My Happy Birthday Weekend!!!

 Friday was my baking day for the Big Birthday Bash celebrating not only my 74th birthday,

but ALL the family fall birthdays and Benjamin's summer one.

I really REALLY wanted to have all my children and grandchildren gather with me on this birthday so the 'Bash' was a good time to make that happen.

Before the baking began - I ran out to do a few last minute grocery pickups and got myself a manicure and pedicure while I was at it. I love all of the 'getting ready for party day' doings!

It was around 5:00 when I turned the oven on and I baked all evening!

TWO pecan pies! One for the party and one for Son Jesse to take home.

Fruitcake cookies for June's birthday which was today.

Chocolate chip cookies!

 Only a partial batch shown here but I baked two....one for the party and one for Benjamin to take home.

Only ONE strawberry cake - Levi's request - and he took most of that home with him.

My last cake to bake was one Mother used to make for me and I suppose it is my all time favorite....

A plain spice cake mix with homemade brown sugar frosting.

Mother never measured the frosting ingredients so I don't either.

Melted butter, brown sugar, cream or milk and cook for a few minutes.

Add vanilla and 10X (confectioner) sugar and beat - adding more milk if needed.

Sometimes it turns out nice and creamy and sometimes it's more like a praline candy topping.

This one was somewhere in the middle.

Also, I was tired by now and you can see the pecans all lined up nicely - until you get to my tired moment when I just dumped the rest of them on there!

I had a COOK OUT menu - burgers, hot dogs, smoked sausages, potato salad, baked beans, etc.

I did as much as I could ahead of time and even took a one hour nap before getting ready for the party!

Summer and I were sitting out on the driveway waiting for the first guests to arrive.

She had picked up a bag of Margaritas to go at Chili's and that made a fun party drink!

Sam (whose birthday was today) and Levi ( October birthday) both helped set up the appetizer table.

My friend, Brenda, had brought all the fixings over on Thursday but she couldn't be at the party.

They sliced up the summer sausage and put it all together with the cheese and olives and such and then they dug in!

I love the sounds of a party.....people talking and laughing in every room.

Our friend Virginia, Summer, Kailey and Amber visiting in the living room.....

while Mike, Benjamin, and Louis Dean talked in the kitchen and Faith was chatting with Trystan and Logan about school.

I think listening to their voices is my most favorite thing about family parties.

Louis Dean set himself down in the den and he loved how the crowd ebbed and flowed with people drifting in and visiting for a little while and then others would arrive and everyone ended up visiting with each other over the course of the evening.

It was a wonderful evening!

Mike did the grilling for me and Faith made the deviled eggs.

Everyone pitched in and helped.

Trystan put the finishing touches on the Halloween tree in the gazebo!

Kailey strung up some colored lights on the bushes.

It was 97 degrees and hot - even at 6:30!

None of us stayed outside for very long!

I had set up a big spread out on the kitchen deck and everyone helped themselves once the grilling was done - and thank you, Mike, for doing all that!!

I made it easy on myself by using pretty paper plates!

Amber brought the utensils and I told Louis Dean we are not saving one fork or plate!

Used ones, anyway!

I bought plenty so I may be using paper plates from time to time now.

We used real glassware, though!

The kids love sipping their tea from my small wine glasses and I have a collection of fall goblets as well. ALL my grandkids love my tea!

Next up - NUTS!!!!

SOOOOOOO much fun and lots of whooping and hollering and laughing!!!

And all too soon it was time for everyone to go home.

We meant to take group pictures earlier and then we didn't.

I think we are all aware of how important it is to take photographs and we made sure that happened  last night.

Me and seven of my eight grands!

Rayne was missed!

She did call us just as we finished up and we said hello and talked to her for a few minutes before they all left.

Funny poses now!

All four of my children!

Funny pose!!!

I posted this on Facebook and everyone agreed that Summer won first place on the funny face!!

Everyone packed up to leave and Benjamin took a big bag of party food and June's fruitcake cookies over to her and Kimmy. They were invited but couldn't make it.

June is 91 years old today!

They were so happy to see Ben!!

He stayed and visited awhile even though it was late and he lives 2 hours away.

JOY is the gift he gave June!

It had been 3 years since she had seen him.

Back in the day, June came to my art classes on Tuesday nights and she always had a package of RUNTS candy for Amber and Ben!

Kimmy and June have been part of our lives since the 1970's so they are like Family!

It was a birthday to remember!