Boz Baby: My little Cowboy

My sweet Stephen turns six today! I can't believe he's so big already. Although some days it seems like he's been here for soooo much longer than that. We were going to be up north at the cabin for Labor Day, so Stephen and I thought about what kind of party would be good for in the mountains and forest. He decided on a cowboy party, which in my mind was way better than the forest fire party he was leaning toward at first. A lot of his cousins were going to be up there with us, and one set of grandparents. We decided Saturday would be a good day for the party, since everyone would be there the whole day (nobody driving up or heading home yet).

Berkeley decided to wake up at four in the morning on Saturday, and after trying to entertain her quietly in our family bedroom for a couple of hours, I gave up and headed to the kitchen for bananas and cereal. While I was there, I thought I might as well make the cake. I started mixing, and Stephen woke up and came in just in time to help.

And in time to lick the beaters of course.

The inside of the cake turned out great! The outside...not so much. I was pretty dissapointed with my first attempt at marshmallow fondant. I was going for cow spots, but couldn't get the brown dark enough, and didn't make enough to cover the cake with white fondant first. But Stephen loved it, and everyone asked for seconds, so I guess it wasn't too bad.

Stephen looked at me kind of funny when he asked where the pinata was and I pulled out two paper bags. I told him it was the kind of pinata cowboys liked. It was his special plain cowboy pinata.

The day was full of fun and family. For lunch we went to the Pinedale Fry Bread lunch. Stephen was pretty excited about it because it's always been in a really cool old barn and he wanted to have his cowboy lunch in the barn. This year they had it in the community center though. But it was still really fun.

After lunch, we walked back to the cabin and started the birthday party. Stephen loves hunting for his presents. Last year a pirate named Cap. Stinky Pants stole his gifts and hid them around the lot. He left a treasure map and clues to find them. He loved it, and wants to do that every year for his birthday. So this year some cowboy bandits came and did the same thing. The cousins all ran around in the pine trees searching for clues and presents. Then they all ended up on the porch for him to open them.

Then in true Boswell fashion, I duct taped my paper bags closed, tied it onto a rope, hoisted it on a tree, and let the kids whack it with a stick. My mini was not sure why she was doing this, but she will do anything she sees her brothers doing, so she hit it as best she could.

Brady swung too hard a few times. He fell over once, and this time his stick went flying. Luckily everyone else was standing behind him.

Stephen was very focused and ready for Dad to drop that pinata in his path.

But, he was too ready I guess. He spun himself around and hit the ground rather quickly.

No matter though, he kept at it until the candy finally started spilling out on the ground. (Note: markers and crayons shatter when wacked repeatedly with a large stick)

After the party stuff, we let the kids just play for a few hours. They all had a great time roaming around and making clubhouses and swinging.

Then it was time for the cowboy dinner. All the kids scrunched in at the picnic table to chow down.

We had some BBQ beef sandwiches, cowboy beans, carrots, and corn on the cob (Brady wasn't about to let that corn out of his hand, even for a picture). We served it in pie tins (which get very hot on the bottom from the hot beans) with some cherry limeade in small mason jars.