The Balzer 5: Mason turned 6! {a March Madness Party}

I would love to skip right to the cruise we got back from about a week ago, and pretend I'm still soaking up the sun in the Bahamas.

But I'll be a good mom and not skip over the fact that our 2nd baby turned 6...awhile ago.

He's all about basketball these days (really, you could probably find him playing inside or outside at any given moment at our house), and with a February 28 birthday (March 3 party), it was the perfect timing for a March Madness party!

We decided to throw in both of his favorite teams and the ones he was cheering for in the tournament - the Shockers and Wildcats (the RIGHT Wildcats, not the wrong ones).

We had concession stand food for dinner...hot dogs with chili and other toppings, nachos, and I threw some coordinating colored fruit out in case someone needed something that wasn't junk on their plate.

Figuring the cake out was pretty easy. I borrowed the Wilton ball cake pan for the basketball.

But piping all of those stars...holy smokes...my hand cramped up many times.

And then, wouldn't ya know...the morning before the party, a certain little 2 year old decided to help himself to a bite of the cake when no one was looking. I thought about patching it up but would have had to make more frosting. I left it. I think it added character.

Mason was so excited the entire month of his birthday that Aunt Rebekah would be here. She and her best friend got picked for Megan's craft weekend, and it happened to fall on Mason's birthday weekend. It was hard to explain to them that she would be in town but NOT at our house...they weren't so happy with that. So we waited till she was done on Sunday and got to have her at the party and for an extra day.

Give this boy some Legos and he's a happy guy. But seriously, if anyone has mastered how to organize those things...HELP!!! Honestly, I think it's way too late. Most of the sets he's gotten in the past are a complete mess and mixed up with others. I get overwhelmed even looking at his Lego area and have no clue where to start in order to get them all back with the right sets.

For the most part we stick to family parties and let the kids have a friends party on the "big deal" birthdays...like 5 (although Taylor did 7 also), probably 10, 13...

We haven't stayed completely consistent with that. But it's working for now and the kids are happy with it. They love having a house full of family and have tons of fun with their cousins.

(it looks like he's picking his nose, but he wasn't)

Man, what is it with these candle pictures...they got me all emotional. Just looking at him and seeing how big he's gotten. What a sweet sweet time celebrating him.

And to make the weekend even better....

School was cancelled due to the cold the next day! So we got to get up and head to the donut shop with Aunt Rebekah and Megan before they headed back home!