After the Party I Was Draggin'

Stacy's second party extravaganza, aimed at all L and N's school friends, had a more medieval, reptilian kind of feel. Fire-belching lizards were the theme and dragon slayers were all the scream. The thermally-enhanced critters had obviously been hanging out in Harbor City - in fact, we even identified a dragon lair in our own backyard! Thankfully we had a host of knights and paladins eager to win for themselves undying glory and honor in following the dragon's trail and undertaking many a quest and endeavor.

The mercenary warriors came to us unoutfitted and unarmed, so lots of prep work had to be done to get an army ship-shape. Swords had to be designed and shields had to be painted and decorated; magic dragon-protecting crowns had to be issued and a mob mentality had to be fostered. (That last part was pretty easy.)

Once the merry band of warriors was assembled and trained, it set out on a heart-chilling quest:  the storming of the dragon's lair!

Fortune shined upon the holy horde and they were rewarded with much rich dragon treasure.

After so handily defeating the vile serpent, the band of adventurers undertook many other breath-taking escapades.  First they played a horrifying game of "Throw-the-Ring-Over-the-Toy-Dinosaur-Who's-Pretending-to-Be-a-Dragon.  Then it was risking life and limb watching a fire-spewing volcano erupt in all its thunderous fury.  Then it was back to the castle for cake and ice cream.

Once the burgeoning Beowolves were adequately fed in the backyard mead hall, it was a time of general mayhem and revelry. You can't understand how much you want to party until you've stared a dragon in the eyes and lived to tell about it.

Gracious Queen Florence greets a conquering hero.

Duke Mark and Her Highness R

The dragon-lady and her fairy princess.

The Supreme Monarch grants an audience with a warrior.

The ferocious Harkins clan (we think they are Vikings) made it all the way from
Sweden  and survived the dragon onslaught, only to succumb to the foul
man-eating curly willow tree in the back yard.  So sad.

The only significant casualty of the day actually occurred before any of the crusaders arrived.  L, while helping Uncle Kyle set up out back, managed to take a running face-plant into one of the plastic chairs, knocking one of her few remaining firm baby teeth into the "loose and wiggly" category.  The victim was far less amused than her parents were at the discovery of the rather large tooth-gouge in the back of the chair.

Luckily warrior women overcome tears quickly and recompose themselves for dragon slaying pretty easily.