CANMT Trip: An Elmo Party

 We left on a Friday. Our first stop was going to be Mesa, AZ where we would stay at my sister Lori's house.
 When I was first planning this trip we were going to stop by her house at the end of the two weeks. But then we found out my niece was going to be in the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant. I changed somethings around and now it was to be our first stop. This also meant we'd be there for my nephew's 2nd birthday. Plus, my mom, my sister Kelly and my Aunt Natalie were going to go to Mesa to see the pageant as well.
 The drive to Mesa is one we've made many times and was uneventful. We were excited to enter the second state of our travels.

 That night we enjoyed seeing the family and looked forward to sleep. But that's not what Lori had in mind for me and Kelly. We stayed up pretty late decorating Elmo cake pops. The first attempt to color chocolate didn't work and thankfully Aunt Natalie and mom bought read chocolate for us. Then we set to work.

Kelly participated under protest (she's not a craft person). I'm always willing to try an idea from Pinterest, and it was for my adorable nephew, but it got late quickly. I think we got a little silly the later it became. Eventually I was just slapping on the chocolate instead of the drizzling method we were suppose to do. Luckily they ended up looking adorable.

 The next moring we went to Jambo! for the birthday party. What I love about Arizona is that there are so many fun indoor activity places. What I hate about Arizona is that it gets hot enough to need these places. It was spring and it already felt like summer in California. Jambo! had rides and a play area (like a Mc Donalds play area). We set up all the Elmo themed birthday stuff. Lori did such a good job (most of it inspired by Pinterest).

 The kids played for a while, then we had cake (that I hastily decorated that morning and am a little embarrassed to show as it's not up to my standards) and my nephew opened presents. The kids played more and then we had pizza for lunch. Melodie loved the freedom of running around and going on whatever she wanted as many times as she wanted to.

Melodie with two of her cousins

 

He's 2!

 

Someone (maybe Kelly?) gave my niece a cake pop for a photo op. It quickly ended up in her mouth. Oops! LOL

 On the way back to my sister's house we (my mom, aunt, niece, Melodie and me) stopped for some frozen custard. Rocky had left the party early to take a nap. I've never had frozen custard before. It was yummy. Melodie surprised my by choosing black raspberry over vanilla or chocolate.

My mom and two of her grandkids.

 

Melodie and my Aunt Natalie