Calton Luau 2007

When our kids have their first birthday, we have a HUGE Luau for them. We invite everybody from work, neighborhood, church, play dates, pretty much everybody. And according to Luau tradition, their entire family and close friends are welcome to come too. It is an "open invitation".

The reason for all the partying. This little dude just turned one! Yahoo Tanner!


This is our fam outside of the entrance. Notice the banner says "Calton Surf Luau". There are nets and shells all around the entrance. If you look in the slideshow below, you'll see the real surfboard out front that Braddah Mike brought. Ellen and Mike Carter also lived in Hawaii, so every Luau, they bring the Kalua Pig, and this year the Surf Board.


Me and my hot Hawaiian. Shortly after we were married, we lived in Hawaii for Tim's MBA program there. Before we left, we were pregnant with Hunter, and the locals made us promise to have a 1 year Luau for him. And so the tradition started. The ribbon woven lei I am wearing was made for me by the youth there in Hawaii Kai.


Hunter in the straw hat. We have 6 people wear these hats so the kids can find them. The kids are given punch cards to wear around their necks. They must find an activity or goodie from all 6 adults there at the party. One "straw hat wearer" did temporary tropical tattoos, another did a Hawaiian shirt shaped jelly bean bag, another helped with the pinata, another with the limbo, another with the Luau visors, another with the rubber tiki bracelets, another with the luau sunshades... etc.


This year my Brother Todd flew out for the occasion.


At the end, a few families always stay to chat. This is Laurie Gatrell. Randomly, she and Todd got in a wrestling match. Do you see everyone cracking up in the background? Really, I'm talking border-line body slamming. Laurie could hold her own after 6 kids!!


This is the picture I'd been dying to take for the last 3 years. I think this kid looks exactly like Todd did at his age. I need to find the picture, they could almost pass for father and son!! They are wearing the kid's checklist of things to do at the Luau.


And what is a party without the Kochevar/Hogg team?! We didn't get their pictures, as everyone was spread out, but this is Bill. Lisa was on top of keeping an eye on Tann the whole time while I tried to erupt the volcano cake!


This is Olivia Marie. She is holding the "Luau 2007" water bottles, notice the little umbrella attached to the cap?


The Blake family was at the 2005 Luau. We love these guys! They did a real Hula dance to the music of "Bradda Iz". I have Bradda Iz on my playlist below singing "Wonderful world". We also had coconut fragrance oil burning, so we really felt like we were at the beach. That or the 5 inflatable palm trees. Those always do the trick.

Here's some pics of decor before everyone got here. There are also pics of the crowd. We had 60 in attendance the first year, and 250 the next year! But they all came in spurts, not everyone at once. We counted over 300 plates used! I'm assuming people went back for seconds. We ordered the main dishes from L & L bar-b-q. Hawaiian chicken, Mahi Mahi, Chicken Katsu, and a couple others. It was a potluck, but with Hawaiian themed food. There were alot of cool tropical foods to eat. YUM!

We also did a volcano cake again. It erupts red lava, and has dry-ice smoke coming out the top of the funnel afterwards. This is always great for effects.

Yah, we pretty much have one little box in our storage for all the other seasons of the year. But we celebrate Luau time like freaks. Hope you all can make it out here for our next Luau in China!!