fun i've had lately

Tonight I worked on vacation pictures because I haven't given up on the idea of blogging about the delightfully awesome week with my family, the memories of which are the only things getting me through Summer Reading Club.  I've got enough pictures and potential stories to a make a few vacation posts.  But when I got around to the writing a few minutes ago, I wanted to tell you, imaginary readers, about a more recent delightful time.

This weekend I went home to God's country to celebrate Grams's 81st birthday.  Most of my favorite people were around for the fun.  And I didn't take many pictures, but here are some of the lovely people I love most:

Grams has taken to not smiling when photographed lately.  I still think she's adorable in this one.

Blogging world:  meet MacMac.  Except for the fact that it's blurry and she's going to hate it, I think this picture is perfect.  She looks so much like Grams.  I didn't take pictures on the actual party night because I was too busy being the gift secretary, so I don't have one of Aunt Donna.  If I did, you could see how much she looks like my moma.  They could be the twins instead of my moma and MacMac. 

Speaking of perfect.

One of my goals for Sunday was to have a picture made with Grams where we both looked decent.  I had to give her a stern talking to before hand, but I think it turned out pretty cute.  But then everyone else had to show me up by being even cuter.

Like this.

And this.  But then Shane blinked, and I couldn't get them to stay still for a redo.

But he did better with my moma.

Forget Aunt Donna, Shane could be her twin.

With the arrival of Josie last month, Grams now has a handful of great-grands besides our Handful.  That blonde cutie is the pointer of the other hand, as Shane now calls them.

As you'll see from the vacation pictures (and as demonstrated above), Bird isn't a big fan smiling in photos.  So I count this one a major success.

Pinkie created a carb sandwich out of a roll and mashed potatoes at lunch.  It was popular.

Thumb is his Aunt Michelle's boy lately.  I'm bitterly jealous.

I could tell these girls, based on my experience with a certain RobBob, that having a best friend kind of a cousin will be a blessing (and very occasionally an annoyance) for the next thirty years or so, at least.  But I'm just going to let them figure it out for themselves.

Even though it's blurry, it was too cute not to post.

A couple of visits ago, the Popster taught the Pointer and Bird to drive the lawn mower.  He set up an obstacle course for them last summer, but when the whole Handful is around, he hooks up a trailer and lets Pointer drive them all around.  Despite the temperature being roughly equivalent to the surface of the sun, it was all the rage.

I always feel bad when I get back from a weekend like this and realize how many folks went unrepresented by the photos.  Sorry, people over the age of twelve.  It really was a perfect laid-back weekend, full of good food and talking and laughing and not quite enough sleeping.  I'm not going to do the full birthday post treatment with the five favorites and all.  Maybe I'll tell you my five favorite things about Grams another day.