July 16, 2016-Happy 8th Birthday (party) Graham!

(click here for pictures)

• This house was full to the seems last night but we sure all slept well.  It was well after 8 when I heard Whitman knocking to get out of his room.  Campbell came to give me the report of what all was happening-boys were all up, Shannon had just gotten up, Tony had gotten in his truck and drove away and Robby was unaccounted for.  
• It didn't take me long to fill in the blanks-other girls were still sleeping, Tony had run home to refill his generator and Robby had ran to the grocery store for sausage for our big breakfast.  It wasn't long before we were all awake and everyone was working on our breakfast: pancakes, strawberries, sausage, bacon, gravy and biscuits.  It was quite the breakfast spread for a Dennie family breakfast.
• After finishing breakfast and then cleaning the kitchen it was nearly lunch time.  But we decided to skip that meal and start to work-I didn't have too much to do since the house was decent and there was little inside prep for the birthday party.  Robby and Tony went outside to start on the yard.  Robby mowed all morning long and Tony worked on Robby's weedeater unsuccessfully.  Shannon did a load of her laundry and I also folded a load myself.
• I worked a bit in the house and even put the finishing touches on the outside party.  The girls went with Shannon to help Layne pack for camp and then they ran some errands including buying Graham some candy from Reagan.  After getting cleaned up from outside, Robby had to run to a birthday party and when he came home, it was time to start the birthday celebrations.
• This was Graham's 3rd kickball birthday party and he was super excited about this one.  The fam was all there plus the Wilsons, Corsers, Powells, Hawkins and Kamps (37 total) Once Robby had finished cooking the hot dogs we dug into the food-hot dogs, chips and dip.  After our food had digested briefly, we called out the teams which I had already divided and began the kickball game.
• Graham was on the orange team and we kicked first.  We let everyone kick the first inning and the orange team was racking up the runs.  The blue teaim kicked next and then we played one more inning before breakfast for popsicles.  
• The kids really did well with kickball and no one was too foul with each other.  We played 2 more innings after our little break and then it was cupcake time.  We did take a group picture before singing happy birthday to the birthday boy.  After his cupcake, he opened up his presents-a basketball goal for over his door (3rd times a charm), baseball cards, nerf guns, candy, star wars figures and a few shirts, an x box game, a rocket to build and launch and a cornhole board made by Grandpa.  Graham was pretty pleased with all his gifts and later told me that this was the best birthday party ever.
• After everyone left, the fam and our house guests helped pick up.  Soon we were all inside and the kids were cycling through the showers.  We let the kids stay up until 10 and then we put them to bed and had us some pizza and cookies-hard work deserves a good snack.