It's been a while....

It was all over a couple of weeks ago now, but the 28th. February was our youngest daughter, Bethany's 19th. birthday. Birthdays have always been a big deal in our family. I remember thinking, when the children were young, that birthdays were a great excuse each year to make a huge fuss over each child. We enjoy them so much that we even have un-birthdays. (! - As if 12 birthdays in the year weren't already enough! But that's another story...)

It was also our son Michael's engagement party on that day. He and Bec will be getting married in April this year. It had been organised that our family would do the decorating for the party, and this was to be held at a meeting house about 2 hours away from where we live.

We had time for a pancake breakfast in the morning, starring Bethany as the guest of honour, before we left to travel up the coast. Then we had a really fun afternoon together, preparing the hall for the 'tropical-themed' party. Apart from Neil and myself, there was Tammy, Jonathon, Jessima, James, Abby, Bethany, Ben and Oliver. We also loved having along to help a friend of Oliver's, called Jolea, and Tammy's friend, Jenny. (Jenny was staying with us for a week, on holiday from England.)

James was our palm-decorating and resident strong-man; Abby, the resident (and fabulous!) artist and sign painter; Tammy and Jenny blew up about 150 balloons, with help from Jessima, (along with anyone else who occasionally gatecrashed the fun in that corner); Bethy and Jolea stapled streamers together for door curtains; Jonny cake-decorated (and had way too much fun with the balloons); Ben and Oliver were general moving and handy men; I supervised and did flowers, and Neil put up the sign, the fish cut-outs, and the balloon net, (with a little help from his friends.)

I had asked Jonny and Jessima to make a cake for Bethany, which they did, fabulously! It was a ladybug creation that Bethany loved. Also to celebrate her birthday, we gave her a present to open every hour or so, and we sang loudly to her throughout the afternoon. (No doubt our singing was the true highlight of the day for Bethy! :)

Michael and Bec seemed to really like the party. Bec even liked the head-dress I had made for her, using some of the crepe paper roses that she wanted to have included in the decorations.

One of Michael's friends was the DJ for the night, so we all had fun dancing up a storm, (not literally) People also enjoyed a limbo competition.

Our grand-daughter, Jenna, looked so cute done up in a grass skirt and lei to match her pretty mummy, Jessima! Everybody looked great.

Above all, what I enjoyed the most was working together as a family. They are a fun bunch of people, and I know that I am amazingly blessed to have each one of them in my life!