Custom Treats by Dipped by Doreen

Do you have an upcoming celebration party that you want to make extra special? Consider custom treats made by Dipped by Doreen. I was in charge of favors for my friend's 40th birthday. She is the ultimate Ravens fan so I knew I had to get Doreen's super yummy dipped oreos customized for favors. 

Ordering was super easy. I just sent a direct message to her instagram account @dippedbydoreen. The oreos came out so nice and were all individually boxed which made for a wonderful presentation. Check out her account for pictures of all the amazing treats she makes. 

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Pups of War Fun For All Ages!

Disclosure:  Discount was received for review purposes.  All opinions are entirely my own.

My son having the time of his 9 year old life!

My son received his first nerf gun when he was 2 while we were staycationing in Kona and had foolishly made a stop at Target.  Since then, his grandparents have gifted him a new model for every birthday, Christmas, and just because it’s Wednesday.  As you can imagine, his nerf gun collection could arm the entire neighborhood.  Our house is littered with those foam darts and balls which I have resolved to ignore, but I admit I will lose it every once in a while when a stray bullet lands in our most unreachable light fixture.  Not. Fun.

So thank goodness for Pups of War, Hawaii's first and premier dedicated Nerf, Rival, and Gotcha Arena!  Thanks to the geniuses behind Pups of War, my son has a safe 4,000 square feet to battle it out with other kids and shoot to his heart’s content.  The padded arena is filled with structures and play areas that players can explore or hide in while they either refill their nerf guns with unlimited ammo or talk strategy.  Safety is a priority as all players are required to wear grip socks and safety glasses.  

Players at the Pearlridge location can come in for walk-on play as well as part of a party package.  All party packages are priced to include play for 15 players and two hours in designated party rooms which includes a refrigerator, tables, table covers, chairs, and paper goods.  Reservations for parties on weekends tend to fill fast so a week night might be a better option for your party.  

I opted for a simple birthday celebration for my son so we invited 4 of his friends for two hours of walk-on play.  What has always impressed me when checking in at Pups of War is the staff.  Each time they have been professional, extremely helpful, and patient.  The boys were super excited, but the staff member was able to get them banded and suited up with safety goggles and grip socks in no time.  One of the kids had brought his own nerf gun, but once he saw the collection Pups of War had, he quickly brought it back to me.  The kids loved being able to use the battery operated blasters in level 3 and having the option to access the level 2 Rival ball-type blasters and the level 1 basic dart-type blasters.  

Once in the arena players can roam freely, but the staff will also hold organized games like Capture the Flag.  I could safely watch from behind a net dividing the arena and the waiting area with ample comfy seating and televisions.  Before the two hours were over, 3 of the 5 kids were exhausted and in the waiting area with me drinking water.  Of course, I had to pull away my son from the arena when time was up.  He had so much fun, that he told me two hours was not enough.  This from the kid that knocked out in the car on the way home.  Pups of War has two other convenient locations in Windward Mall and Kapolei to tire your kid out too.

Choosing their weapons.

So many places to hide! 

The tombstones in the Gravyard make the perfect shield!

One of the party rooms.

Inside the “Dog Pound”

Behind the running kids is the net that keeps people in the waiting area safe from flying nerf bullets. 

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Mobile Gamer Guys for Your Party

Mobile Gamer Guys takes care of everything.  I just had to send the kids on the bus.

My son was recently bit by the Fortnite bug and has a love for videogames that I will never understand.  It was perfect timing that I came upon Mobile Gamer Guys while I was planning his 8th birthday party. 

Mobile Gamer Guys is a mobile video game arcade and will bring the party to you.  Their van is air conditioned and equipped with 8 gamer stations that is connected via a LAN which allows all 8 players to play in the same game at the same time.  FUN!  They also set up a tent and Nintendo wii outside the van that can be played by 4 additional players. 

I can't say enough great things about Mobile Gamer Guys.  They arrived on time and were completely professional.  They made my son the VIP, giving him control over the games to play which just made the birthday boy's day.  They were great with the kids as well as the parents.  If you know a gamer, this is the company for you!

www.mobilegamerguys.com

My son was super excited to get started playing some video games. 

Awesome that the kids can all play together.

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LEGO Engineering Workshop by Play-Well TEKnologies

Walking Pokémon robots the children created.

My son, Cade, has always expressed an interest in LEGOs and can sit quietly for long periods of time building using just his imagination.  Cade is very active otherwise so I want to encourage this imaginative (and calm) thinking.  I was looking into robotic type classes when Play-Well Teknologies offered for us to experience one of their LEGO Engineering workshops.  Through the workshop, the kids would have lots of fun and learn about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts using LEGO.       

These 90 minute workshops can also double as birthday parties and are designed primarily for  children in Kindergarten through 6th grade.  Our party attendees consisted of both boys and girls ranging in ages from 6-12.  Because both my children like trading Pokémon cards, we chose a Pokémon themed project.  Other popular themes include Minecraft, Ninjago, Star Wars, and more!   

Our instructor, Salia, arrived promptly and chatted with Cade while setting up.  The children are encouraged to have free play with the LEGO before the party begins.  After most of the kids arrived, Salia sat with them and explained some simple, but important rules like respecting each other, the LEGO, the room, and the instructor.  Then, she showed them the project: how to build a walker for each of their customized Pokémon. 

First, she showed them the finished project and then broke it apart to show them how to build it step by step.  The children were eager to start!  I liked that the project was quite impressive when finished, yet it was simple enough for our youngest participants to successfully build.  Also, Salia was wonderful with the kids; engaging them and ready to help whoever needed some additional guidance.

I made the mistake of underestimating what kids can do because I was very impressed with the Pokémon all of the kids created using LEGO.  It's amazing what kids can create when given the opportunity and encouragement.

What made the party even more fun was when Salia brought out battle stages she had created so the kids could battle their Pokémon robots.  All of the children had so much fun and this experience gave me the confidence to enroll Cade in a future "Intro to STEM with LEGO" class offered by Play-Well Teknologies!  Play-Well host camps, classes, and workshops all over the island at schools and YMCAs.  Find a program near you here!   

Creating during free play.

Very eager to begin.

The children choose their favorite pokemon to build. 

Our instructor, Salia, goes over how to build the project step by step.

Cade building his own walker. 

The children start building their Pokémon.

Finishing touches on his Pikachu.

Our instructor is ready to help if the kids need it.

The kids loved this project!

Time to battle!

Very fun from start to finish!



The kids rate the party TWO THUMBS UP!


Thank you to Play-Well Teknologies for sponsoring this workshop.  All opinions are entirely my own.

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Gunstock Ranch Birthday Party

One of my kids recently went to a birthday party at Gunstock Ranch.

We drive past the ranch whenever we go to Laie, and I had no idea it was such a popular spot for birthday parties!

At the party there were so many activities - pony rides, petting zoo, a playground, horseshoe, cornhole, roping a pretend calf, and making S'mores!

Gunstock Ranch does not charge by number of guests, and they allow outside food (no alcohol) and vendors (approval needed).  They even offer kama`aina and military discounts!

Gunstock Ranch
56-250 Kamehameha Hwy

Kahuku, HI 96731

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Bounce Hawaii

This 13x23 combo bounce house needs 16x26 feet of clearance.

When my daughter and I had a brainstorming session for birthday party venues, afternoon tea and pedicures were my suggestions while she was thinking more along the lines of Wet'n'Wild and iTrampoline.  I was willing to trade in frills for chaos and let her have the final say.  I thank my lucky stars she chose to have her 9th birthday party at home with a bounce house in the backyard.

I found Bounce Hawaii through the Yelp app and liked that they had all their pricing information on their website.  Communication with the company was easy and they were quick to respond to all my questions and concerns.  Before my event, they called to confirm set up time and arrived right on time.  They were always very courteous and picked up the bounce house at the predetermined time.  No surprises.

The bounce house itself was very clean and the children had the best time! 

This bounce house combo came with a hoop inside. 

Bounce Hawaii

www.bouncehi.com

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A Disney Cars Birthday Party

This is a post from one of my former blogs, and it turned out to be one of the most popular posts ever on that blog.

A little over four years ago I threw a Cars'-themed party for my two oldest kids who share the same birthday month.  They both loved Cars at the time (one of them still does), and I searched online for tips and inspiration.

Below are the things I made/did for the party (excuse the photo collages - I couldn't find the original photos).

Food

Cozy Cone Motel Munchies:

• Sheriff's Straws (served in orange paper cones)
• Chuki's Chips (served in orange paper cones)
• Siddeley's Soybeans

Flo's V8 Cafe:

• Luigi's Pizza
• Sally's Salad
• Finn's Fruits
• Guido's Pizza Bites
• Chick's Chicken Nuggets
• Mack's Mac & Cheese

Sarge's Surplus of Sweets:

• Dipsticks (Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Rods)
• Spare Tires (Chocolate-covered donuts)
• Cars Cupcakes from Sam's Club

Drinks

• Dinoco Oil (Apple Juice)
• Fillmore's Organic Fuel (Water)
• Allinol (Sprite)
• Rust-eze (Pepsi)

Activities:

• Ramone's House of Body Art (Temporary Cars Tattoos)
• Cars coloring sheets
• Lots and lots of cars to play with

I forgot to take photos of many other things, like the invitations (tickets to a race), and the goodie bags (black paper bags labeled with each child's name printed on the Cars chevron logo and filled with lots of Cars pencils, bubbles, candies, etc.).

It was a fun, but exhausting day!

Thank you to the following blogs for their tips, ideas, and inspiration:

A to Zebra Celebrations
The Purple Patch
Mad in Crafts
Miss Edumacated
Yvonne Byatt's Family Fun
So Wonderful So Marvelous
Pearce Family

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Birthday Party Ideas: Gyotaku by Naoki

Gyotaku by Naoki

My introduction to Gyotaku by Naoki was when a friend of ours gifted us a print of an arowana after our own arowana (known affectionately as Aji - short for Ajinomoto) passed away.  The print was a real beauty and we displayed it proudly in our home.  According to Naoki, gyotaku is a time honored, traditional Japanese art, that is captured on a piece of shoji paper for the keepsake of the family, and friends, and fishers to come.

Fast forward some years and two kids later:  I am searching the internet for vendors for my son's first birthday party.  I had already booked tattoos, a balloon artist, a Japanese candy maker, and the Lego Man.  I came upon Gyotaku by Naoki's website because he offers a birthday party service where Gyotaku prints can be made on tshirts.  It didn't come cheap, but it would make for a wonderful parting gift for the children.

His staff did a wonderful job at my son's party, patiently listening to all the children's requests for fish colors and placement on the shirt.  I've been to two more parties that have used Gyotaku by Naoki and at the most recent, Naoki was printing the shirts himself.  It was very cool because we could request for our tshirts to be signed.

The only con in having Gyotaku by Naoki at a party is the very long line you will have to wait in for your tshirt prints.  I think it'd be wise for the company or the host to develop some sort of number system so guests can secure a place in line, but wait for their turn while enjoying the party.  Perhaps, some sort of discreet sign to let guests know what number they are working on.  Or maybe, assign order by table.  Trust me on this, party planners. 

For more information about Gyotaku by Naoki's birthday party, click here.  

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Birthday Party Vendor Idea: Stuff-A-Bubble by Balloons N Beyond

 

Attending first birthday parties have been getting less frequent for me so I'm not up to speed with a lot of frequently used vendors, but this past weekend I attended a party with Stuff-A-Bubble by Balloons N Beyond.  

 

I was most impressed with this activity where children can customize their very own balloon bubbles which the company claim are durable enough to play with outdoors and may last over 3 months.  When put to the Cade Test, my rambunctious 4 year old son took the gold by popping the balloon within the first hour.  However, he made another and it's doing fine on day three.  

 

Stuff-A-Bubble was a big hit with all the kids!  By the end of the party all the children had gathered in one area tossing and playing with their balloons.  It was really nice to see the kids having so much fun!  

For pricing information, click here.  

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Birthday Parties at the Living Art Marine Center

About 3 months ago I started brainstorming where I would have my son's 4th birthday party.  When I queried him, he shouted Chuck E. Cheese!  I considered it, but thought no way.  Too chaotic.  Plus, Cade always seems to get sick (no matter how diligent we are with the hand wipes) after partying with Mr. Cheese.  I thought about holding the party at our house complete with bounce house as entertainment.  Then I remembered how about a third of the kids caught hand, foot and mouth after a friend's bounce house party.  We would be leaving for a Disneyland trip within 5 days of Cade's party and I wasn't going to take any chances (knock on wood).

For many years, I had heard about the Living Art Marine Center, but never visited.  Their reviews on Yelp were mixed, but their party packages fit my needs perfectly.  I chose the Shirts and Shrimp package ($195) which includes making your own Opae Ula pet shrimp home and printing a t-shirt as well as touch and feel sea animals.  I liked how the party would be hosted by a party facilitator, activity based, and that the kids could take home the t-shirts and aquariums instead of a goody bag.  I also really liked that the price included up to 10 children and that the adults were free.  

The Living Art Marine Center is located near the airport and parking is free.  We started the party with pizza from Big Kahuna's in the center's indoor lunch room, which can seat about 30 guests comfortably.  After cupcakes, the children had about an hour for the scheduled activities.  Bill, our facilitator, was great at keeping the children engaged and asking them questions.  I loved how interactive and educational this party was for the kids.  

Class is in session!

The kids had fun customizing their own shrimp aquariums.  

With proper care, the shrimp can live up to 20 years!

The kids were also able to design and print their own shirts.  They could choose from sharks, dolphins, and shells.

This was a very educational birthday party.  The children learned about all kinds of sea life.

We opted for an add on so the birthday boy could feed the eels!

The children wash their hands before touching the sea animals.

Lauren held a strawberry crab.  

The kids enjoyed touching the sea animals the most.

Not only were the parents impressed with all the activities, the kids had a great time.  My 8 year old niece declared it the best party ever.  If you're looking for an affordable, fun and interactive party, the Living Art Marine Center is an excellent choice!


Living Art Marine Center
3239 Ualena Street #100
Honolulu, HI 96819
808-841-8080

Thank you to the Living Art Marine Center for extending a media discount for the party package.  All opinions are my own.

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Tiki Island - Marine Corps Base Hawaii

We recently celebrated DS3's 1st birthday at Tiki Island, which is located on Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

For birthday parties, there are two party packages available to choose from.  Each package includes use of a tent and unlimited play on the bumper boats and miniature golf courses during a 3-hour block. One of the package includes food and drink, but if you prefer, you can customize your own menu just as I did (outside food is not allowed with the exception of celebratory cake and ice cream). 

The Miniature Golf Courses:

The Bumper Boats:

The food was catered from Samuel Adam's Sports Grill, which is right next to Tiki Island, and everything was delicious.

Crab and Artichoke Dip

Spring Rolls

Fruit Platter

Regular and Garlic Fries

Lunch consisted of White Rice (not pictured), Tossed Green Salad with Ranch Dressing (not pictured), and the following:

Teriyaki Beef

Beer Battered Cod

Garlic Chicken

Char Siu Chow Mein

My personal favorites were the Spring Rolls, Garlic Chicken, Cod, and Chow Mein.

Dessert was cupcakes from The Patisserie (ordered through Samuel Adam's):

Carrot Cake

Dobash (even though I ordered Dobash, and the box said Dobash, it was frosted and stuffed with Chantilly icing, so I'm not sure if that's how the Dobash cupcakes are supposed to be or if it was an error - either way I didn't mind, since I prefer Chantilly and the only reason why I ordered Dobash is because @nanigurl said Dobash would be a hit with the kids).

Red Velvet (this happened to be the biggest hit).

Everything at DS3's Tiki Island Birthday party was GREAT!  The food was delicious, the service was wonderful, and everyone simply had a BLAST!

For more information on Tiki Island party packages, click here.

Tiki Island - Marine Corps Base Hawaii: 808-254-1601

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