The Big FIVE (5)

These are my favorite wife, nephews, and niece. I am not entirely sure of the story behind the lion costume, but you gotta admit the kid has flair!

My Sister and Brother-in-Law, excellent hosts as always had somthings up their sleeves. Note my sister's mischievious expression and the sly look on that mastermind of devious games, my BIL(Brother-in-law).

Cora and the princess, who is now five. I cannot believe she is FIVE YEARS OLD!

The festivities began with a balloon drop and attendant madness kicking, throwing, and popping balloons.

The second game was "Bag Ballet," but first we had to choose teams. The team captains were none other than Eli and Emma. Here Eli has just chosen his Aunt Emily...I love the inadvertent mimicing of each other's moves here.

My sister is describing the game. You place a bag on the floor. You bend over and pick it up with your teeth, with one foot off the floor. You are not allowed to let any extremety to touch the floor or the bag until you have picked up the bag. And, in case you are wondering, NO, it is NOT easy. My sister was SELF-APPOINTED judge, so she got to watch and could not participate...evil, I tell you.

Oh, and for the sake of "not spreading germs" she would cut off the parts touched by anyone's lips or teeth, thereby making the bag shrink...yeah, what a sport! NOT.

Here my mother exhibits the tenacity of a bulldog that likes to chew on paper bags...the older people eventually found temselves disqualified for touching extremeties to the floor for balance. That did not happen for us older kids...at least not for awhile. My BIL exhibits his own prowess at bag handling...should have been a bag boy at the grocery store, I tell you! Pieces of bag litter the floor.

Cora will likely post some compromising video of me on her site tomorrow, so check it out then. I managed to make it to the last three, but my form, shall we say, made the last two look like ballerinas. My secret was throwing my body at the floor and snatching the bag in my lips as I flew by. I called it the kamikaze approach.

Here is the birthday girl again! I love this picture.

Here is the pink cake...who knew Pink was coming back into style.

Here she is opening gifts...

and riding her final gift...a BRAND NEW BIKE! She loved it!

Eli got to play with his, too...here is a minor accident, fortunately no one was injured.

Eli is a master at riding the bike!

Still going strong!

And, finally the birthdy girl again! Happy Birthday little niece! We love you!

Oh, we went to the 3cities and did get to go shopping and had a delicious dinner. Cora bought me a new book! How Awesome is SHE!!!??? Well, the long day has gotten to me! I need a nap!