Party Weekend

 

Where we celebrate my parents' 70th birthdays

 and their 44th anniversary.

 

 

 

 

My parents have a lot to celebrate in the month of August.

Since this was a momentous occasion, the family decided that we

 needed to make it extra special.

We gave them the choice of what kind of celebration they would like and

they chose a weekend with just the family.

 

Their celebrating really started while they were in Iowa where my dad was preaching.

The church there had a surprise birthday party for them on Sunday night.

 

They were also able to spend time with my mom's siblings and their spouses,

who had all made it a point to be in Iowa that weekend.

 

So, once my parents returned home from Iowa, they had four days to recover

and get back into the swing of things before we descended on them.

 

Our pictures of the weekend are simply random photos

taken by the kids.  Nothing is planned and nothing is posed.

 

My job before the weekend was to compile and bind the

greeting cards that had been sent to me by many friends and family members

for a surprise card shower.

 

There were five booklets of cards.

My mom sent home with me the cards they were given in Iowa

and the ones that were sent directly to them and we made three more card booklets.

 

Each meal was taken care of by different family members

so we pretty much moved from house to house throughout the weekend.

In between, there were planned activities:

family photo sessions at the park,

picnic with games afterwards,

bowling,

home made ice cream and cupcakes,

church services,

and just simply hanging out together

 

We picnicked in the shade of some mighty oaks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing boccie ball.

 

Dad and his brother, Richard.

 

It's time to bother Wesley who is all worn out from the heat.

 

Success!

 

Bowling pictures.

It was a first for Mom and Laura, Dad had not bowled since college,

 and judging from my performance it might have well been my first time too!

We had pizza at the bowling alley that evening and it turned

out to be surprisingly good.

(For the curious, Matt's girlfriend, Nina, is the one in the white shirt who is clapping)

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had three lanes for our group and there were not many other

people around until we were ready to leave in the early evening.

That gave us plenty of room to spread out.

 

 

This little angel was as tired as could be but he never fussed or cried as

he was passed from person to person for two whole hours.

He went to sleep as soon as he landed in his car seat for the ride

back to Grandma's house.

 

Cousins walking to Uncle David's house for lunch.

 

 We returned home on Sunday night so we could avoid Labor Day traffic.

Our plan worked great.  There was a complete absence of truck, motor home,

and trailer traffic so we were able to make it home in record time.

 

What a blessing to be able to spend a weekend with family.