Summer Visit Home Part 8 - Backpack's 1st Birthday

The morning of Backpack's 1st birthday we went to visit the Aeders. My family has known them for almost 25 years. They lived kitty corner to our first home in Portland when I was in Kindergarten. Rick is always working on something! He is now laying a brick foundation to put in a fence. We stole a look around their garden:

Pondering the sunflower:

After a brief visit we, picked up a cake at Costco and headed over to Chuck E. Cheese. If you know my family, you know that we love a good party and try to find any excuse to have one and invite as many people as possible. We try to incorporate the friends we have from all aspects of our lives: neighborhood, school, church, scouts, work, past and present. And there is no better way to celebrate than Chuck E. Cheese style! We got the birthday package with extra pizza's and tokens.

Here are the kids enjoying lunch: Daddy wearing Backpack's 'Birthday Crown'. Give that back, that is mine!

Here is a group shot of the Chuck E. Cheese band. The group members consist of:
Chuck E. Cheese (mouse) – vocals, entertainer
Helen Henny (hen) – vocals
Mr. Munch (purple monster) – keyboards, band leader, songwriter, vocals
Jasper T. Jowls (hound dog) – guitar, vocals
Pasqually E. Pieplate (Italian pizza chef) – drums, percussion, accordion, vocals

(Please don't be freaked out...I had to look that up!)

Part of the package was to have the band sing "Happy Birthday" to Backpack. It was actually quite the show with lots of singing and shouting and parading around the room.

Backpack is eyeing that cake. Um, what to do, what to do!

With the Big Cheese!

Yaya did a good job getting pictures of all the people who attended. I hope we have everyone! If there isn't a picture of you and you were pretty sure you were there, then e-mail me a picture of you and Travis can photoshop you in :-) I will use only adult first names on the blog for security reasons.

These are our good friends, Steve and Jenny, from college. They actually came to visit us when we lived in England. They now have a beautiful son.

Good ol' Uncle John, from Papa's side of the family.

My best friend from high school (who I still like to razz on facebook), Anne and her husband Brandon.

Nasa and Courtney. Yaya and I use to work with Nasa and Courtney is her grand-daughter. They're a package deal, and we like it that way :-)

Yaya's bestest friend Linda (we met her husband earlier in the post) with TJ. Linda takes very good care of me and my mom. She's always been there for us. Someday I will write an 'Ode to Linda'. Stefanie is sporting her husband, Nathan, and one cute little lady. I cannot believe she has a kid! Stefanie is practically my little sister! I about fainted when I saw her driving for the first time! Time flies when you're having fun!

And here is the little lady. Aww, isn't she cute! She lucky to have such great parents.

Here is my best friend, Karen, from, gasp, Kindergarten and her mom Vivian (who probably knows me a little too well)! Yes, we have stayed in touch THAT long. Her daughter is a little older than Dynomite. My dad must have thought that I only had one friend in the whole world because he called them ALL Karen.

Rachel is another friend from high school. We have, gratefully, reconnected through those devious *wink wink* social networking sites. Rachel is a great friend and I'm very glad to be reintroduced into her adult life. She was accompanied by her hubby Jason and their wonderful kiddos.

Here is a picture of my awesome church family. Bill (the goofy, gray headed, glasses wearing guy) that is always up for a laugh...at either of our expenses. He has the largest family I know. Thank goodness he didn't bring all of them because we would've gone bankrupt feeding them. Haha, although it would've been nice see some of them. He knew there would be cake, and he didn't want to share. Just teasing you! You know I love ALL of you guys!

Also here is another huge part of my life, JoLene with her daughters Nicole (with her kiddos) and Stephanie (who is practically my big sister). Steph's husband Scott and kiddos were there too.

I don't have a picture of Mandy or Emily, both from my Senior Girl Scout Troop. Them and others from our troop have been able to stay in contact though the years.

I don't also have a picture of Shirley. A wonderful family friend that has taken me under her wing to show me some finer points in life.

Robin and Erin were also here to celebrate with us. We also know them from church, and its always great to see them.

It was so amazing to have so many people from so many aspects of my life gathered together to share my baby's birthday. These are the people that I love coming home to see (plus others that weren't able to make it). They are the reason that I will always consider Portland my home.

Enough sappy, more cake!

Did I make that mess??

Yes I did and I'll do it again!

Happy Birthday to me!

Having fun at Chuck E. Cheese:

Yaya, what are you doing up there? Yeesh!

This is how you know it was a good party!

Thank for celebrating Backpack's 1st Birthday with us! We love you guys!!