The Birthday Bash - Laura's 35th

...this is the longest post of this blog and deservedly so!

The actual notice to our neighbors was as follows...

Dear Neighbor,

We want to let you know ahead of time that we will be hosting a backyard birthday party this Saturday, March 5th. There will be live music playing a 10 song set, it shouldn't last more than an hour starting at 7:30 or so. We appreciate your understanding and hope it is not too much of an inconvenience for you. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call us at 650-XXXX. Good day.

Scott & Laura Powers


The truthful, after-the-fact notice to our neighbors should've been something like this:

Dear Neighbor,

Be afraid…be very afraid. 30 people are gathering in our backyard this Saturday night and it’s going to be drunkenly loud. A live band will be performing at high decibel levels for about an hour but that will not be the end of the evening. Following their performance the encore will consist of a hippie-like Stevie Nicks character (a self proclaimed mix between Madonna and Sade...seriously) who will take the mic and repeat the same phrase "Laura from Ventura" over and over ad nauseum.

Neighbors, prepare yourself for a long night of adult exuberance! Hopefully you’ll enjoy hearing Grandmaster Melle Mel’s hit “White Lines” blasting in our backyard a little after midnight while a pack of wild ladies dance around the patio like it’s Studio 54. Unfortunately the keg that is being provided is of a somewhat lethal variety which will only encourage depravity throughout the entire evening. For all of this we apologize but please understand …THIS IS LAURA’S BIRTHDAY BASH AND SHE’S WORTH IT…SO POUND SAND PEOPLE!!


Scott and Laura Powers

P.S. To our neighbor across the street that will be hosing down the vomit chunks off of his sidewalk the next morning...sorry about that dude.


Every band needs a good looking drummer with attitude.




A special thanks goes to the sound engineer Allen Dahl... even though he kept erroneously telling me that my guitar was too loud. Further proof he doesn't understand the full effects of alcohol. Al was a tremendous help in getting the sound right in addition to putting a dent into the keg. He's a good man.


Another special shout out goes to the vocal stylings of Geoff Nicolle. Not only can he sing just about anything, he can make just about any song sound good. This night would've sucked (musically) without him. I as well as my country thank you for your service Mr. Nicolle.


This is the other guy that deserves special recognition. I have always been a huge fan of John's guitar playing. He's the only guitarist who can produce riffs that make me laugh (in a good way). I aspire to play like John. He brought so much to the songs he played on. No doubt we wopuld've sucked without him. And boy do our girls love John. I especially enjoyed playing the classic Miss Marmalade.








These two are nothing but trouble.











I am positive that Tracy had a good time. She's agreed to join Laura's basketball team, she challenged the husbands (along with Becky) to a sport of their choice, and she agreed to babysit our girls for a week while Laura and I go on a cruise (paid for by Tracy, of course). I tell you, it was good beer. She also busted out a mean drum solo late in the evening.


It was nice talking to Brian although he probably doesn't remember our conversation. Like Tracy, he agreed to babysit our girls for a week and pay for our cruise to Mexico. Thanks dude!


And I can't leave out Loren. She is a marvelous woman who dished out a mean dish of rice and beans...and I never get to talk to her anymore.


And lastly my dahling wife. I think this topped the surprise 28th birthday party. Turning the garage into a disco was easy compared to this. I know you had a great time because you're still talking about it which makes feel oh so satisfied and so very glad we embarked on this endeavor together. I love you for so many reasons but what comes to mind when thinking about this night was your energy. You were fearless on the drums, on the mike, and on the dance floor. I can't think of a better time I had and it's because of you. When it comes to your birthday my goal is to make it something special for you. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. However, now I'm in a tight spot. I have no idea how to make your Leap Day birthday next year nearly as memorable. Maybe we'll do the same thing but add in a princess jumper. I can't imagine that being nauseating after several cups of strong ale, right?

A special thank you to everyone that attended and made this an evening to remember. I was looking for a good party picture of Song and Becky Wicks to include but I could not find one.

The last song of the evening, I Love You Lakshmi Singh. Unfortunately the sound is a bit distorted. We were too loud for the little condenser mic.

Parker's 5th Birthday Party

Parker's 5th Birthday Party Checklist:
Oversized Princess Jumper (check)
Mandated pajama attire (check)
Sugar and even more sugar (check)
Fun for all (check)

A delicous island-themed birthday cake (check)

A large number of children (check)




Games and more games (check)
An enormous princess jumper (check)

The "Guess the Color of the Jellybean" game (check)
A trifecta of adorable little pink princesses (check)

A game of musical chairs (check)

If this is any indicator, Laura's birthday party is going to be a hoot.

Parker Art 3

These were done back in April 2010.

The Birthday Present

A birthday present for PJ...one of many.

SKATES! YES!


It's hard to explain to a little girl that it takes work to learn to roller skate. She is getting better though, she incessantly practices in the backyard. Keep it up PJ!

Parker Art

This is a typical example of something Parker might throw together. This work was inspired by the sticky strechy thing she received in a goody bag from a birthday party. I just asked Parker what this work was and this is what she had to say.

"The point of it was.... so...well I didn't really get this part, but I wanted it to shoot by itself, but somebody has to shoot it out. It could be like a ball waterfall!"

I think she was trying to build a sling shot that worked by itself. Interesting. I never would have known if I hadn't asked her about it.

NOTE: As I write this, both girls are standing on my chair behind me and hanging on while they try to balance. They are leaning around my back into my face saying, "Hi mommy! Hi!"

Christmas 2010

I finally went through our Christmas pictures. Here are some of the better ones. Parker's note to Santa.

Snow World.

Dad and Cyndi.

My sisters with the aprons I made for them.

Georgie and me.

My sweetie.

Diane with her eyes actually open for a picture. After many failed attempts to get this shot with her eyes open, I finally said, "Try to look at the flash". It worked!

Our girls in their beautiful Christmas dresses.

Parker Art

Christmas Banana Peel Punctured by Meat Thermometers
Parker creates some of the most interesting artwork. Her media choice often involves found art and objects from nature and around the house. I'll be posting pictures of her wonderful creations from time to time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKER

Today marks the day when exactly 5 years ago a lovable little sparkplug named Parker came into our lives. It’s difficult to imagine now that there ever was a B.C. (before children). The life-long act of raising children significantly changes one mindset. It has a way of discounting the past (B.C.) while naturally gravitating the focus to be on the future.



PJ is one special girl. From the very beginning it was quite evident that she was going to be an active, cerebral little girl with an incredible sense of grace and kindness. She was talking at a young age, walking at a very young age (8 ½ months) and quickly developed a personality that evokes energy and fun. And all the while her little inquisitive mind is constantly in motion.


And now this little sparkplug has turned five years old. My goodness. It’s a relief to feel all the hard work is done, from here on out its just smooth sailing!

As easy as peeling a carrot!
As sweet and simple as strawberry pie!!

There snow doubt about it.

She's number one!!!

As nice as Barbie spending a hot summer day relaxing by the bathroom sink.


God Bless Parker and God Bless the United States of America.


Happy Birthday Parker. You've enhanced our lives in ways that I just cannot describe with the written word. Seeing you grow up one day at a time is a priceless gift that I will cherish and remember until the day I perish.

I expect this constant enjoyment to continue until you turn 18 and go to college and methodically cut me out of your life like what your cousin Zoey is doing to your Auntie Cyndi.

I did the same thing.

But when that time comes, please be gentle with me.

P.S. And what happened to those Santinos mugs?!?

Really Laura. Orange? Bright Orange?!? You think this template looks better?

We have not been blogging in a while. Well…to be entirely accurate Laura rarely posted anything on this site to begin with. The ratio of my postings to hers is probably 9 to 1 or so. I implored her to do so and she occasionally did but nevertheless I was running this show by default. I had always felt that this blog would serve as an interesting scrapbook and recounting of our life as a family. The careful documentation of our girls’ development and quick little stories about something PJ or Georgia spouted would be an interesting read later in life.

I put a lot of work into this blog. Then Laura comes along with her semi annual posting and decides to delete the template I labored over several weekends to create and change it to…bright orange. In order to create the prior template I had to learn the basics of html and figure out how to create a template and create the little pictures on top that would expand once you put your mouse over the photo and all that stuff. Ugh, that was a lot of tedious work. And yes, I should’ve saved the dang template somewhere but once it was up I never thought she would delete it.

Have I made you feel bad yet Laura?

I still love you. I was always impressed by your choice of colors when it came to painting the interior and exterior of our house. But this...is...fugly.

Trick or Treat

Parker carved the face of this jack-o-lantern all by herself (except the right half of the mouth). I couldn't believe it!


Georgia was so thrilled to be a ladybug. I wanted her to be Snow White (because we have the costume) but when my mom gave her some ladybug wings from the dollar store, she was so thrilled I knew we had to come up with a costume.
The thrill of being a bride wore off after PJ wore her costume to school the week before. Kids asked her if she was getting married and she didn't like that. I told her to tell people, "I'm just a bride but I'm not marrying anyone".

Maybe we'll show this picture at their wedding some day.

It took Georgia a few houses before she got the hang of trick-or-treating. Peyton seemed to know what she was doing.