Birthday Party at the Park

I wasn't exactly excited at first about having a birthday party. I think I just had things in mind of what I'd imagined and then with Nick losing his job...it just put me in a "not so excited, sorta pouty" mood. lol. After Nick's mom asked me about when/if I was having something it kinda made me commit to a date. I still messed around about it not knowing what to do or how to pay for it. It ended up working out better than I imagined. Nick's parents offered to supply the meat (hamburgers and hot dogs) and that took a HUGE pressure off. Then I felt I could go ahead and rent the park. My parents supplied baked beans, macaroni salad and a veggie tray. Nick's parents brought lemonade and water and we got the cake, chips, soda, ice, paper stuff. We had it on the 16th, ten days after their actual birthday because I put it off so long. :) We had a great time though. I didn't take much time to take pictures and Nick and I didn't get to partake in much of the food but that's how it goes and it was all worth it. We have such great family, church family and friends. It was actually really hard for Nick and I to figure out a list. Our goal was 50 and 58 people came including babies. LOTS of babies. I really wish in hind sight that we would have gotten all the babies together for a pic. Luke and Taylor are gonna have lots of kids to play with their age which will be fun. There was supposed to be storms that day and it was beautiful and held off for us. Thanks to everyone who came! Nick and I were talking and we think if we could get people to not have to worry about gifts, it would be awesome to do this every year...if we could financially. We wouldn't want people to feel that they'd have to buy the babies something or that our parents would have to supply food...we just LOVE having everyone together and for us it's awesome to celebrate how God has blessed us.

One way we saved money was by not mailing invitations. Now as a graphic designer it KILLS me to miss out on an opportunity to design and print invitations. Errr....but Nick convinced me that we could email an invite and post it as an event on Facebook and that would be just fine. I reluctantly agreed. :( Here's the invite. Quick and Simple.

Small group girls...Heidi, Brandi and Jones

Dad, brother Mick with Luke and friend Carrie with Taylor

Dad, Mick and Luke again

Aunt Connie and Taylor

Some Pathway people...Nancy, Sandy, Dave, Shelby, Shane and Teresa

Carrie and Taylor

Nicole and baby Jacob, Jeremy in the background, Jeremy in the foreground lol and Teresa

Brandi, Callie, Jones and Luke

Cousin Amy and little Liam. :)

Uncle Tim, brother-in-law Tony and little Jayden

sister-in-law Elena, father-in-law Tom and Aunt Kathy

Aunt Connie, Mariah and Uncle Jim

Heidi and Luke tired from party lol