The Crystal Numbskulls

Lev turned 8 on April 23, 2009 and his party was Saturday. He invited about ten kids to the house and Indiana Jones was his chosen theme. I find it interesting he chose that theme given that he has never seen any of the 4 Indiana Jones movies. His only knowledge of Indiana Jones as a character is from a Lego he once had and from a video game he played for a couple of days at his cousin Nico and Aidan's house in California. Which I guess is proof that these companies don't really need to spend millions of dollars to license other characters in order to gain popularity. They can simply create their own characters and kids will love them just the same. What kid could really tell the difference between Indiana Jones, Crocodile Dundee, Argyle Andy, Mr. Spicklespack, and Carabiner Kevin. Can you guess which one from that list I made up? If you at least believe I made up only one of them, then I proved my point, because I made up three of them.

Anyway, what Indiana Jones birthday party would be complete without a search for the "Crystal Skull". I did not tell Lev, but I created a map of the property and dispersed 8 clues, one clue leading to the next clue, eventually leading to a chest containing the The Crystal Skull (okay, it was plastic) and other assorted jewels and trinkets. I hid the chest in what was comparable to a cave; two large rocks close together that Lev had previously covered with discarded branches to make his own cave to play in.

Well, I shouldn't have to tell you that after only 5 guests had arrived and the party had not even really started, the whole group of them found the cave and then started dragging out the chest! They did not even know there was going to be a treasure hunt!

Searching the Bat Cave

I made them put it back and said nothing more until about 30 minutes into the party when I started handing out the maps and told them we would search for the Crystal Skull. Which was stupid because then the whole dozen of them started sprinting down to the cave where they knew it was, thereby defeating the whole purpose of the hunt.

I trudged on anyway by calling them back telling them they needed to follow the trail of clues before they can get to the treasure. I split them into three teams - Raiders, Warriors, and Mummies - (there were three envelopes at each clue location) and then I gave them the first clue, which was this:

To find the Crystal Skull, you’ll need a helping hand
Because the first clue is found underneath the sand
But you’d better think twice before you dig
Or the mistake you make could be really big

After reading the clue, the three teams slowly separated themselves to carefully study their maps against their surroundings, disected the clue with thoughtful ideas, plotted their path, .....NOT!!!! They all raced to the sandbox like an angry mob and started digging like they were looking for China. (Doesn't the clue specifically warn them not to dig?) So now I have 10 eight-year olds digging furiously and uselessly in my sandbox with me screaming over them to stop and read the clue again more carefully. Finally, and before somebody dug up my leeching field, Daniel noticed the leftover bags of sand next to the sandbox (The Stacked Desert), discovered the red envelopes sticking out of it, and then all hell broke loose. A dozen screaming kids ran up and down the driveway, back and forth across the property, hunting for red envelopes with all the sanity of torch-wielding peasants.

One of the kids said to me, "I know why you called it the Forest of Doom...because you don't want us to go in there." Smart kid.

Running for Clues

Climbing Mount Leverest

At about Clue #6, someone made the leap directly to the cave and before we knew it they had dragged the chest out into the open like a scene out of Lord of the Flies. I swear I heard a native drumbeat as they stood around the spilled over chest, Lev holding the vanquished Skull high for all the tribe to bear witness and howl for the lamentations of their enemies.

I only prayed that no parents would return at that very moment to pick up their kids .

Well, there's only one way to stop an angry mob of 8-year olds...CAKE!!!!! As usual, Kerrie outdid herself by creating an Indiana Jones cake, with boulders cascading down between two outcroppings, while an unruly native looked down with spear in hand over the escaping Jones. The original design had only one boulder between the two outcroppings and I had to point out to her that it looked a little obscene, so extra boulders were quickly manufactured.

Daniel Guarding the Chest

It was the longest hour and a half of my life.