PARTY!! (Part II)

So we bought this picture in May on our anniversary "trip." At the time, it had a much broader significance for us, but on Hannah's b-day, it was the last thing people saw as they headed out the back door.  Funny.

The power remained off for what seemed like forever. Two hours. Crazy. I was wracking my brain trying to come up with party games because I did not have a good back-up plan. Friends, don't let this happen to you! 

As the house filled up with people, I felt responsible for everyone's entertainment but most of the kids did not want to play the games I was coming up with. They were happy running around playing with toys. Many of them stayed upstairs in the loft. They seemed like they were having fun. For the few who wanted to play the games, we ran through pin the nose on the clown and toss the hackey sacks into the pail. It took a whole twenty minutes and a whopping five kids participated.

Meanwhile, Cohen and Jenna were not digging all of the commotion.


Cohen retreated into slumberland. I was a little envious.

So we served up the food. When the thunder finally stopped shaking the ground and the warm rain let up, we decided to give parents the option to turn the kids loose outside. While we were out there, the rain misted over us, but no biggie.  The plan was to get wet anyways.


The kids loved jumping around in this thing and splashing water everywhere.  And since we had no power and couldn't enjoy the big slide as promised, we rigged up a smaller version that the kids enjoyed.

Just as a family was praying around the table before they ate, the lights came on. Praise God for answered prayers!

Finally the slide goes up and the kids go down. My parents bought this thing and it was definitely a hit. I'm standing under the roof of our back patio, trying to keep my new camera dry.

Craig manned the top.

He lifted the kids up and let em go. Everyone was laughing and screaming and running around having a great time.  But then Craig starts yelling. "Woah. Woah.... We're dying! We're dying! Help!" This slide takes two minutes to inflate and even less time to deflate. Someone grabbed the kid from up top. Craig was going down fast. The slide was like a giant, vinyl venus flytrap and Craig folded in half as he was sucked down into it, hands and feet sticking up in the air...

The whole time, I kept the video rolling.  Hilarious.

At least we got one batch of popcorn done before the lights went down. The house smelled like a movie theater. Jenna was upset because she finally got a movie and then it was gone again. We kept thinking we could heat things up in the microwave.  Umm, yeah...

...ten minutes later, the power was back up and so was the slide. YAY!

Craig stayed down below this time.

Hannah getting warm.

Jenna entertaining herself.

She was not happy with the commotion so my aunt had to take a walk with her and I had to run circles around the driveway with her on my back, which occupied her for a while. 

After 45 minutes or so, we rounded up all the kids and brought them inside to change and get ready for cake and ice-cream. They loved the warm popcorn after being wet outside. It ended up working out perfectly!

Jenna is changed and ready to party -

The Bee Movie was a hit.

Popping the corn. I think everyone loved this even more after we thought we wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

Happy Birthday To You!!!

Jenna loving the bird's eye view.

She also loved the cake.Presents. Fun!

Sno-cones were really good. Strawberry.

My carpet even got a taste. Several of them, in fact.

Oh well, what's a party without a little mess?

It was a great day.  The last guests left around ten o'clock, and I think everyone had fun. I hope, at least.

Hannah loved her gifts. 

Someone tired?

The next morning dawned BEAUTIFUL, with blue skies and chirping birds.

We went to another little girl's birthday on this day and it was inside.  Hmmm.  But I bet people won't forget this party anytime soon... :)

That morning, my cousin's wife prepared to leave.

But there was one little problem.  What is that in the road?

Can you see it?  No? Okay, let's zoom a bit closer...

This is as close as my tremblin' hands get y'all.

Diamond back baby rattler. We only know this cuz my aunt was stup---  kind enough to get right on top of the thing for the sake of knowledge.

When I acted concerned, she scoffed. It's too cold out here. It can't move until it warms up, she says.

Yeah, uh-huh. No convincing me. Eventually this little guy slithered off to wherever it came from. At least, we haven't seen it around here since.


But with our luck there's no tellin'!