Kai Kai's Cool Birthday Party at Science World.
It’s been 2 years in a row, my son kept asking us to give him a birthday party like his friends have, and it’s been 2 years in a row that we kept saying no to him because we are lazy. Yes… I admitted it, I am lazy. So this year, I decide to give myself a kick in the behind to prepare a party for my only son. I thought… how hard is it to rent a place, then buy a cake, let the children exhausted themselves by playing hard, then pay maybe $ 300 total, and collect a lot gifts in return. Boy .. o….boy…. why do I always simplified things too much ???
So after keeping postponing from making a reservation, I did it only 2 weeks away from the birthday date. Well guess what? Everywhere is already reserved. My first choice is Science World since we have a valid membership there and KK loves those fishes. But their earliest opening was in July because by then all the kids are already vacationing. Then at one time I talked to Roberto (KK friend’s father), he said that Eunice’s birthday is only 2 days after KK. KK is in June 16th, and Eunice is June 18. So the party better not be in the same day because we only do Sunday birthday party. So I told him he can take the 19th, and I will take the 12th. The 19th is the last Sunday before the school ended.
Now I had a headache trying to find a spot for KK’s party when every popular place are already reserved and to make it worse, my date is not flexible now. With the help of other parents like Mary Ann and Elsa, I found some interesting place but after some considerations and phone calls I found that either they are already being reserved or are not suitable enough for a 5 years old party. At one time I heard Elsa said she read somewhere that Science World was voted as the best place for children party place. So I thought why not call them?
Before I forgot, I had to tell you that I start praying for God’s help when the first few phone calls I made to other spots are a complete failure. So the more rejection I got, the harder I prayed.
So when I called Science World, I was quite surprise that they happen to have a spot for KK’s party that day. And since this is the best place, they have party before us and after us. I reserved the spot right away without asking them on how they plan to charge us at the end because I am just feeling desperate at that time.
But soon I found out enough that hey… they are not cheap! First of all to reserve the room and the cost of food for 10 kids and 2 adults are the basic fee of $ 220. Then for every adult or children you pay additional $ 10. They told me that it’s cheaper to pay $10 than to let the adult pay for their own just to get in which is $13. What weird is, if I pay $10, the adult will get food also with the entrance fee? But if they pay by themselves just to get in, they have to pay $13. Very weird. But no way that I can afford to pay for every body who might show up. As you know, when you invite a child to a party especially a child this young, there are at least one parent who will show up and then sometimes if they can’t find a baby sitter, they have to bring the child’s siblings as well. So you will end up having more uninvited guests than the invited guests. When I add this up, I came up with a number of $ 600. This is before the loot bags that at then end cost me another $ 100. Then my own son’s gift, luckily he only asked for a monster truck that cost $ 15. Plus the cake that originally I ordered the smallest size (About $55) but I ended up upgrading the size into larger one that cost $85. So after I add the price of this and that…you can say that I have a mild heart attack.
Here is where God help me. First He sent me 3 women who help me tremendously. They are Elsa, Mary Ann, and Flor. Elsa kept emailing me asking me how the party progress going. Mary Ann gave me her experienced advices. Roberto and Flor with their “We’ll be there for you no matter what” attitude are also very comforting at this time of need.
But at the end I know that most likely I will ended up paying somewhere around $800 for this party. It all my fault for not prepared enough. I admit my faults to God and I can only hope for His help.
To make the story short. On June 12th, we arrived in Science World around 12.45 and we met some parents who came early. Elsa was there to give me complete support with the parents and the kids too. She is a tremendous help since she speak Cantonese to those parents who speak the same language. She even went as far as telling them that they need to pay the entrance fee themselves to help me out!
I almost told the parents about the fee that they need to pay but in my heart I heard a voice that telling me not to say a word. “Be still, and see how I will work things out for you”. So I keep my silent. We were ushered into the party room. Then Elsa asked again to Jonah (the host name) about how he is going to charge the parents. But he said he won’t charge them anything as long as they don’t eat or order food. Wow… this is new information for me, since I called 3 times before to make sure on how they are going to charge me. Plus, again God’s help, my old neighbor from when we still lived in Portland even help out by calling Science World to make sure that what I know is right. Her name is Faith and she is worried that I may misunderstand a few things. God is so kind, He sent me some wonderful angels to help me gave my son his first birthday party.
So the party began. First Jonah kept the birthday cake in the fridge, and then he took the orders for the food. When he came back he brought some equipment for his science show!
-- Jonah took the kids' food order first --
The first show is about water. He pour water into a glass through a piece of window screen that attach to the lid of the glass and then he covered the glass with just a piece of plastic paper. Then he flipped the glass upside down and asked the children what happen if he took the plastic paper off the lid? The children screamed that the water will pour out! When he took the plastic paper off the lid, science happened, the water stay inside the glass! I have no idea how that can happened. But the children love it especially when Jonah brought the glass around on top of their heads!
--Look the water stays in even though only a piece of screen door cover the glass --
-- You can see KK, but don't touch it or the water will just pour on your head --
The second show he use 3 glasses. Then he poured water only in one glass. He switched the glasses around then he asked the kid which glass that contains water. He did this several times while trying to distract the kids by funny stuff such as “Hey .. look Spiderman is there!” He just made the children laugh a lot. Then he called one volunteer to stand in front of him. And he said he is going to found out about which glass had water in it by flip the glass upside down on top of the volunteer’s head. One by one he flipped the glass and not one of them contains water. How come he asked? KK answered maybe you poured the water back into the jug when we did not look! But the host said that he just tricked us by putting a polymer inside the glass first when we did not know. The polymer acts as a super absorbent media with the water. So when he shook the glass upside down, instead of water, from it came out a jelly like object in the shape of the glass. He told us that we had seen this product in our daily life a lot, because polymer is used in diapers to hold the liquid there! Ah ha!
Then he passed it around so the children can touch it. Even parents are curious too!
KK think that Jason is really funny --
-- Jonah move the glass that contain water around and keep the children guessing which glass has the water now --
-- hmmmm... which one of this glass that has water in it? Let's test it on this volunteer --
-- Jonah will turn the glass upside down to see if this glass contain water . The girl is so scared she is going to be splashed by the water --
-- Jonah cheated byputting in polymer inside the glass when he brought the glass into this room, now the water was completely absorb by it and turn into this white gel --
The last act is using…jeez.. I can’t recall the name but basically it made static that will pass through the children body. He asked for a volunteer and I was surprise that Katie a quiet girl is the only one who raised her hand. So he asked her to stand on the plastic bench, and touch the machine without ever lifting her hand away from it. Then he placed some stale rice puff cereal on her palm and what happened first was her hair all stand up like a porcupine. Oh…you should see the children laughter when they saw Katie’s hair all stand up! So funny! Then the rice puff start shooting everywhere away from her palm! So one by one Jonah tried this machine of not only children volunteers but even adult too! KK absolutely refused to be a volunteer because of my fault. I trained him too well about the danger of playing with electricity!
Look at all these plates flying when I turn this machine on . Check out KK's face there ! --
-- Katie is the first volunteer to touch this machine, see how her hairs all stand up --
-- Then all the rice puff cereal flew from her palm --
-- Nicholas is next as an experiment object --
-- Connor must be really bad for an electrical conductor. Not only nothing happen to his hair but only a couple of rice puff flew from his palm --
-- Tiffany is next, she loves this experiment --
-- Even Christine, Nicholas and Matthew's mom wanted to volunteer in this experiment, all the kids think that is so funny --
-- Eunice's surprise face when she saw how her hair stand up straight on the mirror that Jonah showed her --
-- Edwin loves his new hair style after touching this machine --
Later after the show, KK chased Jonah and asked him so many questions of “what if” instead of rice puff he used French fries or bugs etc. KK was the only one who asked Jonah.
After the show, the children ate their food and later we cut the cake too and ate it too! Delicious! I ordered it from Goldilocks Bakery Store.
Every parents help their own kids --
-- We don't have to run around, because they are all responsible for their own kids --
-- Everybody enjoy the food and talk about the science shows --
-- Jonah help light up the cake --
--Then he place the cake in front of KK --
-- Now he told KK to blow the candles --
-- Hip..Hip.. Hooray... Kai Kai is now 5 years old !!! --
-- I am a big boy now... --
-- The kids think my gift ( loot ) bags are so cool, I gave them a set of crayons (24 colors), and then a souvenir from Sponge Bob movie, lots of candies. I use Sponge Bob gift plastic bag to hold them --
-- KK is soooo happy today --
-- Richard kidding around with other children, they all likes him --
After that Jonah offered to carry all the gifts out to the information desk so I can pick them up later when it’s time to go home. I didn’t need to clean up the mess because he will do it for me. Then I took care of the bill. At that time I was thinking well the party has been a big success and I think even if they hit me with a big bill, it’s worth it. But then Jonah surprised me again with giving me such a small bill. Not only he charged me with a member price out of his good heart, he kept his promise that all parents are free! I paid only half of what I expected to pay! God is good!
But that wasn’t all…
After the party, the children refused to go home and they stayed and played together until the place closed! What can be better than this? This party is truly for children in all aspect. They all had a blast playing with so many cool scientific toys. And the parents’ entrance fee is free and they are happy about it too! Some of the parents have never been to this place and they enjoy it. This place has so many puzzle games that even parents couldn’t crack it! So they joke around about whose best! Just like kids too I think.
Playing inside a real tree trunk --
-- This is how big the tree is --
-- KK, Nicholas, and James trying to be doctors--
-- Now, let's do this one and the Science World volunteer help them put the organs back into their individual places --
-- I am curious at how they can do this --
-- Checking out the Beavers' home --
KK was so tired from running around this big place nonstop with his friends. I think all of the children fell asleep in the car on the way home too. That night they all sleep so well. But for KK, there is one more thing to do. OPEN THE GIFTS!!!!
After falling asleep in the car, he woke up on the sofa finding how many gifts he gets this year ! --
-- Thank you mama! Your gifts is exactly what I want ! "Grave Digger" Monster truck..well... what do you expect? His grandpa own a funeral home afterall... --
--Woah.... a remote control car --
-- Check this out..so cool --
-- Oh.. a Hot Wheel ! --
-- Bigger Hot Wheels --
-- More Hot Wheels.. I love Hot Wheels !!! --
-- Hey.. this is looks interesting, a gift from Aunt Ellis, mama's friend, I love LEGO --
-- Isn't this the new toy I saw last time mama? --
-- Yeah... this gift ROCKS ! --
-- YEAHHHH.. now we're talking... a Hot Wheels Racing Track --
-- Let's play LEGO together mama ! --
-- I love Home Depot ! --
-- Hey, trains ! I also loves trains ! --
-- Look papa ! The Incredibles ! --
-- Oh.. coloring book! Look I have a mountain of great gifts ! --
At night before we went to bed, we all said our thank you to God who has given Kai Kai such a wonderful party!
Our God is Good.
So after keeping postponing from making a reservation, I did it only 2 weeks away from the birthday date. Well guess what? Everywhere is already reserved. My first choice is Science World since we have a valid membership there and KK loves those fishes. But their earliest opening was in July because by then all the kids are already vacationing. Then at one time I talked to Roberto (KK friend’s father), he said that Eunice’s birthday is only 2 days after KK. KK is in June 16th, and Eunice is June 18. So the party better not be in the same day because we only do Sunday birthday party. So I told him he can take the 19th, and I will take the 12th. The 19th is the last Sunday before the school ended.
Now I had a headache trying to find a spot for KK’s party when every popular place are already reserved and to make it worse, my date is not flexible now. With the help of other parents like Mary Ann and Elsa, I found some interesting place but after some considerations and phone calls I found that either they are already being reserved or are not suitable enough for a 5 years old party. At one time I heard Elsa said she read somewhere that Science World was voted as the best place for children party place. So I thought why not call them?
Before I forgot, I had to tell you that I start praying for God’s help when the first few phone calls I made to other spots are a complete failure. So the more rejection I got, the harder I prayed.
So when I called Science World, I was quite surprise that they happen to have a spot for KK’s party that day. And since this is the best place, they have party before us and after us. I reserved the spot right away without asking them on how they plan to charge us at the end because I am just feeling desperate at that time.
But soon I found out enough that hey… they are not cheap! First of all to reserve the room and the cost of food for 10 kids and 2 adults are the basic fee of $ 220. Then for every adult or children you pay additional $ 10. They told me that it’s cheaper to pay $10 than to let the adult pay for their own just to get in which is $13. What weird is, if I pay $10, the adult will get food also with the entrance fee? But if they pay by themselves just to get in, they have to pay $13. Very weird. But no way that I can afford to pay for every body who might show up. As you know, when you invite a child to a party especially a child this young, there are at least one parent who will show up and then sometimes if they can’t find a baby sitter, they have to bring the child’s siblings as well. So you will end up having more uninvited guests than the invited guests. When I add this up, I came up with a number of $ 600. This is before the loot bags that at then end cost me another $ 100. Then my own son’s gift, luckily he only asked for a monster truck that cost $ 15. Plus the cake that originally I ordered the smallest size (About $55) but I ended up upgrading the size into larger one that cost $85. So after I add the price of this and that…you can say that I have a mild heart attack.
Here is where God help me. First He sent me 3 women who help me tremendously. They are Elsa, Mary Ann, and Flor. Elsa kept emailing me asking me how the party progress going. Mary Ann gave me her experienced advices. Roberto and Flor with their “We’ll be there for you no matter what” attitude are also very comforting at this time of need.
But at the end I know that most likely I will ended up paying somewhere around $800 for this party. It all my fault for not prepared enough. I admit my faults to God and I can only hope for His help.
To make the story short. On June 12th, we arrived in Science World around 12.45 and we met some parents who came early. Elsa was there to give me complete support with the parents and the kids too. She is a tremendous help since she speak Cantonese to those parents who speak the same language. She even went as far as telling them that they need to pay the entrance fee themselves to help me out!
I almost told the parents about the fee that they need to pay but in my heart I heard a voice that telling me not to say a word. “Be still, and see how I will work things out for you”. So I keep my silent. We were ushered into the party room. Then Elsa asked again to Jonah (the host name) about how he is going to charge the parents. But he said he won’t charge them anything as long as they don’t eat or order food. Wow… this is new information for me, since I called 3 times before to make sure on how they are going to charge me. Plus, again God’s help, my old neighbor from when we still lived in Portland even help out by calling Science World to make sure that what I know is right. Her name is Faith and she is worried that I may misunderstand a few things. God is so kind, He sent me some wonderful angels to help me gave my son his first birthday party.
So the party began. First Jonah kept the birthday cake in the fridge, and then he took the orders for the food. When he came back he brought some equipment for his science show!
-- Jonah took the kids' food order first --
The first show is about water. He pour water into a glass through a piece of window screen that attach to the lid of the glass and then he covered the glass with just a piece of plastic paper. Then he flipped the glass upside down and asked the children what happen if he took the plastic paper off the lid? The children screamed that the water will pour out! When he took the plastic paper off the lid, science happened, the water stay inside the glass! I have no idea how that can happened. But the children love it especially when Jonah brought the glass around on top of their heads!
--Look the water stays in even though only a piece of screen door cover the glass --
-- You can see KK, but don't touch it or the water will just pour on your head --
The second show he use 3 glasses. Then he poured water only in one glass. He switched the glasses around then he asked the kid which glass that contains water. He did this several times while trying to distract the kids by funny stuff such as “Hey .. look Spiderman is there!” He just made the children laugh a lot. Then he called one volunteer to stand in front of him. And he said he is going to found out about which glass had water in it by flip the glass upside down on top of the volunteer’s head. One by one he flipped the glass and not one of them contains water. How come he asked? KK answered maybe you poured the water back into the jug when we did not look! But the host said that he just tricked us by putting a polymer inside the glass first when we did not know. The polymer acts as a super absorbent media with the water. So when he shook the glass upside down, instead of water, from it came out a jelly like object in the shape of the glass. He told us that we had seen this product in our daily life a lot, because polymer is used in diapers to hold the liquid there! Ah ha!
Then he passed it around so the children can touch it. Even parents are curious too!
KK think that Jason is really funny --
-- Jonah move the glass that contain water around and keep the children guessing which glass has the water now --
-- hmmmm... which one of this glass that has water in it? Let's test it on this volunteer --
-- Jonah will turn the glass upside down to see if this glass contain water . The girl is so scared she is going to be splashed by the water --
-- Jonah cheated byputting in polymer inside the glass when he brought the glass into this room, now the water was completely absorb by it and turn into this white gel --
The last act is using…jeez.. I can’t recall the name but basically it made static that will pass through the children body. He asked for a volunteer and I was surprise that Katie a quiet girl is the only one who raised her hand. So he asked her to stand on the plastic bench, and touch the machine without ever lifting her hand away from it. Then he placed some stale rice puff cereal on her palm and what happened first was her hair all stand up like a porcupine. Oh…you should see the children laughter when they saw Katie’s hair all stand up! So funny! Then the rice puff start shooting everywhere away from her palm! So one by one Jonah tried this machine of not only children volunteers but even adult too! KK absolutely refused to be a volunteer because of my fault. I trained him too well about the danger of playing with electricity!
Look at all these plates flying when I turn this machine on . Check out KK's face there ! --
-- Katie is the first volunteer to touch this machine, see how her hairs all stand up --
-- Then all the rice puff cereal flew from her palm --
-- Nicholas is next as an experiment object --
-- Connor must be really bad for an electrical conductor. Not only nothing happen to his hair but only a couple of rice puff flew from his palm --
-- Tiffany is next, she loves this experiment --
-- Even Christine, Nicholas and Matthew's mom wanted to volunteer in this experiment, all the kids think that is so funny --
-- Eunice's surprise face when she saw how her hair stand up straight on the mirror that Jonah showed her --
-- Edwin loves his new hair style after touching this machine --
Later after the show, KK chased Jonah and asked him so many questions of “what if” instead of rice puff he used French fries or bugs etc. KK was the only one who asked Jonah.
After the show, the children ate their food and later we cut the cake too and ate it too! Delicious! I ordered it from Goldilocks Bakery Store.
Every parents help their own kids --
-- We don't have to run around, because they are all responsible for their own kids --
-- Everybody enjoy the food and talk about the science shows --
-- Jonah help light up the cake --
--Then he place the cake in front of KK --
-- Now he told KK to blow the candles --
-- Hip..Hip.. Hooray... Kai Kai is now 5 years old !!! --
-- I am a big boy now... --
-- The kids think my gift ( loot ) bags are so cool, I gave them a set of crayons (24 colors), and then a souvenir from Sponge Bob movie, lots of candies. I use Sponge Bob gift plastic bag to hold them --
-- KK is soooo happy today --
-- Richard kidding around with other children, they all likes him --
After that Jonah offered to carry all the gifts out to the information desk so I can pick them up later when it’s time to go home. I didn’t need to clean up the mess because he will do it for me. Then I took care of the bill. At that time I was thinking well the party has been a big success and I think even if they hit me with a big bill, it’s worth it. But then Jonah surprised me again with giving me such a small bill. Not only he charged me with a member price out of his good heart, he kept his promise that all parents are free! I paid only half of what I expected to pay! God is good!
But that wasn’t all…
After the party, the children refused to go home and they stayed and played together until the place closed! What can be better than this? This party is truly for children in all aspect. They all had a blast playing with so many cool scientific toys. And the parents’ entrance fee is free and they are happy about it too! Some of the parents have never been to this place and they enjoy it. This place has so many puzzle games that even parents couldn’t crack it! So they joke around about whose best! Just like kids too I think.
Playing inside a real tree trunk --
-- This is how big the tree is --
-- KK, Nicholas, and James trying to be doctors--
-- Now, let's do this one and the Science World volunteer help them put the organs back into their individual places --
-- I am curious at how they can do this --
-- Checking out the Beavers' home --
KK was so tired from running around this big place nonstop with his friends. I think all of the children fell asleep in the car on the way home too. That night they all sleep so well. But for KK, there is one more thing to do. OPEN THE GIFTS!!!!
After falling asleep in the car, he woke up on the sofa finding how many gifts he gets this year ! --
-- Thank you mama! Your gifts is exactly what I want ! "Grave Digger" Monster truck..well... what do you expect? His grandpa own a funeral home afterall... --
--Woah.... a remote control car --
-- Check this out..so cool --
-- Oh.. a Hot Wheel ! --
-- Bigger Hot Wheels --
-- More Hot Wheels.. I love Hot Wheels !!! --
-- Hey.. this is looks interesting, a gift from Aunt Ellis, mama's friend, I love LEGO --
-- Isn't this the new toy I saw last time mama? --
-- Yeah... this gift ROCKS ! --
-- YEAHHHH.. now we're talking... a Hot Wheels Racing Track --
-- Let's play LEGO together mama ! --
-- I love Home Depot ! --
-- Hey, trains ! I also loves trains ! --
-- Look papa ! The Incredibles ! --
-- Oh.. coloring book! Look I have a mountain of great gifts ! --
At night before we went to bed, we all said our thank you to God who has given Kai Kai such a wonderful party!
Our God is Good.
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