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Thursday


**Consider yourself pretty special that you're allowed to view this 
SECRET AGENT BIRTHDAY OPERATION. 




You see, only SECRET AGENTS were invited to my 11 year old's SPY THEMED PARTY.
(Cue the James Bond theme song...)


Invitations were sent to the special
SECRET AGENTS.
They read as follows:



YOUR SECRET MISSION,
IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT,
IS TO HELP CELEBRATE THE 11TH BIRTHDAY OF
AGENT JACOB
ALL SECRET AGENTS MUST REPORT TO THE SPY TRAINING CENTER
(aka-jacob's home)

SPY TRAINING WILL INCLUDE:
MESSAGE DECODING
BOMB DISABLING
TARGET PRACTICE
SEARCH OPTICS
SPECIAL OPERATIONS

PLEASE NOTIFY THE SPY AGENCY
(aka-jacob's parents)
WITH YOUR INTENTIONS.


THE TRAINING CENTER WAS SET UP...




APPROPRIATE SPY COLORS WERE DECIDED ON...
RED AND BLACK.



WAITING AT EACH PLACE SETTING WAS:

*BLACK T-SHIRT
(every spy must wear black.)

*MAGNIFYING GLASSES like these:

*NOTEBOOKS(mini spiral)

*DARK SHADES





THE PLAY ROOM WAS SET UP WITH LOTS OF
PRACTICE TARGETS.





WE HUNG BALLOONS FROM THE CEILING.
 A LAMINATE BOARD WAS PROPPED UP.
VINYL CIRCLES WERE STUCK ON THE BOARD FOR TARGETS.


BOMB CAKE WAS ASSEMBLED.
(It almost killed me, but that's what bombs do, right?)


I used a sports ball cake pan and covered the entire thing with marshmallow fondant.  The knob on top is fondant and the fuse is black licorice.


THE SNACKS WERE ARRANGED.
(The Birthday party was in the afternoon, so no meal was needed. Gotta love that!)

SNACKS INCLUDED:

CHEETOS aka- LASER HOT BULLETS

GRAPES aka- EXPLOSIVES

SLIM JIM SAUSAGE STICKS aka- DYNAMITE STICKS

FORTUNE COOKIES aka- UNDERCOVER SECRET MESSAGES
(I hid clues in the fortune cookies and sealed the packages back up with my  iron...crazy, I know...but it worked!)

DRINKS- CAPRI SUN aka- PACKETS OF ADRENALINE


AND OF COURSE THE BOMB CAKE!
JUNIOR MINT CANDIES WERE USED ON THE PLATTER.


THE AGENDA WAS MADE AND THE AGENTS ARRIVED!




FIRST:  DRESS CODE AND PHOTO OPS.

(I set up a black photo booth to capture their spy poses.)



NEXT: DECIPHERING CODES

 MY SON IS REALLY INTO CODE MAKING.
HE MADE ALL KINDS OF CODES FOR HIS FRIENDS TO FIGURE OUT.


SOME OF THE CODES WERE A BIT TRICKY, SO MY SON HAD TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF...BUT EVENTUALLY ALL WERE CRACKED.



NEXT:  LASER BEAM TRAINING

RED CREPE PAPER TAPED BETWEEN CABINETS=

LASER BEAMS!




EACH TIME THEY WENT THROUGH THE BEAMS, WE ADDED MORE LASERS.
WE WERE SHOCKED THAT THESE 'AGENTS' LOVED THIS SIMPLE ACTIVITY! THEY WANTED TO DO THIS OVER AND OVER.


NEXT:  BOMB DISABLING


WE HID A SECRET CLUE IN ONE OF THE BALLOONS.
THE AGENT'S JOB WAS TO 'DISABLE' (POP) ALL THE 'BOMBS' (BALLOONS)AND FIND THE CLUE.
(I had the grandparents help throw the bombs on the kids.)




I should mention that all the clues were typed in 2pt. font
which had to be read by their magnifying glasses.
(You've got to challenge these kids every now and then, right?)

THIS WAS THE CLUE INSIDE THE BOMB:

CLUE #1:  YOU MUST WORK AS A TEAM TO LOCATE THE MISSING AMMUNITION.
AGENT BLAKE MUST RETRIEVE AND READ THE FIRST CLUE LOCATED INSIDE HIS GOODIE BAG.


(I wanted them to work as a team, yet make sure everyone got a chance to read the clues.)



INSIDE THE GOODIE BAG:
CLUE #2:  BRRR! CHICKEN.
AGENT DILLON MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE.

INSIDE THE FREEZER:

CLUE #3:  ACE, JACK, QUEEN, KING
AGENT AKSHAY MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE.

INSIDE THE DECK OF CARDS LOCATED IN THE GAME BIN:
CLUE #4:  88 KEYS
AGENT DYLAN MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE.



INSIDE THE PIANO:
CLUE #5:  GREEN EGGS AND HAM
AGENT JACOB MUST READ THE NEXT CLUE.

INSIDE THE GREEN EGGS AND HAM BOOK LOCATED ON THE BOOKSHELF:
CLUE #6:  FINAL LOCATION
GREASY FLAMES



(It took a bit of time, but they figured out that the ammunition was inside the bar-b-que on the back deck.)


NEXT:  TARGET PRACTICE


(This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products.)

We purchased little NERF guns like these Nerf N-Strike Jolt Blaster (blue) for each agent. My son told me that spies must have smaller weapons that can be easily concealed.
(This didn't bother me one bit.)


ONE BY ONE THE AGENTS TOOK TURNS SHOOTING AT THE TARGETS.

SOME MOVES REQUIRED ROLLING ON THE FLOOR AND SHOOTING, OTHER MOVES REQUIRED SHOOTING FROM BEHIND A CORNER.

NEXT:  SPECIAL OPERATION
AFTER A BIT OF PRACTICE, WE TOOK A BREAK FOR GIFTS, SNACKS AND CAKE.




AS THE AGENTS WERE EATING THEIR CAKE, THEY NOTICED A CLUE.
(While they weren't watching I scooped up their guns and hid them.  Then, when I served the cake, I cleverly hid a secret clue under their food.  Moms can be pretty sneaky.)


NEXT:  LOCATE WEAPONS

CLUE #1  YOU MUST REMAIN CALM.  TRY TO FIND YOUR MISSING WEAPON WITHOUT SAYING A WORD.  BREAK OPEN YOUR FORTUNE AND READ YOUR CLUE SILENTLY.  DO NOT LET ANYONE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

(I slipped a clue inside the fortune cookies.
Using tweezers, I was able to remove most of the original fortunes. Remember, every clue was printed in size 2 font.)



I wanted to give the agents a chance to solve a case on their own.
It was so much fun watching which agents could follow directions!

CLUE #2:  YOU MUST LOCATE YOUR WEAPON BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES.
LOOK UNDER YOUR CHAIR.


CLUE #3:  DO NOT LET OTHERS SEE YOU AS YOU SNEAK TO THE BATHROOM.
LOOK UNDER THE TISSUES FOR YOUR NEXT CLUE.

CLUE #4:  QUICKLY GO TO THE ROOM WITH THE FIREPLACE.
DROP AND GIVE ME:
5 PUSH UPS
5 JUMPING JACKS
5 SIT UPS
THEN, READ THE CLUE LOCATED INSIDE THE LOWER CABINET DOOR.



CLUE#5:  YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!
GO TO THE WASHING MACHINE AND FIND YOUR WEAPON.
GOOD WORK, AGENT!



After all the agents finally had a chance to locate their weapon and finish their snacks, we moved to the garage and the...


MINEFIELD TRAINING



This is a simple game that requires thinking and memory skills.

A grid is made on the floor using sheets of paper and duct tape.
We made our grid 5 sheets wide by 5 sheets tall= 25 sheets total.

The 'designer' of the game makes a plan of where the secret mines will be.
Writing them out on paper is very helpful.
The 'designer' decides the route the agent must take to get across the minefield.
It's the agent's job to figure out the safe route.



One by one an agent steps on a square of paper.
The 'designer' lets them know if they're safe or if they've stepped on a mine.
If they're safe, they may move to another sheet of paper.  If they've stepped on a mine 'BOOM!', they're out and must go to the back of the line. The next agent must try to remember where it is safe to step.
Agents may only step forward or sideways.
They must try to get all the way across the minefield without stepping on a mine.

(The agents were pretty sharp and we played this game at least 5 times!)


NEXT:  FREE SHOOTING



LARGE CARDBOARD APPLIANCE BOXES WERE PLACED ALL OVER OUR GARAGE.
THE LIGHTS IN THE GARAGE WERE TURNED OUT.
THE AGENTS MADE TEAMS AND THE SHOOTING BEGAN.

(Yes, I'm aware that this only sounds fun to 11 year old boys.)


(Actually, 11 year old boys AND 40 year old boys. AH-Awesome Husband joined in.)


30 MINUTES LATER...  DEPARTURE!
PARENTS ARRIVED TO PICK UP SOME VERY SWEATY AGENTS!

 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KID...I MEAN AGENT.

  

This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products. 




To see my son's NERF Party from last year, click here.



 








Linking up to: FrugalGirls, LoveofFamily&Home, HouseOfHepworths,Tatertots&Jello, 52Mantels, ReasonstoSkiptheHousework, UndertheTableDreaming, CraftOManiac, MadeByYouMonday, CherishedHandmadeTreasures,
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Monday





(This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products.)

Here's some quick Easter favors for teachers, friends and family.

Yummy smelling Bath & Body Works soap with our favorite Easter candy: Cadbury Creme Eggs and Cadbury Mini Eggs,


Just print out these tags (scroll to bottom of post) and attach to any Easter favor or gift.  Easy!


My kids love these milk carton Robin Eggs,
and this bright colored Silly Putty.



Package up some solid milk chocolate Easter eggs in small cellophane bags.  I use these cellophane bags.

Tie with ribbon and add on a tag.


Here's another idea.
Place the tag inside the cellophane bag with the candy.
Punch a hole through the bag and through the tag.
Thread a ribbon through the hole and tie.



You can even use this tag in a plant or a gift bucket or basket.
Punch a hole in top of tag.  Thread green florist wire through the tag and secure with tape.





I curled my wire around a fat marker.


You can even use these tags as place markers at your Easter table.

Adhere to a piece of folded 
card stock paper.
I always add ribbon to everything, but that is completely up to you.




Just click on the links below and print out the tags.
I printed mine on card stock paper.

More Easter posts to check out!
Palm Branch Sunday School Craft.




Eggs-tra Special Teacher


Peep Bunnies and Jesus







*This post contains affiliate links to help you locate products that were used.  No product was given to me.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Linking to:
TimeToSparkle Tuesday, TodaysCreativeBlog, TrendyTuesday, CherishedHandmadeTreasures, GottaCreate, /LifeinBloomUndertheTableDreaming,
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