Poolside Party - Fun in the Sun!

These kids keep getting older and older!  I swear my niece looked like this just the other day:

Now here she is, hosting her very own pool party at the ripe age of 12 years! (that's her in the yellow wrap)

As guests arrived, they joined in on the fun in many different ways.  Some were tossed in pool rather unceremoniously:

 While others made their own way in:

 and still others chose to hang poolside:

One of the party highlights was celebrating the first losses of teeth for two of the cousins - here they show off what they gave up for the money they earned (something like $14 between them - damn!!)

One of the nephews appears to be morphing into a Dennis the Menace mode here:

While a sweet niece posed rather nicely for me:

Note to self:  Do not tell these kids to say "cheese" anymore.  They take things way too literally:

Now here we have a REAL slice of CHEESE!

...and a glimpse of some sisterly sweetness:

 ...and back to the CHEESE:

 ...more CHEESE:

 another glance at more sweetness:

After hours of swimming, snacking and sunning, the party girl was finally ready to settle back and do some gift opening:

 a very happy kid opening her new keyboard from Noni:

Of course, as is the custom around here, as soon as the paper, ribbons and cards are swept aside...the cake must make it's appearance.  Someone, I WON'T SAY WHO, was a little excited at the prospect of random crumbs falling to the ground:

Here is the birthday girl in all her glory:

While wandering the house later on I came upon this quaint scene of grandma helping the birthday girl set up her keyboard:

A lovely party day was had by all - I even managed to get one of those "awesome type" photos that come with a combination of luck, timing and many, many throw away shots before and after the winning one appears:

Easter...The Sequel Blog

I figure I better catch up on this blog!  "Easter- Part Two" has been pending for almost a month now, and I've got a 12 year old party blog to do next.  So here we are..

Easter Day

I carpooled with my sister and the following items to the designated Easter Brunch House:

   * 4 Kids

   * 150 deviled eggs

   * 10 Easter Baskets with chocolate, sugar and toys

   * Several salad type food items

   * Decorative Vases with Peeps and flowers

   * 6 Dozen hard boiled eggs 

I give you...The Easter Baskets:

 I give you...The Vase Decorations:

I give you...The Deviled Eggs:

I give you...a sampling of the eggs for the "Easter Bunny" to hide:

 I give you...A motley assortment of nieces and nephews to share the day with:

Once the crowd had devoured their way through 150 deviled eggs PLUS other assorted appetizers...

It was time for the Easter Bunny to do his thang.  We hunted inside.  This may have had something to do with mild concern about mixing the backyard, the pool, 6 dozen eggs and several toddlers.

And the children reacted accordingly:

 Later on, while I enjoyed a STUNNING floor show of talents unknown to me...

I decided to ask of the crowd assembled...."Which one of you professes to be 'Easter Bunny'?  Stand and show yourself!"

 10 Points goes to the movie fan who identifies the film quote....

But I digress...things were moving rather slowly for some, I WON'T SAY WHO, after the whole "egg hunt", "free food", and "Easter games" activities - it was obviously time to move on...

To DESSERTS!  Somebody, I WON'T SAY WHO, was keeping an eye on the "eggcakes" all afternoon:

 There was also a delicious Strawberry and Red Velvet Cake (this recipe later stolen by Martha Stewart and used for her June Issue of "Living"):

After that, the kids were forced to survive on their MODEST Easter Baskets alone, as modeled below:

Once the sugar rush set in...so did photo opportunities such as this:

and this...

For some reason, we didn't get any video footage this year.  That's the LAST TIME I leave the videography in the hands of THIS KID:

Here we have the rare and elusive "camera auntie" caught on film in her natural environment - camouflaged by kids, of course.

Finally, as the day ended and sugar was being scraped off of kiddie faces, couches and various pets, I found the Easter Bunny!  He was slumped off to the side of the yard, looking a bit worse for wear and trying to bum chocolate off the kids:

Sad.