My Grandma's 80th birthday was Wednesday, but her ever-loving children planned a huge party for her- a surprise party. Almost everyone was there- my sister and Justin couldn't make it from Pennsylvania, and my cousin Paul had to work in Sacramento, and my cousin Matt in Utah, and Josh had to work, too- Laurena and Darrin just had a baby, Diana is back East, but everyone else made it, and many, many of my Grandma's friends and extended family. We took a room at the Odyssey restaurant , and waited for her to arrive.
A few of these shots are just awful, but I didn't want to leave anything out for those of you out there who wanted to come but couldn't.
I stood on a chair to try and get my Grandma's face when she came in...but my camera's battery is low and the lighting wasn't as good for it as it might have been.
See? She was surprised, though, and very happy.
The kids were mostly the only dancers. Polka Dots were the thing to wear for girls 6 to 2.
This mosh-pit of girls are all of my first-cousins children- there are 16 of them under ten right now, and one on the way.
Mikenna dances, or runs, and Bowden breaks it down in the background.
Kaitlyn wanders while the grown-ups visit.
More dancing- the little girl with the blue shirt is Kailey.
Yep, that's how he moves.
And that way, too.
Alyssa is the oldest cousin at ten.
My cousin Liz and I holding Lucy and Jack. She and my cousin John are expecting their third baby in March.
More cousins- and an uncle- Tony, Darryl, Sarah, Dave, and Uncle Tony.
My Aunt Jen, my aunt Betty Ann, and Joe and Jen's daughter, Bella.
Grandma happy to be there, with my cousin Marcia and Jen.
Marcia, Grandma, and Jen.
A few of my grandma's ten siblings- Aunt Dorothy Beaulieu, Aunt Grace Kukuchka, Uncle Julius Menard, my Umpa, and her youngest brother, Uncle Ralph Menard, standing up.

The girls, a bit worn out from the dancing, took a short break, much photographed by their parents...from the left, Faith Perito, Kailey Spicer, Angelina and Gianna Fusano, Alyssa Spicer, Lucy Tate, and Mikenna Spicer.
And then Kaitlyn Kapuscinski joined in.
The children of John and Anita Fusano- Beany (John), Maro (Marlene), Rigid (Joe), Annie (Anita), Crew (Chris), Lem (Dave), and Ran (Rose Anne). My Aunt Marlene and Uncle Joe go by their actual names as much as by their nicknames.
Uncle Tony, Aunt Marlene's husband. I love him, tons and tons.
My Grandma and Umpa with their kids.
Happy birthday, Grandma!

Jen and my mom watch the dancing.

Since so many of us had come from so far away, we couldn't just go home once the restaurant kicked us out, so we went to the Rini's for the "after party."
Jack and Grandma Gigi were good company while the other kids swam.
Luigi Fusano, Sophia Fusano, and Alyssa Spicer.
Gianna is a doll.

Mikenna in the jacuzzi.
Angelina, happy to smile.
Lucy, not happy to.
Did I say that the kids swam? I think they actually began to grow gills.
Bella and Bowden, Mikenna and Gianna.
Bella!

Probably not enough room for a kickboard, but hey.
Bowden, also not happy to smile.

Lucy, done with the water.


Cousins Liz and Nicole.
Aunts Betty Ann and Rose Anne.
Jen, sassy.
The boys relegated themselves to a table on the grass. Umpa and Uncle Beany. My Umpa is giving my cousin Tony a hard time about something.
Tony can handle it.
Uncles Lem, and Phil Perito.
Tony and Joe.
And again!
Lucy needing help up. She laid on the grass, but couldn't get up because she would have had to remove her towel.

Once up, she rode the little zebra for a half hour.
Cherice, after holding a wet child.
Her attempt at covering it up- I liked both pictures, though.
Sophia, still in the water.
Kailey Spicer, after a bee sting.
Jen, still sassy.

Bowden...
...and more Bowden.
All those chickens!!

Faith Perito came later and missed the pool, but enjoyed the movie. Tony fell asleep, and woke up before I could take a picture, so he demonstrated.And then growled.
The kids stayed up until ten, and we ate too much, but it was excellent, and I'm glad we celebrated my Grandma's birthday like the holiday it should be. These family gatherings are my favorite things to do.