A Great Wolf Lodge Birthday Surprise!

Violet and Wiley

Because of our BIG reveal, to our kiddies, on March 25th, we have decided NOT to throw BIG birthday parties for 2014. Instead, we are having, what I like to call a "celebration".  A low scale "party" for our soon-to-be 5 year old twins.  I had envisioned the day my twins would turn 5 and I always said I wanted them to each be able to have their own celebration. Since the day they were born, they've had to share most everything, minus clothing.  And being they are boy-girl twins, I figured they would appreciate an ALL BOY celebration and an ALL GIRL celebration rather than a NEUTRAL celebration.  

This year, I came up with an AWESOME idea for Jax's celebration.  Being Cohen is Jax's BFF and really his only friend, aside form his school and church classmates and family members, I decided to surprise BOTH Jax and Cohen with a trip to Jax's FAVORITE place... The Great Wolf Lodge.

The clip art and party ideas for the Great Wolf Lodge are NON-EXISTENT on the internet as well as on pinterest, so it was up to me to come up with my own way to REVEAL/PRESENT this part-aaay to the boys.

Take a peak!!!!

The Paw Bag

Basically, to create this look, all I did was download a "paw print" from google, insert a text box onto the paw, and type in the boys' names.  Very simple.  I tried to dowload the Great Wolf Lodge font, but no one seemed to know what font the GWL uses for all of their stuff.  What's in the bag? Read on to see...

First up, a poem invite.  It incorporates the birthday boy of course, but it includes his party guest... "Co".  I loved how it turned out.

If you can't read the invitation/poem, let me know.  I'll send you the wording via email.

Along with the invite were the "ears" mentioned in the second line of the poem. The ears are a BIG to do at the Great Wolf Lodge.  All the kids wear them throughout the resort. We saved ours, from our last trip, and we are sharing one pair with Cohen.

At the end of the poem, I said, "Let's Count Down The Day With This Paper Chain!" I couldn't find any wolf scrapbook paper at any local craft stores (and we have 3), so instead, I created my own Great Wolf Lodge paper, using word, to create our own paper chain.  I figured this would be a great way for the boys to be able to count down the number of days left until their trip.  

I bought the white bags from the Dollar Tree, printed the Great Wolf logo onto photo paper, and just "pasted" it to the bag. The paper chain was too long to fit into the bag properly, but oh well. I think it kind of looks cute that way.

Each day the boys will tear off ONE GWL circle.  When there are no more circles left, it's time to leave for our trip!!!

TONIGHT we tell the boys the plan.  Ashely and I are seriously about to crack.  We've been waiting over a week for this moment.  I know I have almost slipped up once or twice.  Yesterday, I almost got busted making the paper chain. We hope to capture their reaction on camera and/or video.  Thanks for rejoicing with us them JAX as he turns 5!!!

 You know me...

 I've got to capture it ALL...

 DOWN TO THE...

VERY LAST DETAIL!

I think we all [Me, Ashely, & Cohen] will also feel like it's our birthdays!!! It's not often you get to go on a road trip, alone, with ONE of your children and one of your best friends. 22 days and counting....