For the second summer in a row, I hosted our annual summer family party for my mom's side of the family, most of whom all live around here in Massachusetts. This is one of the things I love about living back in my home state again!
The party was on a HOT Saturday in July. Good thing there was a pool available (and good thing it was in good working order!). 😉
I took pictures of the set-up before everyone got there. It was an impressive set-up that I can't really take any credit for--my mom, uncles, and aunt did most of it!
The "50" banner cracked me up with the disco balls and especially the high heels. We were celebrating the 50th birthdays of my sister Jennifer and our cousins Belinda and Dawn, and also my Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Audrey's 50th wedding anniversary. 1972 was a big year for the family!
The pool and its toys were ready to go!
I've come to find out that there are almost always pool toy casualties at big parties like these. The glitter tube (brand new!) and the hippo (five years old so more understandable) sadly did not survive the wild antics of the children and their games (which they had a blast playing, so I forgive them 😜).
The parrot tube and the pink tube (my favorite!) were never quite the same after the party was over. Let's have a moment of silence for the pool toys that were lost. 😄 Someone should invent totally indestructible pool tubes. They'd cost a lot but I think they'd be worth it!
I feel blessed to have a backyard like this.
Come on, would this post be complete without a selfie? This is me we're talking about here. 😆
There was cornhole too!
Most people hung out in or near the pool for a lot of the time because it was so hot out.
These are all cousins, second cousins, and first cousins once removed. I can never seem to keep those last two terms straight on what they actually are. 🤷 But I will attempt to do so for the rest of this post.
This is my first cousin Corina and the adorable baby boy is my first cousin once removed--he's the child of my first cousin Melissa (Corina's sister).
My mom, my Aunt Kathy, and my cousin Dawn's mom in the middle.
My cousin Becky is a pool noodle thief!
Uncles and cousins
Becky made a big cupcake cake to celebrate the 50s celebrants!
My mom put together this nice family history display but hardly anyone saw it because we were all outside most of the time. It was a nice thing to do though!
My first cousin once removed, Ronnie, is such a character. He always cracks me up.
Look at his hair! Why couldn't I have been blessed with hair like that? Clearly I did not inherit those genes!
We got some good group photos, which are always special.
I held my adorable "first cousin once removed" for awhile. He was so friendly and cute. I love babies! Especially babies that I'm related to!
Speaking of babies, John and Ayden were babies together. Look at them now!
They're in the same grade at the same school--they even have a class together this semester. They are second cousins, but Ayden is my first cousin once removed (he's the child of my first cousin Abby). There, I think I've got the difference down between first cousins once removed and second cousins! But I'll probably forget again. 😆
It was a great day and everyone seemed to have a good time. I love my extended family and it's great living near them again!
