On Thursday we went in for G-bee’s 2nd birthday party (Happy Birthday G-bee!), and had an incredibly fun time.The kids splashed and played in the wading pool and had a blast in the bounce house, and the adults were able to sit, chat and catch up on all of the new happenings in the middle of all of the kiddie chaos. We had a delicious dinner of grilled burgers and hot dogs, and several different salads for good measure. And may I just say that my burger was the best, ever! James, you have mad burger making skills, and anyone that says differently has never tasted one of your heavenly creations. Amen.
Speaking of food, I had made a lovely fruit salad to bring with me, even doubling my usual recipe to make sure there was enough. As we’re loading up to go, I set the bowl down on the floor in the back of the car so I could help one of the little ones into their seat, and turned around just in time to see G take a mis-step and end up ankle deep in the fruit salad. *sigh* So in the interest of not wanting to serve my family foot salad, I took the bowl of tainted goods into the house and instead grabbed a container of Spaghetti Ranch salad leftover from dinner the night before and hoped it would suffice. It did, but I think Heidi almost dis-invited me anyways, but since I owe her $20 she relented. Just this once.
After all of the eating and playing, we gathered on the side lawn with several other families from neighboring condos for a great show of fireworks put on by Gary and Austin. There was even some risk to life, limb and arm hair. Thankfully, all arm hair is still intact, and Austin will live to start school this Fall. I had a great time and I know my kids did too, so of course I was very unpopular when I finally tried to round up my brood to head for home. Thank you for inviting us Heidi, and I had so much fun with everyone, I can hardly wait to get back together again for more! I love my family, I swear I never laugh so hard as I do when I’m around all of them.
On Saturday, Craig and I loaded up the van with everyone, and headed south to a park about an hours drive from our house. It was the annual family reunion with Craig’s family, with this one being bigger than usual since it included all of his cousins, aunts, and uncles from his mom’s side of the family. We had a great time visiting with and meeting new people (new to me I mean, because of course Craig already knew everyone), and I was especially thrilled to get to catch up with family members that I rarely get to see, and really, really enjoy spending time with, some having made the long trip from out of state even. I really love my husbands family, they are an incredible bunch of people, and so much fun to be around.
One of his sisters is the most incredible artist (she is ‘this close’ to getting her masters degree in fine arts), and she showed me two of her most recent sculptures that she had finished. I was blown away, she is so amazing and beyond talented, and so very humble about her incredible skills. Seriously, she is just so amazing and I can never spend enough time with her, I love her to death. Another sister-in-law has a very successful business involving vinyl lettering, and she had brought a large box of her extras for everyone to go through. She was more than kind enough to give me two pieces that will make a gorgeous plaque, and I can hardly wait to get the wood and get it done.
There was tons more visiting, eating, laughing, water fights, volleyball, family pictures, and lots of catching up. The kids were everywhere playing their hearts out and having a great time, and I’m sure everyone took a car full of sand home with them afterwards, as every child seemed to be covered in it from head to toe by the end of the day. And then all of a sudden it was time to go. We were hot, tired and exhausted, but none of it set in until the drive home, we had been having far too much fun to even notice before. I am so grateful we live close enough to family that we can do this every year, sometimes more even, Craig’s family is so much fun!
And I have no pictures of any of the fun. Because? Well, I have my hands full as it is wrangling my kidlets, making sure they get something to eat, applying sunblock, and keeping them in my line of sight, and I really just want to spend any time outside of child wrangling visiting with everyone anyways, not constantly worrying about capturing every single moment on film as it happens. So now you know just how lazy and un-caring I really am. That, or I talk too much. Either way, there’s still no pictures.