Wilkinson Family Reunion

The Whole Wilkinson Clan (photo by Angie Moore Photography)

This August, Jayson's family had a reunion in Colorado. It was short, but packed with fun and creative activities. Each day had a theme. Day 1 was "Thriller". It started with a family photo shoot in Garden of the Gods---not exactly Thrillerish, but we did make some Thriller poses!

Zombie Pose: Riley, Jayson, Rachelle, Kaiya, Kassidy, Ryder, Kaydence, Rustin and Kyndall. (photo by Angie Moore Photography)

Waiting our turn, we snapped a few photos of our own...

The Original Wilkinson Family: Kevin & Sylvia Wilkinson, with kids (in birth order): Jayson, Alicia, Joel and Megan (photo by Angie Moore Photography)

Cousin Buddies: Trevor, Riley and Andrew

WQ+2 (photo by Angie Moore Photography)

Following the photos, we headed to Rudy's for Lunch. We didn't even have to drive all the way to Texas to find Rudy's, they now have one in Colorado Springs!

Yum!

The Quints favorite part is the cheap white bread

When we got back home, the real Thriller fun began...wearing our matching Thriller T-shirts (which we later tye-dyed), we made our own Thriller music video (inspired by the Michael Jackson Wii game).

Check it out below---we had way too much fun making it!



Thriller Day ended with everyone getting their own Feltie Zombie, made by my crafty mother-in-law. Each zombie was carefully crafted to match each persons interests and personalities.

The Feltie Zombie Display

Day 2 was "Harry Potter" day. Each person had their turn under the sorting hat to determine which house they were in.

Ryder getting sorted

Next, everyone went to the "wand shop" where their wand selected them. Once again, my mother-in-law's creativity amazed me---she actually made wands for everyone with their name inscribed on them and she sewed protective wand carrying bags for them to go in!

Stupify!

The hunt for the Sorcerer's stone

Churchify: Harry Potter Day was Sunday, so we also went to church :-)

The third day was "Down on the Farm" day. One of Sylvia's co-workers owns some horses and graciously allowed us to come over for some carriage rides

Ryder & Rustin

Kaydence and Kyndall

Kaiya

Kassidy

Horses were not the only animals on the "farm"

Final Group shot!!

After the reunion, we stayed with Jayson's parents in Colorado for a few more days. Another one of Sylvia's friends has pet RATS. The thought of it seems kind of icky, but they were actually quite cute, if you could get past their very rat-like tails!

Oh Rats!

Kaydence

The kids lost interest in the rats as soon as they discovered the wealth of toys at the house we were visiting!

Kyndall, my true animal lover, made friends with the kitty

Jayson

Riley

Kaiya

My friend Liz, who used to live near me and was so much help when the quints were born, now lives in Colorado Springs. She is either really brave or really crazy, because she drove up, picked up ALL seven of the kids and took them back to her house for a sleepover! The kids LOVED it! It was one of the highlights of the trip for them. Apparently, tree elves live near Liz and they leave treats in good little boys and girls shoes.

While in Colorado, I think we broke a record for the highest number of thrift shops invaded by quintuplets on a single day...

Goodwill

Salvation Army (I think...they all started to blend together after a while...)

ARC Thrift Store

We found the best deals at Goodwill! I came away with several pairs of jeans for the kids and myself for 99 cents! I have always been more of a clearance deal shopper than a thrift store shopper, but with my mother-in-law's help, I think I could become a thrift store convert :-)

Wilkinson Family Reunion

Riley's Harry Potter Birthday

In June, Riley turned 11! This was his year for a big "friend" birthday party. He is a HUGE Harry Potter fan. At my last count, he had read all seven books in the series at least four times each. He has been Harry Potter for Halloween twice and Draco Malfoy once. Even his room is decorated in a Harry Potter theme, so it was no surprise that he wanted to have a Harry Potter themed birthday party. Thanks to my sister-in-law, Alicia, who recently threw a Harry Potter party for my nephew and mailed me all of her leftover stuff and thanks to the internet, we were able to put together a pretty fun party!

Party Invitation--outside

Party Invitation--inside. Using a mixture of baking soda and water, we wrote an invisible ink code word in the blank space on the bottom of the invitation. When heated, the solution turns brown, revealing the code word.

Decorations--I wish I could take credit for these, but they all came from my super sister-in-law

Staircase Banner

Hogwarts House Banner and Dining room (the ceiling has been "enchanted" to look like the night sky)

Hogwarts students (aka party kids)

When the kids arrived, we used a sorting hat to sort them into different houses. Each kid got a robe for his/her house (robes were made from XL Men's black t-shirts cut up the middle and ironed on house crest).

Each "student" received a wand (pencil spray-painted gold) and a Lesson's book, which they used for each of their "classes".

They started in "Charms" class, where each house (team) was given a list of spells which they had to match to their function.

Next they went to "Care of Magical Creatures" class where everyone made their own origami owl. (I was so busy running the party that I didn't get pictures of these, but they were cute!)

Page from the Lessons Book for Care of Magical Creatures

The third class was "Divination". I the kids several different Jelly Bellys and they had to taste them and use their powers of divination to determine what flavor they were.

The fourth class, which was definitely everyone's favorite, was Potions! I found a great "potion" online that changed colors and bubbled. The kids thought it was great!

Potion ingredients

Potion Instructions from the Lessons Book

Basilisk Venom: red cabbage juice (made by chopping up red cabbage, putting it in a bowl and pouring boiling water over to cover. Leave for 20 min--water will be purple = red cabbage juice)
Mandrake Root: long pretzel stick
Boomslang: Powder laundry detergent (changes the potion's color)
Eyeballs From a Blind Cat: Garbanzo beans (does nothing, just sounds gross)
Truth Serum: Vinegar (changes the potion's color again)
Bat Dung: black beans (just for fun)
Horn of Bicorn: Baking soda (makes the potion bubble up)
Hippogriff Gizzards: saurkraut (just for fun)
Gillyweed: Italian seasoning (just for fun)

Mixing up the potions

Riley's bubbles over

We ran out of time for the fifth class, which was going to be "Transfiguration" (basically charades with the Harry Potter characters)

We ended the party with a feast in the dining hall and cake.

The "feast"--nothing too magical, just pizza, but I did put a drop of food coloring in the bottom of each of the cups, then covered with ice, so that when the Sprite was poured in, everyone's drink turned a different color

Riley with his friends and Hogwarts cake

The goodie bags were also courtesy of Alicia (my sister-in-law). She had some leftovers from her party. They were so great! Inside the goodie bags, we put Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Butterbeer and a golden snitch.

Goodie Bag

I love planning fun kids birthday parties, but they sure are a lot of work!!! Riley loved everything, though, so it made it all worth it!


On Riley's actual birthday, we celebrated with a small family party

Riley with his presents (Back: Kaydence, Kassidy, Ryder and Kyndall, Front: Kaiya, Riley and Rustin)

I loved the creative duct tape wrapping on this present from Grandma and Grandpa Wilkinson---almost too cute to open!

The kids crowd around Riley while he opens his presents. Riley is a GREAT present opener---he gets super excited about everything and always jumps up to give the present giver a hug and a Thank You.

Blowing out the candles on his Sour Cream Lemon Birthday Pie!

I cant' believe that I am old enough to have an 11-year old! Riley starts middle school this year and I am just not ready for the drama that usually comes with that. I am sure he will do great--he is such a happy, positive, upbeat kid. His mind is always thinking up some new invention. He has a quick smile and a giggly laugh that is contagious. He has really matured a lot this past year and become much more responsible. I am lucky to be his mom!

Riley's Harry Potter Birthday