Pirate Isaac's Riotous 3rd Birthday Bash!

There was absolutely no question as to what kind of birthday party Isaac wanted this year. He's been obsessed with pirates ever since our trip to the pirate house last January. So, when the big day was nearing, each of his little pirate friends received their own personal "message in a bottle" invite.
Once opened, the scroll read:

"Arrrr! Avast Ye Landlubbers!
Ye be invited to Cap’n Isaac’s riotous

3rd Birthday Bash!
Chart yer course fer
1456 East 3115 South
Saturday, August 1st at 11:00 AM.
We’ll be sure t’ be swabbing the deck and walking the plank
into shark infested waters, so come dressed in yer
swimmin’ suits else ye be playin’ in yer skivvies!
Grub ‘n grog will be served whilst we be maroonin’ in the Captain’s Cove,

so come hungrier than a sea serpent.

Be there or be a be a lilly-livered bilge rat, maties!

Arrr ye comin? RSVP to Seawench Rachel by Friday, July 31st"

We hoisted the Jolly Roger, rounded up a few crocs and sharkies, converted the tramp into a pirate ship, created our own pirate's cove in the backyard and the wild ruckus began!

Our young buckaneers were each forced to walk the plank, risking their very lives as they plunged into shark infested waters. If they abandoned ship before making it to the sharks? No worries - a pool full of crocodiles would happily gobble them up.

After a fair bit of playing, there was work to be done! Swab the deck, maties!

Those young sailors sure earned their keep - our tramp has never looked so clean! They scrubbed every inch of that thing at least three times, spending a good 30 minutes on the chore - and would have happily kept on scrubbing...if their tummies weren't a rumblin!

Ah yes, did I forget to mention that Seawench Rachel makes a MEAN pirate ship hot dog?

The kids happily lined up for their grub n grog.

Little Captain Jack even joined the festivities. (He doesn't know he was merely a decoration, shhhh....)
After our feast, we headed into Pirate's Cove and what do you know? We dug up a treasure map in the sand. It contained clues that would guide us to a hidden treasure!

CLUE #1

Ahoy Maties! If it be treasure yer seekin’
Here be a clue fer you…
Look first t’ be sure no grown-ups are peekin’
Then search for a chair that be blue!

CLUE #2

Avast, ye found it! You good pirates, you!

There be treasure nearby, yer near all the loot
Ta find yer next clue,
Plunder the pirate’s boot!

CLUE #3

Yo Ho! Ye done it –
ye found number three!
Yer next clue be waitin’
up high in the tree!

CLUE #4

Ye young pirates sure know yer stuff
Yer treasure be waitin’ nearby
X marks the spot, upon the chest
Near Paityn’s Cove, lay yer eye!We heaved and ho'd that treasure back to our own yard and opened it up...GOLD, SILVER, JEWELS, and...A PINATA!
After the loot had all been gathered, it was time for cake, ice cream, and...

presents!

Before each little pirate departed to their own waters, the good Captain Jack Sparrow (a mate of Isaac's) and I posed for a photo. Captain Ben donned the once-every-five-year gold hoop earring for the occasion. Lookin' good, matie!

Of course we were all saying, "ARRRRRGH!" in each photo.

When all the guests were gone, the kids and I lounged around in Pirates Cove, diggin' for buried treasure and enjoyin' a little grog on ice. Isaac was pooped by the end of the day. I'm grateful that my little pirate is not too tough to snuggle with his grammy and suck his thumb at the end of a long, hard day at sea.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC!

We love ya, Matie! ARRRGGH!