Ben's Texas Ranger Party

Ben decided about 3 months ago that he wanted to have a Texas Rangers birthday party, but not the baseball players - the REAL Texas Rangers that ride horses and carry guns. So, we created a party for him. The plan for the cake was a Texas Ranger badge in the shape of a star, but the Monday before his birthday, he decided he wanted a white frosted cake with a cowboy and cowgirl on it. I told him I didn't think I could do that. "That's okay Mom. You just frost it white and I'll draw on the cowboy and cowgirl." "Ben, don't you want a Texas Ranger star? That would look so great?" "No, I want a cowboy and a cowgirl. If you can't do it I will. You just paint it white and I'll frost the rest!" Of course being the controlling mother I am, I couldn't NOT do it the way he requested, so here I am at 11:30 the night before the party filling in the traced cowboy and cowgirl! (BTW the cake was very yummy - two layers of strawberry cake with homemade strawberry jam in the middle layer. The frosting even turned out okay even though I had to use Smart Balance instead of real butter because we were out!) My handsome cowboy!
Explaining to Ben's friends the plan. We had 4 different stations that they rotated while at Texas Ranger camp. First, learning to rope. Second, learning to ride a horse. Third, learning to jump over snakes. Fourth, shooting a target.
Josh learning to rope

Gabe at target practice
We are a happy family!
Alex, Bennett and William meeting the horse they are to ride

Annie was still a little bit young for the activities, so Grandpa kept her busy!

Dad teaching the roping skills
Then we lined up all the potential Rangers to do their final test - using that sixth sense to pin the badge on the Texas Ranger! After they completed that, they were pinned and completed Texas Ranger Camp!!!


We celebrated with a cake...obviously...

Emily just enjoyed eating. Pretzels, chex mix, and about 6 different people's leftover cake...


No Texas Ranger should be left unchallenged! As the kid were finishing the celebration cake, our dear friend came over looking very distraught! See, she lost her hat and couldn't find it anywhere! Would Ben and his Texas Ranger friends PLEASE help her find her missing hat? So, we followed Mrs. Morrison's clues to retrace her steps, while shooting red eyes in the distance, jumping over poisonous rattlesnakes, walking the thin edge of a cliff and galloping on our horses!

Silly Mrs. Morrison, she left her hat in the garage!



Then everyone got a chance to hit the hat twice before the Big Guns came out to play...DAD!

Mad dash for candy and other little trinkets...

It was a fun party. Everyone was so polite and patient. Later that afternoon Ben did a big sigh and said, "My party was really fun." Yes dear, it was! Thanks so much to the many hands that helped make it happen!!!! As soon as all the party pictures get posted to our Picasa sight I'll let parents know. I'm pretty sure we have at least one of each guest!!! What a great birthday!!!