An Very Very Unbirthday, to You, to You!

So do you remember watching Alice in Wonderland (the Disney version) where Alice attends an un-birthday party? That is kind of what we had with my family on Saturday. My brother and his family are away, in Ohio, (where we lived when we were little) attending school, and so they came home for two weeks to visit. Their two sons (our nephews) both celebrate birthdays the first few days of August, so we planned a birthday-party/family BBQ/swim for the birthday party celebrations.

My sister Heather about to eat some un-birthday cake

Little Miss Suzie Mae

Well, my brother and two nephews got food poisoning, so we did the BBQ sans their family and my older sister (she was back in DC on a relaxation trip, lucky girl!) So you would think the party would have been ruined, but actually it turned out being very fun! Never knew I could have so much at an un-birthday party! With my younger brother away in Afghanistan this last year, it was just so nice to rest and relax and have a lot of fun. 

 Little Miss Khloe (Suzie and Khloe are both wearing a swimsuit I actually had bought

for our Pricess Lilly. I know she is smiling seeing her cloths being used!

 Khloe's silly Dad, my little brother Jamie

If you know my family, my mom is ALWAYS notorious for bringing way too much food, so that you never leave hungry. So with her cooking, my dad's really yummy BBQ skills, and the extras that the rest of the kids brought, well, we were certainly just very well fed. And after we ate, the pavilion my parents had rented was right next to a swimming pool, so we took the nieces and nephews

over to swim. 

 

We had a great time! The nieces and nephews had a blast playing with their uncle Jacob, and he had a great time teasing and playing with them. We even had birthday cake! What was pretty funny was the other two two year olds laying claim to the presents that were sitting out. We were eating and my sister started busting up laughing. We turned around and my funny little nephew and Collin were each opening a present. Since it was just a coloring book and puzzle book, we let them go to town (Ben and Erica, if you are reading this, we will have to ship you two replacement presents!)

 

Two of my sister in-laws, Lindsey and Amanda, and Jamie again, sitting in the pee-pool,

oops, I mean the kiddie pool!

 My brother Jacob playing with Khloe and Tatum

 Collin trying to swim

 Amanda again (isn't she gorgeous?) She spent the last year having her husband

(my brother Jacob) in Afghanistan.

 Collin and Tatum hugging it out.

  

Collin trying to fit into baby Jacob's hat

 Jake with Baby Jacob

 My brother Jacob really worried that his nieces and nephews would not remember him.

Fat chance of that, they all adore their uncle.

Collin was climbing the bars to the right, when we noticed and went running. Uncle Jacob got there first and moved Collin to a lower set of bars. He honestly just has no fear!

It was just actually really relaxing, and it was nice to just be together, to have my brother Jacob there after surviving the hells of Afghanistan. It makes me a little teary just thinking about what a great time we had all together. So despite our problems and funny stupid quirks, I truly could not have asked for a better family. I think what I learned from this is just accepting that we are all very different, but when there is a lot of love, that can overcome any boundaries we may have.