The Chaos that are My Family's Mass Birthday Celebrations

My side of the family is pretty numerous... with all the sisters and brother and their spouses and kids and their kids spouses or boyfriend/girlfriends, and all the grandkids and my Dad and Mom (Papa and Nana), we number well over 75+ ... (yes, I've lost count..and they are still multiplying too!) *L* So, we celebrate the many birthdays for all a few times a year... usually we've hosted the party for all the August and September birthdays... since all three of our kids and myself have birthdays in those months.

This year too is a special celebration because my Mom turned 80 in August. We provide some liquid libations (others add soda and juice boxes for the younger crowd), and this year we provided bratwurst and sloppy joes for 75+... enough for two or three even! And the other members bring a dish to pass, which makes for a grand feast!



Here are photos from this year's celebration... a fun time, excellent weather and many happy birthday memories! Not everyone could be here who had a birthday in Aug. and Sept...but fear not...we ate their cake and icecream and celebrated for them too! This photo is some of the birthday celebrities!


Come in, celebrate...leave your shoes at the door! *L*



Every person for themselves to find a place to sit and eat! *L*



Evidently it was too warm for some to sit outside on the back deck...plenty of seating there!



Hurry, get your meal before the Nieuwy's get here!! *L* (family joke)





Cupcake lovers ...especially the kids!





The imfamous "ball/fan game" provided entertainment for young and old....





Check out the video of the fan/ball game too...




A fun day ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!! xoxoxox

The Dining Room Table is Clear Again... A Miracle of Unhoardingness!

I use my dining room for all things besides dining in. It's been a place for homework and bookkeeping, a workshop, a bedroom when hubby broke his back and couldn't do stairs, and the last year and a half I swear I haven't seen the dining room table or the floor clear of treasures and junk that I've stored there!

But, we had an upcoming mass birthday party celebration scheduled here... and all those hoarder shows on TV had been getting to me... so, over the course of a couple of weeks, I have finally gotten my room back!! Here are the results....*don't look too close, you'll see a few bins still there*..*L*





We have my inlaw side of the family for Christmas this year at our house...wonder if I can keep it clean that long? *L*

New Call to Artists at ECVA

The Episcopal Church & Visual Arts has calls for entries, open to all artists of all faiths (not just Christian), check out the latest call just posted at the link below.

All that is required is to be a part of the Artist Registry at ECVA, and it's free to do that... easy peasy! *S*

Be sure to check out the latest call to artists titled, "Imaging the Ancient Art of Chant"!

Happy 80th Birthday Mom!!

My mom turns 80 tomorrow, and today, my Aunt Shirley treated Mom, and all her daughters, to lunch at Millies Pancake Haus. It was a fun time, delicious lunch and great celebration for Mom!

My Aunt told us we all had to wear hats, gloves were optional... *L*

Here are some photos from today's party.










Thanks Aunt Shirley for such a wonderful party for Mom!! xoxox

And Happy Birthday to my Mom, and many more!!

Happy Birthday to my "TWINS", born 9 years apart!

Today are our older son, John, and daughter, Kasey's birthday. They were born on the same date, but 9 years apart!

Doesn't seem like 37 and 28 years ago that they were both just babies... time flies fast for sure!



This is a photo from John-John's 9th birthday, that he celebrated at Nana and Papa's because his sister, Kasey was being born and we were at the hospital.

Happy Birthday to my TWINS!! Love you!! xoxoxxo

It's the GREAT pumpkin!!

Our son, John, developed a hobby last year....growing giant pumpkins.

His last year's first attempt produced one that was just under 300 lbs! (298 or so) We thought that one and the other that was close in size were humongous and wonderful!

But this year, John has more than doubled the weight of his pumpkins! He had to pick one earlier than he had hoped since it started developing a split (from growing too fast he said). So, he picked it from the vine, and my husband brought over the skidster/bobcat, and they devised a way to get it onto a flatbed trailer to take down to the local grain mill to weigh.

Here are some photos that Janel took of the guys and grandsons from this afternoon....
















The scale reads 728 pounds, but that is with the wood pallet underneath the pumpkin, which weighs about 28-30 pounds, so the pumpkin itself is approx. 698-700 pounds!!

Now that's SOME pumpkin, eh?!!

John still has a couple more on the vine and growing fast! If they don't split or the vine doesn't get damaged, he hopes to have them over 800 pounds! Still a couple more weeks to go and we'll see! Congrats on this one John-John!

Art as Prayer - Art Show

My art show with meditations was tonite at Christ Church..thanks to all who came! It was nice to hear the comments from participants on how certain pieces touched them, and the meditations brought some to tears even... I know at times, they do to me too, so it was a good feeling to see God reaching out to others in and through them as God does to me too.

Here are some of the photos from the night's event ...












I had different prayer "stations" set up all over, in the narthex entrance, the church nave, the library, Christ the King room and the Chapel.


















I also had a short (15 minute) video presentation showing before items I had used in several of the assemblage art pieces, and inspirations that came to me, God-cidences that happened along the way, and how some of the pieces changed even after I thought I had one finished.
























Some were more interactive, some were serious, some were whimsical, but with a great scriptural truth in the meditation.


























Thank you also to my friends who hosted some delicious goodies for all the participants... pictured here are Carol, Pat and Ann, and another Pat also helped a lot, but I didn't get a picture before she had to leave...thanks so much, I appreciate you all!!


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UPDATE:  Here is another post where an Art as Prayer Workshop was held ... check it out here

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MORE UPDATES:  Even Youth can create Art as Prayer ... Check out the Christ Episcopal Church Sunday School Lenten Art Show here