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

Happy 9th Birthday Riley!

Last Thursday was Riley's 9th birthday. It is hard to believe I have been a mom for 9 years! Someone told me that since Riley is 9, his time at home is now half way gone. That is crazy to think about.

At our house, we do "friend" birthday parties every other year this was Riley's year for a party. Riley really wanted to have a LEGO birthday party. Since I really went all out for Kaiya's Princess party back in March, I tried to make Riley's party equally as great.

The kids played "hot LEGO" (aka hot potato with a box that looked like a LEGO), had a LEGO building contest, and raced to see how many LEGOs they could pick up using chopsticks. The kids were actually a lot more skilled with the chopsticks than I thought they would be.

The kids worked hard to come up with their LEGO creations.



For dinner, we had LEGO shaped pizzas.

Of course no LEGO party could be complete without a LEGO cake! I made this one using Betty Crocker's recipe.

I attempted to make the goodie bags look like LEGOs by cutting out four circles and attaching them with foam tape. I also found a LEGO font online to print the names with.

The goodie bags were filled with LEGOs (of course), candy, and a homemade LEGO bookmark.

All in all, I think the kids, and most importantly Riley, had a great time!

Riley's actual birthday was the day before our Wilkinson Family Reunion (more on that in an upcoming post), so he was lucky enough to have some extended family members here to help him celebrate.

Cousins Andrew and Trevor with Riley and Kaiya

Not surprisingly, the main thing that Riley wanted for his birthday was....LEGOs!!

Riley is one of those really great kids who gets totally excited about every present he opens. It is so much fun to watch him. When he opened this one he exclaimed, "Oh, AWESOME!!! Some new Sunday pants!"

The whole gang (minus the babies who were in bed). Back: Rachelle, Jayson, Grandma Wilkinson, Alicia (Jayson's sister), Mike (Alicia's husband), and Grandpa Wilkinson. Front: Kaiya, Riley, Trevor and Andrew

Riley blows out the candles on his birthday "cake" of choice----a Double Cream Lemon Pie from Marie Callendars--YUM!

Happy 9th Birthday Riley!

Big Brother Riley Turns 8!

Riley and Kaiya with cousins Cora and Alec on his birthday.

This week Riley turned 8!! I can’t believe I have a child that old! I remember when I turned 8, and at the time, my mom seemed a lot older than how I feel now. Riley is an awesome kid. He is very sensitive and thoughtful of others. Every once in a while he sneaks in my room to make my bed or leave me a nice note. He loves to read, play LEGOs, and ride his bike. He just started piano lessons last week and he is on the swim team and loves it. He is very gentle and a great helper with the babies.

Riley and the new bike he got for his birthday.

Fun Facts about Riley:

Favorite Colors: Blue and Green
Favorite Food: Pizza
Least Favorite Food: Tomatoes
Favorite Treat: Ice Cream
Grade in School (2008-2009 school year): 3rd Grade
Favorite Subjects: Reading and Art
Least Favorite Subject: Math
Favorite Superhero: Spiderman
Favorite Thing To Do: Play with friends
Favorite Restaurants: Rudy’s BBQ and Taco Bell
What he wants to be when he grows up: Moviemaker

Favorite Riley Quotes:

Riley (at the start of every meal): “What do I have to eat to get dessert?”

Riley: “Mom, what does it mean to be famous?”
Mom: “It means a lot of people know who you are.”
Riley: “Oh, I get it, so we are famous, but not rich.”

The Scene: We walk into Jamba Juice where two older ladies are sitting at a table, drinking their smoothies. Riley suddenly starts sobbing.
Mom: “Riley, what’s wrong??!?”
Riley: “I just don’t want you to get wrinkles!” (sniff, sniff)

Riley (almost seven) in the Bluebonnets--the Texas State Flower

Riley (6 years old) playing T-ball

Riley (5 years old) on his first day of Kindergarten

Riley (4 years old)

Riley (3 years old) has always loved to dress up--in anything!

Riley--2 1/2 years old

Riley--1 year old

Riley--9 months old

Riley--5 months old

Riley saving the universe--4 months old

Riley (2 weeks old) on his blessing day.


Cast your vote for which baby looks the most like Riley in the poll to the right===>

Big Brother Riley Turns 8!

Our Story

Jayson and I met at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I was the TA for the engineering statistics class that Jayson was taking. We started dating a few weeks into the semester (statistics can be very romantic). At the end of the semester, Jayson proposed. (No, dating the TA did not help Jayson get a better grade in the class.) We were married a few months later on August 14, 1997 in the Salt Lake City Temple.

After graduating from BYU in April of 1999, we moved to Austin, Texas where both of us were able to get job offers. Jayson works for National Instruments. He has held a variety of job positions, but is currently the Multimedia Group manager. I worked for 3M for a little over a year until I had our first son, Riley on June 18, 2000. (Well technically his name is Jayson Riley, but he goes by his middle name.) We thought it was very appropriate that Riley was born on Father's Day. After having Riley, I quit 3M to be a stay-at-home mom and starting teaching a night class at Austin Community College just for fun. Almost three years later, on March 6, 2003, Kaiya joined our family.

Riley is now 6 1/2 and Kaiya will be 4 in a week and a half. Riley is in the first grade. He loves to draw, do origami and go to gymnastics. Kaiya is taking a tap and ballet class and totally loves it. She is very smart and is always trying to keep up with her older brother.

Our Story