My Niece Lauren's High School Graduation Party

What a great weekend and all in your honor Lauren!


Why is my sister kissing HT? Well, she loves him, but it's not just that. You know HT doesn't swear, right? Well, Kelli has had a rough metamorphosing wonderful yet chock-full-o- nuts kind of year, and sometimes, every so often, when she really needs it, and only if she really needs it, he'll do Whitney Houston for her over the phone to lift her spirits.

So when they were posing for this photo, instead of saying, "Say Cheese!"

I said, "Kiss my a$$!"

And that prompted her to plant one on him.

How could she not?

We're a high brow bunch.

The graduation party was held at my niece's aunt Brenda's house (and Brenda just happens to be a friend of mine from college). Here is Brenda below on the left. I'd never been to her new house before. As I pulled up to find a spot to park, I thought, boy that looks like the house Patti just bought. Is that Patti's house? It was Patti's house. Patti lives just two houses from Brenda! Patti and I were nurses together in the mother/baby unit back when I first got out of nursing school. So of course I had to invite Patti over to the party and introduce her to Brenda and I know they will be instant BFF's and it makes me giddy with happiness. I took a picture to capture the day they first met.

When Kelli isn't kissing HT, she will pose for photos with her sister. I have some sort of orange fancy schmancy beer in my hand that Brenda gave me. It was tasty, but I didn't finish it. I never finish my beer. Once it gets warm, it's no good to me. Brenda should really be more discriminating in who she shares the good stuff with.

Another one of Kelli and I. In this one, I was merely whispering out of the corner of my mouth,"Bobby!"(another Whitney impersonation). I bet I could make her pee her pants if I really tried.

These are my mom's brothers. Joe on the left lives in San Diego. George on the right lives in New Hampshire. My Gramma would have been so happy to see everyone together.

Patti and yours truly. Who knew Patti would be such a big part of Lauren's party?

And here we have the thing that has me euphorically typing this post. Look at my girl on the left. She made friends with Brenda's little girl, and she jumped on this inflatable twister board all day, and she ran with a bunch of little kids for hours, like it was nothing. Like she always does this kind of thing. Like I don't have to talk to the bouncy castle operators everyplace we go, and beg them to let her have a turn with just Seth. As if she always just clicks in and makes a bunch of friends and runs with them and hangs out all day.

She played Twister and didn't have a meltdown when she fell or when she lost. She only had one little snit and that was when I interrupted her playing to force her to go inside to the bathroom. It was late afternoon and she hadn't gone since she woke up and I didn't want an accident to ruin all the fun she was having. She was furious at me for interrupting her and there was a small tantrumy moment on the way inside the house. When we got in the bathroom she stomped her foot, crossed her arms and glared at me,

"I want to still play with my friends," she humffed.

Her friends!!! Uh-oh. When we came out of the bathroom, the kids had come inside, and Twister appeared to be over. Would she lose it because the transition happened? Because I forced her to miss the end of the game? No. She went upstairs with the other kids and hung out in Brenda's little girl's bedroom. It was nerve wracking. The door was shut. There were a lot of kids in a small space. Seth was in there with them and I knew he'd come get us if she needed help, but still I hung out inside the house where I could hear them.

HT finally went in to check, and found her snuggled up on a beanbag with her new red headed BFF. They had decided that since both were cousins with Lauren, though not cousins themselves, they would call themselves, "Kinda cousins."

Can you stand it? I am so in love with both of them. Riley's kinda cousin has this big thick mop of bright red hair and the cutest freckles.

Anyway, lets move on because the sweetness described above has to be taken in small doses.

This is my brother Christopher and our mom. She lives in NC. He lives in the Endicott area. Johnson City if you want to be picky. If that means anything to you.

Here is Chris with his oldest daughter. Isn't she lovely? Aren't they both?

Here is my brother Donny whom I hadn't seen in forever! He is with his girlfriend Kristen whom I'd never met before.They've been dating two years and she is as sweet as they come. I was fifteen when Donny and his twin brother Timmy were born. Now they are 25. They both live in NC. Timmy sadly couldn't make the trip.

Do you think they appreciate still being called Don-eee and Tim-eee? I'd like to see them try and stop me. I could still take both of them with one hand tied behind my back.

So much more to share but I think this is a good place to stop. HT has just come home from Whole Foods and he's got chocolate. Now if you'll excuse me.

xo