Birthday/Graduation Party

After last year's record setting of the latest birthday party post actual birthday, we really tried our best to celebrate Justin's birthday as close to his birthday as possible.

Plus, we were also celebrating his graduation from high school too.

No pressure.

We brought in our favorite mexican food, so if you were invited but couldn't make it, you really missed out. It was super yummy. Just ask my Dad, who ate lots of yummies when my Mom wasn't looking.

We also we blessed with a donation of goodies from Aunt Jill's mother-in-law.

We hid some so we could have leftovers.

{just kidding, but it is a good idea}

Zella always grabs Emma right away to play.

Shannon and Leah

Grammy and Pappy

Jill and Charlie

Grams and Paul

John and Lori

{congrats on getting Best of Breed!}

Gail and Phil

Aunt Jeannie

Karen and Ken

Terrance

Justin is not the type of person who likes to be the focus of attention. {I so get that} So opening presents in front of people has always been a type of torture, but we still torture him every year.

I was nice to have his friends over. Good kids.

And, if you've been following the blog for any time, you've noticed a general decline in birthday cake preparation. We used to have cake and enough candles to match the birthday. Post-headaches, we improvise, a lot.

{sigh}

Quite frankly, it's been so long since the party, I've forgotten if we even had cake. I know we had ice cream. My Dad had both chocolate and came back for vanilla {of course, when my Mom wasn't looking}. Say what you want about dementia, apparently, there are some things that you are always quite aware of. You might not remember what you are allowed to eat, but you do know what you are not allowed to eat and who generally tells you no.

We are so blessed with having so much family that live near us and who come celebrate with us.

Congratulations, Justin!

Graduation day is tough for adults. They go to the ceremony as parents. They come home as contemporaries. After twenty-two years of child-raising, they are unemployed.
~ Erma Bombeck