For Marley's 10th birthday we decided to have an Amazing Race themed birthday party. We started out by sending Traveling Gnome invitations. The inside had the details on the party. And warned that if you were the "last team to arrive you may be eliminated!"
Nana made a gnome cake to go with the theme. I didn't get a picture, but Marley was wearing gnome earrings as well!
Once everyone arrived we had them draw out bandanna's to see which team they would be on and who their driver would be. Carrie drove the green team.
Rachel and Sami drove the white team.
Burk drove the pink team.
John drove the bandit boys!
Each team received 6 clues they could not read until them completed each task. To avoid having too many at one task we had them going in different directions. This also had them wondering what place they were in since they didn't know where anyone else was.
Our good friends at Twice Blessed, a consignment store helped with this task. I had specially marked shirts hidden within all the other clothes. They had to find the shirt to get the next clue.
The next task was to collect 10 non-perishable food items to be donated to the local food pantry. One team collected ten can goods from local homes. One team collected 3 can goods and 7 sugar packets. One team went to IGA and bought 10 can goods. The last team went to the closest convenient store and bought potted meat! Yes, that was the boys team!
The next one was a food task. This was at a friends home. When the team arrived she brought out a tray of pig ears and pigs feet. She let them gross out a bit and then brought out what they really had to eat, which was a smoked sausage!
I was so excited about this next task!
One person from each team had to climb in a balloon! How cool is that! We did have one team that didn't want to do it. Yep, it was the boys!
The owner of The Balloon Closet helped them blow up the balloon and then told them how to get in it.
Once in they could bounce around!
Each team was equipped with a camera. It was very cold out the day of the party and is the reason we have no pictures of this next task.
They were to go to the park downtown and count benches. The drivers were instructed that if they counted twice and still didn't get the correct amount to just move on to the next task. I think maybe the drivers just stayed in the car!
Everyone had the same last task. I had hidden mini gnomes in our church's prayer garden. Since it was so cold we hid them where they could be found quickly.
From the Prayer Garden they had to make their way by foot to the pit stop, which was at the youth building at our church, where the last team could be eliminated.
Once they were checked in at the Pit Stop they received one of these candy bars.
Every received a Christmas ornament before they left!
This was such a fun party to plan. We got rave reviews from the girls! I think we might have to do it again. I was thinking that once they turn 16 it will have to end. We sure don't want them driving themselves! The competitive adult drivers were bad enough!
The next one was a food task. This was at a friends home. When the team arrived she brought out a tray of pig ears and pigs feet. She let them gross out a bit and then brought out what they really had to eat, which was a smoked sausage!
I was so excited about this next task!
One person from each team had to climb in a balloon! How cool is that! We did have one team that didn't want to do it. Yep, it was the boys!
The owner of The Balloon Closet helped them blow up the balloon and then told them how to get in it.
Once in they could bounce around!
Each team was equipped with a camera. It was very cold out the day of the party and is the reason we have no pictures of this next task.
They were to go to the park downtown and count benches. The drivers were instructed that if they counted twice and still didn't get the correct amount to just move on to the next task. I think maybe the drivers just stayed in the car!
Everyone had the same last task. I had hidden mini gnomes in our church's prayer garden. Since it was so cold we hid them where they could be found quickly. 
From the Prayer Garden they had to make their way by foot to the pit stop, which was at the youth building at our church, where the last team could be eliminated.
Once they were checked in at the Pit Stop they received one of these candy bars.
Every received a Christmas ornament before they left!
This was such a fun party to plan. We got rave reviews from the girls! I think we might have to do it again. I was thinking that once they turn 16 it will have to end. We sure don't want them driving themselves! The competitive adult drivers were bad enough!I had a lot of help from my parents, my sister and my friends. I couldn't have done it without them! Thanks to all of you!
