War-themed birthday party!

June 2nd (2013) was our brother Alexandre's 13th birthday and was a Very Special day. 

We did the family party (theme day) later that week! This time, the theme was....WAR! Pretty fun! We played the Great Escape soundtrack, as we enjoyed the decor, meals, gifts....

Sam also set up a super fun obstacle course inspired by combat in the Philippines- complete with real bamboo! (found in the park behind us- seeded from some neighbour's plants!)

A full view (standing in living room, looking at dining room)

Of course I had fun taking closeup shots of the soldiers on the table...

nails for a nail gun represented bullets

pictures on the walls

soldier behind 'barbwire fencing'

HEADING OUTSIDE....
The obstacle course! Everyone tried it, and we were timed. I can't even remember who won, but it was fun! Points were detracted if one made unusual mistakes...

''Sam! you expect ME to FIT under that?'' wails Marjo. To her delight, she did. :) 

1: Put on the backpack, grab the wagon and run towards The Log. (leave wagon at log)

2: Shimmy under the log and the chicken wire fencing attached to it, run over the board-over-log

3: flounder through the pile of leafy branches

4: walk the ''log bridge over the alligator-infested water (without touching the ground, or points will be lost!)

5: crawl through the humid forest of verdant bamboo and leafy trees (without making any descend upon yourself, or points will be deducted)

the forest was constructed of bamboo and maple leaf branches and was watered by an gentle sprinkler

6: run and jump over a piece of wood raised up between two logs, run across another 'log bridge' and jump down into the log cabin. 

7: fill the backpack with as many logs (they were quite small) as you think you can handle, don the backpack again and try to successfully do the whole obstacle course again back to the beginning!

Elodie, looking more like a dancer than an adventurer, crosses the bridge, carrying a log-filled backpack

the dangerous bridge over alligator territory

Those are all the pictures I have for now...we took some videos as well...

the birthday boy...one of those pictures which gives one a glimpse of what one's youngest brother will be as a man! Wow...can't believe how they grow!