July is always one of my favorite months. First there’s the Fourth of July, and mom and dad always have a party (which means my brother and I get to have a party too!)
Beth decorated her head for occasion….
I absolutely love her attitude. The poor girl has gone through chemo, is getting ready to have surgery and then radiation. She’s not ashamed or embarrassed of her bald head and wears it proudly!
Liv and Beth's daughter Emma – two peas in a pod who have grown up together and are the best of friends (they call each other “cousins”). They were clearly scheming something in this photo….
There were a lot of kids in the pool. We added a few more as the day went by!
Jami (Beth’s sister-in-law), Beth and me. This ones going in a frame…..
These two lovely ladies are my oldest friends in the world. Nora (middle) and Betsy (right) and I have been friends since we were in seventh grade. They're they kind of friends that I don’t talk to every day, but if I needed something, they’d drop everything to be with me. We get together as often as we can and always joke about how different we are, yet remain so very close.
Their little girls, Riley and Harmony were goofing around while Aunt Deb tried to take pictures…..
Riley (right) is Betsy’s daughter. Harmony (left) is Nora's. Riley, Harmony and Sydney were all born within months of each other.
Sharon – with bunny ears, courtesy of Riley…
The party went late – as they always do, with the hard core partiers staying up late under the umbrellas, talking….
Since it was a few days before my birthday, they had a cake and a crown for me. I look so thrilled about turning 40.
Mary Kaye stole my crown.
Dad – being goofy.
Tara – an acquaintance from high school that has become a great friend. She showed up at the concert to help and quite literally, saved my sanity that day.
Olivia – wondering why we are still up so late…..
Brandon – making his best mean face.
And then, as often happens when people have been drinking and getting a little wound up – the arm wrestling begins. Tim (my co-organizer of the concert and a friend from high school) is one of a kind and has blended seamlessly into our family….He’s also not above kicking butt in arm wrestling.
First he beat dad.
Then Mary Kaye challenged him.
She’s freakishly strong.
But not strong enough.
Tara didn’t even really try – ha!
All in all – a great party!
It took me two days to recover. I’m not a spring chicken anymore!!
And, lastly – a gratuitous picture of me and my baby girl after we all got “makeovers'” from my Goddaughter Taylor who was staying with us.
I’m scared of the teenage years. She looked so grown up I almost fainted…..
