Call of Duty: Black Ops II - 13th Birthday Party!!!

It's that time of year again! My son just turned 13 and you know it only get's harder and harder to please a growing teenager.  So my options this year were very limited.  Making the transition from pre-teen to an actual teenager is, apparently, a big deal these days! Who would've thought it!  On that note, what could be cooler than a party based around your favorite video game?  Hence, the birth of a Black Ops II party was born.  My son's eyes became the size of golf balls upon this suggestion.

First up, is the invitation.  We all know how I feel about invitations, right? Of course you do!  You know that I know that its the first impression, the platform, the introduction of what's to come. That being said, here's what I came up with - along with cake and cupcake toppers:

Now, here's the plan. We invite a few of my son's closest friends over for some pizza, a Call of Duty Playstation Face-off, a Just-Dance 4 Wii Dance-off, some cake and candy, and top it off with a scary movie sleep over.  Sounds memorable, right?  Well my son absolutely loved the idea and boy did we create some memories!  Here are a few pictures of the set up:

Below are cylinders I filled with gum balls which represent my attempt at recreating Flash Bangs from the actual game.  For those not familiar with what Flash Bangs are (don't feel too bad, I didn't have a clue at first either), they are a type of grenade thrown at the enemy. So, when my son "approved" of them, my first thought was God Bless my sweet boy for humoring me and actually playing along with his Mommy.  However, upon guest arrival, my son's friends also thought they resembled flash bangs and "approved" of them too.  Score!!!!

Continuing on....

Did I ever mention how much I love designer duct tape? It's truly the best thing since sliced bread! The different colors and designs give you endless possibilities for decorating your party. Here, I used them to spice the water bottles  - a cute, cost effective option for coordinating your party and making it a little more festive.  It's also a good alternative to making those detailed labels that often time requires using your printer and expensive ink.  Love, love, love!

And who doesn't love a good cupcake? Truly a classic and timeless dessert option.

As promised, the after-party consisted of glow sticks and necklaces together with a good ol' scary movie.  That, of course, wouldn't be complete without a hot tub of homemade popcorn and a good ol' scare from the birthday boy's dad in the middle of the movie.  Boy were those boys scared out of their mind! Sure made a good laugh though!!!!

Here are a few pictures of the birthday boy with his family:

Finally, I close this post out with a video of the Harlem Shake that a few of the guest put together at the end of the party.  Enjoy!

Silly kids I tell ya!