The Birthdays Continue

It just wouldn't be summer without the annual trip to see the Grandparents Porter--and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins that pop over to the house on Brigantine Lane. Most  summers we don't need an excuse to visit, but in 2011, we drove many hours on the New Jersey Turnpike to celebrate Grandpop Porter's 85th Birthday.


Yes, 85th. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a "Happy 85th Birthday" card? Surprisingly harder than it is to find a "Happy 90th Birthday" card.

(Morgan wins the Get to Know You Bingo)

(Practicing not falling in the lagoon)

Not only was there plenty of cake...

...but Aunt Nan and Kelly and created t-shirts with the birthday boy's face for everyone to wear:

(Sister and myself)

As the sun began to set on a full day of partying, a few of the cousins took a walk to the beach (we were really just trying to walk off dinner so we could go back and eat and drink some more. The sea air is perfect for stimulating our appetites).

(Brick Beach)

(Just because the sun is setting doesn't mean the party's over)

(The Party's Here)

And because no party is a proper party without some kind of sparklers, my dad was forward thinking enough to bring some along. 

(Emily and Myself)

(Ceremonial Lighting of the Sparklers)

Here's to 85 more birthdays at the Porters! If anyone can live 170 years, we want it to be Grandpop (and Granny) Porter!! :-)

Free at Last!!

Congratulations to my youngest brother Jake!! He graduated from high school this month and is now a real adult.


Except to me he will always be a toddler and not an adult. I hope he doesn't mind.

(Jake on a cake)

(He's the bearded one in the middle)

(Me and Jake)

(Jemily)

And of course we had a party:

(Because nothing says party like a giant fake snake head)

(Nancie and Jemily on the ATV)

Halloween and Some Kids

This Halloween weekend was a busy one, but, thanks to the Sister and Jemily (my combined nickname for my brother Jake and his girlfriend Emily), busy wasn't so bad. Nancie came over Friday night and helped me shop and eat too much; Saturday we put together a little Halloween get-together for ourselves and Jemily. On the menu:

• caramel apples (or poison apples)
• rice of death (which actually wasn't very good because it was rice and veggies in a bag; though as far as I know, it hasn't killed anyone)
• boo-ritos (vegetarian or meat-filled)
• cookies and candy (and lots of them)

(Jake likes caramels..also note the holiday-appropriate, disembodied hand in the lower corner)

Then we watched The Ghost Writer, which was not scary but still a bit of a thriller. And it had Ewan McGregor which is never a bad thing!

(We're supposed to be saying "boo")