordy, Patrick and Thomas walked the girls from the valet to the library dressed in their tuxedos.The Grand Del Mar is a spectacular hotel. It's my new favorite place and it's only 5 minutes from our house. For the tea party, the staff put us in the library by ourselves. With 15 girls and a few parents watching it was perfect. We had one server named Jessica, who as fate would have it, is in school studying to be a teacher. She wants to teach first or second grade, how funny! She was absoultely wonderful and really great with the girls. Without requesting them, the chef made these beautiful choclate covered strawberries for Madigan's birthday party. I just can't say enough about the food and service and The Grand. It is a very special place.
Miss Kristin delivered a tea lesson to the girls, which they took very seriously.
We played a memory game, an "Enchanted" Mad Lib, and then played princess bingo. To facilitate serving, we brought an "Enchanted" cupcake cake. Miss Kristin provided a sparkler candle - a number 7. Lots of excitement over the sparkler candle.
This is the group of 15 young ladies, they were all delightful!
The birthday girl with the party planners.
Miss Kristin delivered a tea lesson to the girls, which they took very seriously. We played a memory game, an "Enchanted" Mad Lib, and then played princess bingo. To facilitate serving, we brought an "Enchanted" cupcake cake. Miss Kristin provided a sparkler candle - a number 7. Lots of excitement over the sparkler candle.
This is the group of 15 young ladies, they were all delightful!
The birthday girl with the party planners.
Which was terrific until I realized that we had left our camera backpack at the curb when we checked our bags. This had all of my camera equipment, Patrick's laptop, and our digital video camera. A costly mistake to say the least. After boarding the ship, Gordy and I backtracked through the lines to the curb where the porter took our bags. Unbelievably the backpack was sitting about 10 feet from where we left it. We were so lucky.
The McGuire's room was absoultely fabulous. The were on the aft starboard side of the ship - room 8-273. They had a sitting room, a vanity room, a separate bedroom, a walk-in closet and best of all a huge wrap around balcony.
Thomas was allowed to wander the ship by himself provided he took a walkie talkie with him, he was out and about before we even got your carry-on bags into our room. His walkie talkie call sign was "Sushi Boy" which I am sure annoyed other people but we thought was funny. As he gave me a tour, he pointed out places of interest. Places of interest to a nine year old boy. I think just having the freedom to come and go as he pleased was the best part of the trip for Thomas. The best part for Madigan was room service every morning for breakfast. She diligently filled out the room service card every night and hung it on the doorknob before she went to bed.
We had taken the Magic on our Carribean cruise in 2006. We had a nice time in Puerto Vallerta but honsetly it was just so hot. We went to a really nice restaurant called "The Blue Shrimp" and roamed around the town for a few hours. 
That night at dinner we had some excitement. Patrick had some side dish that had eggplant in it. OK - add eggplant to the list of foods he is allergic to... we got to see the medical clinic up close and personal. Not fun.
(golf cart type vehicle) to tour the city, and then spent the afternoon on Stone Island at a restaurant called Moloki. The coconut shrimp was fantastic. After lunch, Patrick rented an ATV
and took the kids on rides while Karen and I sat drinking Coronas in a lounge chair. The water was really warm and the warning of jellyfish didn't scare any of us off.
It was a little chaotic for us because we hadn't booked excursions through the ship. Patrick found a parasailing excursion and he purchased one for he and Thomas to ride tandem. I went on the boat with them to take pictures and we had a great time. I was a little nervous watching them, but Thomas was all smiles.
Which was a good thing... the conga line had "Flat Pat" as their leader and 'Flat Pat" made the rounds with the guests getting him into many precarious positions.
* Mai Tai's were a HUGE hit, thanks Mark. I had 2 or 3 myself. Keith and Robert's Long Island Ice Tea was redubbed "jet fuel" and I think most people only had one for fear of falling down on the deck. We only had 4 cases of beer leftover of the 22 that we bought... I think other people brought beer too. This included beer consumed Friday night and Saturday on the beach with Rubio's fish tacos. Nothing is better than being on the beach with good friends, a Corona, and a Rubio's fish taco.
They didn't make the next table cry. They weren't here for a long time, they were here for a good time. We missed the members of MANGANO who could not be there... but don't worry, we talked about you!
Just past the Navy Lodge on the left is the exit of the ONE WAY street "L Street" . Go to the next left and enter "L" Street. Park in the first lot on your left. DO NOT PARK in the next lot that says parking only for NBSW (Navy Band South West). As you are looking at the water, the deck is on the left hand side of the 710 Building.
