The Cannonball's Sweet 16, Pt. I

Hey kids.

So the Houghs hit this particular milestone this weekend: we've somehow managed to keep one of our offspring alive to the point where they can finally, legally drive. 

. . . well, sort of. She still needs, like, five or so hours of drive time - and to pass a driver's test - before she can actually get her license.

The Cannonball celebrated her Sweet 16 this weekend, which we divided up into two, separate events - per her request. She'd been looking forward to this weekend for a long, long time, and - seeing how it's Alayna and everything - had huge, grandiose plans for the momentous occasion. Large pavilion tents set up in the backyard, catering, the works.

Because, you know, Kris and I are lawyers, and the Cannonball's apparently graduating high school. Frickin' teens.

Just so you're aware, I had a severed allergic reaction to blowing up this balloon arch. I've never had issues with balloons in the last forty-plus years - or latex of any kind - but for whatever reason, these particular balloons caused my eyes to turn red and itch uncontrollably (I couldn't even keep them open, they'd tear up too much), my nose to run, my breathing to become forced, etc. Had to take Allegra, Paladay, and other such allergy crap to beat it down - Goddamn ridiculous.

Our family Fondue set that we break out for parties, oh, once every few years. 

Once we ground reality in her and Alayna remembered that we had already, you know, bought her a f***ing car, she was willing to start compromising on some of her demands. 

She wanted a fancier vibe for her birthday, so Kris and I went out and bought some black and gold decor (at Alayna's request) and we put together a menu that fit her tastes. The compromise for the party here was that she would settle for a toned-down affair under the condition that we'd be able to take her and this assortment of friends up to the family lakehouse on Eight Point Lake the following day for a 'Sweet 16, Part 2' (we had her clear it first with her grandparents.)

Weren't about to let kids drink wine at this Parisian murder mystery. . .

This first part of her Sweet 16 was centered on this Murder Mystery Game that Kris and Alayna picked out online. Death By Chocolate, as it's called, involves eight characters and is set in Paris in the early 1900s. Set up was pretty straight-forward and involved some manual reading, character research, and the hooking up of a TV in the kitchen (along with setting up an appropriate 'vibe' for the evening, obviously.) The kids got into it and, once started, the game lasted about three hours - not bad for the price we paid.

So yeah, the next two installments of this blog of ours will chronicle the Cannonball's big weekend, and I'll let the following pics and videos illustrate how the weekend went down.

Enjoy. . .

The Cannonball's favorite food - by far - is sushi, so we couldn't really host a birthday party for her without buying a platter.

Aside from sushi and fake wine, she wanted lots of finger foods (instead of, say, pizza or shit on the grill.) These meatballs (or, 'Monster Balls') that Kris usually makes for our Halloween Parties are always a big hit with teenagers.

While looking absolutely f***ing disgusting, this chili cheese dip is another party staple around here that gets devoured at parties. If Kris made it more often I'd easily weigh 300 lbs.

Some of the rest of the spread (we rotated out crap as it was consumed - teens will tear through a spread like Sherman to the Sea.)

Kids began to show up around 5pm.

Abby and Ella were nice enough to step in and take the place of two of Alayna's friends - Cristina and Rita - who were invited couldn't attend because they were vacationing with Cristina's family in Madrid.

Kris and I take a break from serving kids pre-game food to have a drink and listen to records in the Study.

The evening's cast of characters for the murder mystery game. Left to Right: Maddie (an archaeologist), Abby (a ventriloquist), Kyle (a boxer), Lexi (a bohemian artist), Ella (a rival investor), Toby (a pyschiatrist), Amelia (a jaded lover), and the Cannonball (a CEO.)

Kris reads out the instructions for the game as the kids research their own characters.

The mystery begins. . .

Lexi takes down notes, and Abby reads from her script, as details of the victim - some chocolatier who was murdered by a bomb hidden away in a piece of chocolate - begin to emerge.

The game was played in a series of 'rounds,' wherein each character had to read from a provided script a small excerpt, and then, afterwards, exchange dialogue with other characters around the table. From these exchanges, clues and details were dropped that the guests had to keep track of in a notebook.

Each turn each character had to go, so each round ended up taking almost an hour.

At the beginning of each turn, we played a few minutes from this video - an interactive part of the game, uploaded to Youtube - that directed players, offered more information and detail, and kind of added to the overall aesthetic and experience of the game. It was corny as f***.

Probably don't need to caption all of these pics and video, you kinda get the gist of it by now. . .

Watching one of the pre-round video segments.

Grabbing a drink between rounds.

Samson didn't know what to do with himself throughout the evening - too many people about the house to just do what he usually does around here, lie on the couch like the lazy piece of shit that he is.

Closing arguments, about three hours into the game.

Things get heated - Lexi was cutthroat with this murder mystery thing (unsurprisingly.)

Revealing the killer at the end of the game (I guess he got away with it because no one accused him. . . ?)

After the game concluded, Alayna and the rest of the kids went downstairs into the basement to open up gifts.

Then, of course, it was time for cake and ice cream (as the law dictates.)

Alayna - like her mom - prefers cheesecake over standard cake, so that's what we do around these parts. . .

With cake and presents out of the way, Kris and I went upstairs and abandoned the basement to the teenagers. They hooked up a movie to the projector, played some games, and otherwise kept themselves occupied for the rest of the night.

Around 11pm, the girls kicked off the sleepover portion of the evening once Kyle went home (we're laid-back parents, but we're not that laid back) with a chaotic hours-long bout of karaoke.  You can imagine how much Kris and I appreciated this blasting throughout our house. . .

- Brian

Murder at the Disco

Welcome back, party people.

Our friends, the Larsons, hosted a ton of people over at their house last night for Danielle's 40th Birthday. This was, without a doubt, probably the most elaborate party this friend group of ours has ever had, and that's saying a lot considering all the Christmas, Halloween, and St. Patrick's Day parties we've had over the years.  Probably sixty people (and no kids), tons of decor, lighting, elaborate costumes, a fully-catered dinner, an open bar (including a 70s bar with a fully-functional turntable - more to come on that later), and - to top it all off - a disco-themed Murder Mystery game.

I do not wanna know how much they dropped on this party, but holy shit was it fun.

I'll let the pics and video do the rest of the telling - check it out. . . 

I was assigned the role of Fullavit Muggeridge, a British classical music critic working for the BBC.  The only stipulations for my character's wardrobe was that I had to wear a tie, since my character despises disco. . . so, you know, it was a pretty fitting character for Yours Truly.  I managed to find this old 70s suit at a local Goodwill, and it was in spotless condition and fit like a glove.  The Rx-free glasses I bought off Amazon, while the tie and bellbottoms I had from college.  The wig I recycled from my old '80s mullet one I used for our '80s Halloween Party a couple years ago, I just tied it back in a ponytail

Kris got this velour suit from Danielle - some clothing rental company where you can pay $30 and rent a high-end outfit, then return it when you're done.

Morgan and Danielle, the Birthday Girl.

Erik and Courtney

Some of the complimentary booze they had on hand for disco-themed cocktails.

Mitch volunteered to serve as the party bartender for the evening, a role he truly relishes.

Wasn't about to wear lapels without donning a Masonic pin. . .

Ryan and Mees.  These two were characters as well - he's a pilot and she's a stewardess (or 'flight attendant,' if you wanna be woke about it.)

A couple of the Larsons' neighbors, who were characters as well.

Yes, they framed the menus.  They got super fancy with just about everything you could think of.

Mitch and Steve

More of the Larsons' neighbors.

Alicia and Steve

Kris and I pose for yet another pic.  I offered my photography skills for the evening, and set up a tripod and flash in front of a giant disco-themed backdrop they had spread out over their living room.

Lonnie Big Balls and Stefanie.

Mitch and his creepy, porn-star mustachio.

Danielle's sister and her husband.

More of Danielle and Morgan's neighbors.  These two actually live in my buddy Rob Chritz's old house on Rapanos.

One of the Larsons' neighbors brought a keg of home-brewed craft beer over and set up a kegorator in the Larson's garage.

The Real Housewives of Midland (only one missing is Deanna, who had to work.)

Danielle's mom and step-dad.

Susan and Tom

Mitch and Kelli

The Dads

Brad and Amy

These three wanted a picture because they all showed up in more or less the same shirt.

Holding court at the bar (which, within days, would take up residency in the Hough basement. . . but more to come on that later.)

The game begins.  Folks had scripts and tasks they had to do (tell so-and-so this fact, try and convince so-and-so to do this, etc. etc.)

Omkar and Mitch

Characters try to determine who the killer is.

Ryan and Tom

The Larsons' recently-renovated kitchen (Morgan did the entire thing himself, believe it or not.)

Even though I was a chief character, Kris ended up doing most of my parts because I was handling camera duty.  Wives are good like that.

Selfies.

And the killer is. . . Tom.

Time for the birthday cake.

It's a miracle this chick didn't catch on fire.

Gourmet cakes for everyone.

Feasting on sugar

Tom enters his trademark 'platinum' phase.

Hens, clucking.

Omkar and Tom

This bar for sure came in handy.

Kris gets an earful.

Ryan isn't too sure about Erik's blaxploitation get-up.

Kris and Kelli

Kris, Stefanie and Courtney

Danielle's sister, mom and brother

Tom gets handsy when he drinks too much.

No one wants to hang out with Omkar

More gay vibes on the dance floor.

Danielle and Kris

Mitch, taking a break from bartending, and Lonnie

Amy and Erik

Total chaos.

Courtney, Mees and Kris

Ryan grabbed my SLR at one point and had me pose a bunch of weird pictures so that I was in some of the evening's pictures.  So, um, here's me pouring. . . something.

Going through cabinets.

Hugging Danielle's sister (who I don't know at all - pretty sure this creeped her right out.)

And now Danielle.

My marriage summed up in one picture. . .

Mitch gets a talking-to from the neighborhood drunk.

- Brian