Smokin' Times

It all started with a Saturday afternoon family trip to the Guitar Center. It sounded like fun and everyone was up for it. The Guitar Center has much more than guitars. It has just about anything you can think of as it relates to music and production. They have guitars, amps, drums, keyboards, editing software, synthesizers, turntables, and anything that goes along with these things. But, the kids’ favorite items are the concert items – the smoke machines, the strobe lights, the disco ball, and moving colored lights. There is a room that contains all these items, and the kids have a blast in there. The music is blasting, the lights are flashing, the smoke is flying – what kid (or dad) wouldn’t love this?

So, I got to thinking – Why not have something like this at our house? It would altogether change the definition of “party house.”

One smoke machine, strobe light, black light, and rotating color light machine later – our playroom became an instant PARTY ROOM!!

First, we fired up the smoke machine. It was awesome! We got the room so full of smoke we couldn’t see across the room. Then, we fired up the colored lights. Here’s what it looks like as it cuts through the smoke:

Then, we decided to turn it up a notch – We busted out the black light! Check out these pictures:

Based on Rowan’s (3 years old) mixture of forced laughter and a face that looked like he just sucked a lemon, I could tell he was a little spooked. So, we moved to the ultimate – STROBE LIGHT IN THE SMOKE!! Talk about the supreme idea! I decided that I was pretty much the coolest dad in the world at that moment. I should mention at this point, Wendy was putting Reese (7 months old) to bed.

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!! I pumped the smoke out and hit the strobe light. The kids were going crazy, jumping and screaming, dancing and bouncing. It was pure party excitement.

Then, after a few minutes of this, I notice Jared (5 years old) running for the light switch. This being his first experience with a strobe light, he didn’t realize the magic of it – at one moment the wall is 3 feet away, the next moment the wall is plastered against your face – and you don’t even see it coming! BANG! He nailed the wall hard, dropped to the ground screaming while holding his face. Rowan, already a little on edge before Jared’s collision with the wall, heard the loud bang and ran for the door like a gazelle. BAM!!! Lesson learned by Rowan - at one moment the door is 3 feet away, the next moment the door is plastered against your face – and you don’t even see it coming! Now, Jared AND Rowan are on the ground screaming while holding their faces. I was also on the ground screaming…in laughter. I was laughing HARD. (Now, imagine what Wendy was thinking. She heard two loud bangs followed by intense crying and laughter).

Party at our house ANYDAY – ANYTIME!