I wanted to post some pictures from Henry’s birthday party Friday evening.  He had a double birthday party with our friends (Ross and Tessa’s) daughter, Chloe, who turned a year old on August first.  It was a very laid-back affair.  My family didn’t celebrate holidays or birthdays when I was a kid, and I think that’s the reason why I am TERRIBLE at planning birthday parties.  Friday night was so nice.  We just invited close friends and family to come hang out at the beach with us and eat cake and play in the water and celebrate two sweet little lives.  There was hardly any prep work and zero stress — and I hit the photo-opportunistic jackpot with amazing lighting and adorable kiddos everywhere!  What a great party.  :0)  Maybe I’ll go big for his third birthday.  And then again, maybe not… 

I’m sure these photos are destined to be developed and subsequently stashed in the “if I ever decide to start scrapbooking, these would make a great page!” pile on my desk…  Terrible, I know.  Hey, at least I’m blogging the pictures, right?  It’s a stab at preserving them for posterity!

Our kids love the river.  Being the laid-back (read: forgetful) parent that I am, I completely spaced the swimsuits.  Oh, well.  Thankfully I DID pack a spare change of clothes because Jo waded in up to her waist trying to catch minnows with the cousins.  (I was secretly delighted by her new-found bravery!) 

Chasing after minuscule fish is apparently BIG TIME fun!

Henry’s trying to figure out where all the minnows in his bucket went!! 🙂

Here’s the birthday girl, Chloe, with her dad.  She was very gracious to share her first birthday party with a boy.  However, she didn’t give me one. single. smile all night!  Too overwhelmed by kids, sun and sand, I think.

Okay, this next shot has to be one of my all-time favorite pictures of my nephew, Hunter.  You’d have to know Hunter to appreciate it.  He is SUCH a lovable, mischievous character!  He was goofing around sticking his face down near the water and a big ol’ wave surprised him and splashed water up his nose. 

Hunter, we love you.

I snapped a shot of Ryan and Peter taking a break from all the birthday-ness to solve a few of the world’s problems…

…and here’s my beautiful (preggers) best friend enjoying the sun.

Tessa made a cake for each of the kids and they approached the task at hand from two different angles…

Henry obliged Peter with one bite of his cake sans silverware, and then waited patiently for a utensil.  “C’mon, Dad, I’m not a baby anymore!!!”

“THAT’s more like it!!”

Chloe, on the other hand, was all about the fingers.

Such cuteness…  

Okay, okay… I know this is getting long.  Only a couple more, I promise!  🙂  I love this shot of Joanna because she deliberately took her cake over to this spot to eat overlooking the water.  It made me feel very, very old to have a kid mature enough to enjoy sitting and watching the waves contemplatively while eating dessert. 

And finally, the gorgeous sunset that set the lake on fire.  The picture doesn’t do it justice — it was amazing.