More on Party Month

We had Grace's birthday party on Saturday. We had about seven kids at the house during the afternoon and I think a good time was had by all. Lynda's party games went well and included such things as the Backpack game (in which Sarah pulled treats out of a backpack), a "Swiper" walk (similar to a cake walk, but themed around the thieving fox on Dora the Explorer), an opportunity to decorate simple visors with styrofoamy stickers and other gee-gaws.

The kids ate cake (which I baked and Lynda mostly decorated). They even had fun out back swinging on the swing set. A good number of the parents hung around and visited while they watched over their kids. This is a good thing because it helps keep things organized in a house that rapidly ran out of space, and it gives us the opportunity to learn actual adult names instead of thinking of parents as "Owen's mom" or "Riley's dad". I probably still can't put adult names to faces, but at least we're a step closer.

After the party, we cleaned up for about an hour and then went out to dinner to celebrate a successful party and to recognize Lynda's birthday, which was on Sunday.

We're gearing up for the anniversary this coming weekend, but haven't secured a baby sitter yet. Lynda has said that all she wants is a date out without the kids, so that's what I'm aiming for right now. Hopefully, we can secure someone to keep the kids before the weekend arrives.

We are planning a Fourth of July cookout, which has been a long time coming. Work has been so dominating for the past many months that our regular schedule of cookouts has suffered. But, I am looking forward to transferring my socializing with coworkers and other friends to the friendly confines of the house rather than the sterile environment of the work-a-day workplace.

Tonight we took an extended walk/bike ride around the neighborhood and visited a local park. The girls rode their bikes like troopers and we all got much needed exercise on a great and beautiful evening.

Good times, good times!