The Storm Before the Storm

Hi kids.

Abby (back right) and the MHS Varsity Pom Team hanging out in some pool. 

We're leaving for Florida in less than a week, and had originally entered into this sole, remaining weekend with some hope that it would be kinda chill and that we'd be having some semblance of downtime available so that we could start getting our affairs in order. Friday certainly wasn't - Kris and I knocked out errands, chores and appointments all day, then the family crashed in the basement and watched a movie at the end of the night. Saturday, as it turned out, would be even busier: a Midland High Varsity Pom 'Team Bonding' get-together over at some random girl's house (I had to run Abby all the way up north of Auburn for that one), Alayna's 17th Birthday (Observed) Party/Sleepover, and two high school Open Houses from the Tribe (Drew and El.)

We hit the ground running at 11am and didn't stop until past midnight.

Here's a look at yet another insane Saturday for the Houghs - enjoy. . .

Kids start to roll in for Alayna's Birthday Party, which kicked off around like 3pm. We'd end up having like six girls stay the night in the basement.

Our first open house of the day started at 4pm, up at Midland City Forest in the chalet (which I didn't know you could rent out.)

Abby came with us to the two open houses this afternoon/evening while Alayna stayed behind at the house to receive guests for her party.

Kris and I have been taking notes on different folks' open houses this season (decor, food served, drinks offered, etc.) - we have Alayna's to plan out next summer and don't want to screw it up.

Because we had a couple different things going on today, our plan was to show up to El's open house right when it started. Unfortunately this meant that we were the first in our tribe to arrive, and the only other people there were Amy's and Brad's sides of the family (made all the more awkward because they divorced two years ago.) So we sat out on the deck to get some sun and wait for other folks to arrive.

The Johnsons rolled in just as food - pulled pork, of course - was being served.

Then came the Colliers (minus Ryan, who was out in Auburn shooting another wedding today.)

Ella, Abby, and Isla (who Abby used to be close friends with back in like 5th and 6th grade.)

Brad came out on the back deck and joined us after a bit and showed us the 'secret' cooler where there was beer instead of just pop. I wasn't aware that PBR had a 'light' version.

Kris, Courtney and Mees were cluckin' up a storm so it took us forever to get out of there. Kris snapped this of Erik and I not-so-patiently waiting for the wives to come out to the cars so we could move on to the next open house. 

Nor surprisingly, Abby opted to ride with the Johnsons.

(Glad this was documented on two, different phones.)

Next up: Drew's Open House, over at the Bos residence.

Mitch, manning the grill as usual.

Turnout for this one was much, much lighter than the Barden's one - we've had friend get-togethers (not even parties) with more people - but the amenities (food and drinks, pool, etc.) was better.

Colliers rolled in right after we did. Time for a second dinner.

Erik checks out Drew's photo boards.

We hung out at the Bos residence for, like, and hour or so before heading home to do the usual cake-and-ice cream thing with Alayna and her assembled posse.

She had requested a 'Hear Me Out' cake for her 17th Birthday. This concept, which originated on social media last year, is essentially people (or things) you find attractive that are outside what would be 'conventional' for you. Alayna had stuff like Luigi Mangione, the quadratic formula, and cartoon characters on there. Cristina and Maddie helped her cut out the pics of all these people and tape them onto kabob skewers to place in her cake.

Abby, Ella, Amelia and Lexi broke out Just Dance 4 on the Wii U. Just like the kids were doing at a birthday party almost a decade ago.

Once again, time to sing Happy Birthday. . .

Alayna and her requested Hear Me Out (Cheese) Cake.

She wanted seventeen candles on her cake, but we shot that down that real quick. Zero chance we were risking that much fire directly below all that wood and paper.

Left to Right: Rita, Cristina, Alayna, Maddie, Lexi, Ella, and Abby.

While I got all the ice cream, cupcakes, and cheese cake on plates, Kris managed to get some pics of the girls dancing in the living room. The Cannonball was not amused.

With kids fed, the birthday song sung (sang?), and all the food put away, Kris and I said bye to the girls and headed back over to the Bos'.

Mitch was still grilling up burgers and dogs on request, but most folks were already full by that point.

The Pro.

Kris and Erik (probably talking about Disney), with a bunch of Drew's high school buddies milling about in the background.

The Real Housewives of Midland. Courtney, Kelli, Lori, Mees, and Nagatha Cristie.

Ryan showed up later in the evening, once he had finished shooting his wedding. By that point everything was pretty much wound down - just Houghs, Johnsons, Picvits, and Colliers over at the Bos place.

MHS-themed cupcakes from Gourmet Cupcakes (some place in town everyone raves about.)

(I couldn't resist.)

Not sure if these anti-mosquito lanterns actually work or not, but they look pretty cool. Like something out of Star Wars.

Meanwhile, back at home, Alayna nabbed a selfie with the Johnson kid down in our basement.

Mitch, holding court in the BBB (Bos Backyard Bar.)

At the end of the night, sitting around and having a few last drinks before throwing in the towel.

There you go, gang - one, last Saturday of summer chaos before we set off down to Disney. Next time we check in, it'll be from hot-as-hell Orlando, Florida. . . 

- Brian 

Prom 2025

Hey gang.

The Cannonball has been chomping at the bit for months about her first Prom. Since this right-of-passage is only available to Upper Classmen, this was her first year that she was able to go (having no junior or senior ask her to the dance during her freshman or sophomore year. . . thank f***ING God.) Kris and her picked out her dress back in early February, and ever since then she's been meticulously planning out her jewelry accessorizing, her hairstyle, her shoes, and minute-by-minute plans of before, during, and after Prom.

None of this is surprising in the slightest if you know Alayna at all.

So for Kris and I, this just felt like any other Homecoming Saturday: we arrived at Dow Gardens at 3pm (as we were instructed), took a couple hundred pictures on my SLR (Kris took two with her phone, so she helped a little), and we were out of there by 4:30pm. From there, the Cannonball and her squad headed over to Maru Sushi for dinner, then from there to the dance itself. Afterwards, there was some kinda bonfire over at her boyfriend Sebastian's house, and she was home by midnight.

All in all, a day that might not have lived up to the hype in her mind, but fun nevertheless.

Behold, readers - Prom 2025. . . .

They raised their prices to $5 (up from $2 in the Fall) for admission for non-attendees of Prom (parents, siblings, etc.) into Dow Gardens, which is a complete rip-off - this will hopefully be the last time we go there for pictures. After fighting through the stupid crowds in the front entrance building - Prom consisted of both Midland High and Dow High, so it was packed more than usual - the kids wanted to stop here in this boulder alley for a quick pic. Kris took it on her phone because there was no way I was going to be able to get everyone in on my SLR with only six feet to work with.

Once the kids got through the boulder area, we hit up the usual waterfall locale first (it's a mandatory pic spot for the girls, as much as Kris thinks it's overused.)

She poses her hands like this so folks can see her nails (I'm told.)

Maddie wanted to recreate the Titanic pose in front of the waterfall. Who knows why.

Alayna and Sebastian (who based his look off of Indiana Jones in the opening Shanghai sequence in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which is pretty bad ass if you ask me.) 

Lexi and her boyfriend, Kyle.

Alayna and Maddie (being weird again.)

While folks were still getting waterfall pics, Kris asked me to snap a few more of Alayna and Sebastian in a nearby clearing.

Walking further into Dow Gardens. It was difficult getting pictures this year due to the sheer number of high schoolers and their respective entourages clogging up the joint.

Alayna and Lexi, now on a bench.

Lexi, Bri, Amelia, Maddie and the Cannonball.

We moved about with these five kids and their families, along with half a dozen boys and their families. It was a straight-up nightmare orchestrating all of this.

The girls in front of some tulips (we'd never been to this place in the Spring, so we didn't know they planted so many damn tulips throughout the place.)

The girls with their dates (not pictured: three or four other boys who accompanied us around the Gardens but didn't have dates.)

(Yes, Sebastian is a twin.)

The girls pull out this pose that was all the rage with Abby and her squad from Homecoming back in September.

Boys gotta be boys. . .

Had to make a stop off at the ol' archway to get a set of these pics. . .

And a few with her date. . .

Sebastian and Kyle (who are pretty close friends themselves.)

On the stone bench, through the archway.

Check out these boys' hands. They kept messing with each other throughout this entire series on the bench. Pain in the ass keeping the girls looking at me instead of those two clowning around.

Moving on to another location. We had about a half hour left of time, at this point, before the kids had to leave Dow Gardens in order to make their 5:00pm dinner reservation.

Had to practically lie down flat on the ground in order to shoot up like this, but had to get all those flowers in frame.

Alayna and Sebastian had to walk around this giant flower bed in order to get to a different photo op spot that was only twenty or so feet away 'cause there were so many people packed around. I did my best to time it so a minimal amount of a-holes were in the background, but it was unavoidable.

Some more Cannonball-in-front-of-flowers shots. . . .

And one with Sebastian

A couple other orchestra kids were nearby at this time, so the group decided to get an impromptu pic for Mrs. Mammassian.

Amelia and the Cannonball

Standing around confused, trying to get the group organized to move to the next spot.

Amelia and Alayna requested a pic with this random kid who was walking past us. No idea who she is.

We were basically out of time by this point, and on our way towards the front entrance we came down these circular, stone steps and one of the other parents requested we stop so all the kids could line up down the stairs. Started off with just the dudes.

Gotta have a weird one, for good measure.

The whole squad, assembled down the stairs.

Another 'fun' one (had to cut Maddie and her date out on the right, when I formatted this for an Instagram post, because otherwise it would've cut off Alayna and her date.)

The girls.

We got a family pic, too, right before we left.

Alayna didn't take a lot - if any - pics throughout the rest of the night (the dinner, the dance itself, afterwards at the bonfire, etc.) She did take this random pic of her holding Sebastian's hand at their table during the dance, though. That's all we got.

Alayna and Maddie recreated this famous pose from Sophia Loren (think that's her name) that the cast of Modern Family recreated fifty years later.  Pretty funny shit. Anyway, that was Prom '25, gang - we'll see how it pans out next year. See ya next time.

- Brian