On Feb 17, the kids and I threw a 50th birthday party for Bill. It was so much fun! Family came from near and far to make it the perfect day. I wish I had thought to get a family picture before so many folks had begun to leave at the end of the day. Here is part of the crew that shared the day with Bill.

The biggest surprise of the day was Jon and Sally flying in for the party. Kate and James kept it a secret from Bill until the last minute when they had to tell him so he could reschedule a business trip. They didn't tell me at all, and I was very shocked to see them walk out of Kate's bedroom at breakfast on Saturday morning! Kate and James had snuck out to pick them up at the Jax airport at midnight, and Kate put them up in her room. Needless to say, it felt like Christmas all day to me having them here with us!!

And it was so fun to have everyone join us. Bill's Dad and his friend Mary sharing a smile...

Bill's brother, Jamey, and wife Joann sharing the porch swing. Poor Jo's feet never touch the floor on that swing.

Bill's brother David and wife Amy sharing a smile! Well, Amy sharing a smile and David sharing a thoughtful look.

Bill's sister, Kathy, sharing a smile, and our Jamey sharing, hmmm, a sort of half-pucker smile-thing.

Jon and Patrick in a wrestling match...

Patrick finally getting big enough to do some getting even. :)

Patrick may be winning...

Help arrives for Patrick.

Some beautiful Mother and Daughter pics... Amy and Lexie

Debbie and Nikki

Elise and Doreen

Me and Sally

Nikki and Debbie again

And a beautiful sisters pic!

By 1:00, when Bill's Dad hadn't arrived yet, Jamey decided it was time for some chips and dip.

Blissful Brothers, with chips, dip and soda.

Me, hamming it up in the kitchen.

Our kids' cousin Nikki, with two special guys in her life - her friend, Dunstin, and brother, Patrick

Kate, Lexie and Sally

We haven't seen these two since the wedding 16 months ago, so it was fun to snap, snap, snap pics of them all day. Folks will be grateful to know that I didn't add ALL of them to this album.

The day was filled with lots of fun chatting. And eating. And more chatting. And more eating...

And lots of laughs. Kate, Jo and Sally

Girl Chat: Jo, Deb and Elise

Cute Cousins! Nikki, Kate and Stephen

Kate and Stephen hamming it up with my camera...

And really hamming it up.

Max hamming it up, too.

Lexie and Max hamming it up together.

I have no idea. It looks like Dunstin is challenging Patrick to a game of pool, and Patrick is checking with his shoes to make sure it's okay to play.

I guess his shoes said, "Yes."

Jo and Deb

Kate, Sally and Jo

I finally gave David a scarf that I had brought back from Ecuador for him for Christmas. But, it looked more like a Jewish prayer shawl when he put it on!

Nikki and Kate again. They are both at SFCC this year, and good friends.

Aunt Doreen, the pool shark

And Aunt Amy, the pool shark

Jo and Uncle Dave on the porch swing. Poor Jo is always at the mercy of whoever is swinging with her. Uncle Dave is being very nice and not trying to make her dizzy.

Our Joel, Calib's friend, Matthew, and cousins Calib and Lexie

Lexie and Kate again

Jon challenged James to a duel with air soft guns. It was fun for this mommy to see her grown-up guys revert to being boys again...

Joel, Matthew and Calib playing Scrabble. Why do kids always choose the middle of a walkway to play board games??

Jamey, Stephen, Daniel, Nikki, Dunstin, Patrick and Kate

Aunt Doreen sharing a birthday gift with Bill

Elise, just hanging out and looking cute!

Jon and Kate

I have no idea whose hand this is or why Elise looks so surprised. And I took the picture. BTW Jo, where is that Gingko Biloba?? I forgot where I put it again...

Me snapping pics of Elise snapping pics... Isn't digital great? You can snap all the pics you want, and never have to worry about paying to have them developed. Of course, when Joel reads this, he'll ask, "What does it mean to "develop" pics?" Which reminds me of the time Stephen had an assignment to interview someone who was old enough to have used rotary phones. Ah, the joys of aging...

Stephen, Daniel and Jo

Nikki, Daniel and Patrick forcing Debbie to don a blonde wig.

Okay, it's on...

Almost...

This last set of pics happened as I started taking pictures of folks on the couch (notice Jamey trying to snooze). The group just kept growing until I got everyone who was left in the picture!

Jamey still trying to sleep.

Hasn't woken up yet...

Here he's coming to...

I think he's awake.

Yes, I'm sure of it.

The End!