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 

Homecoming '23

What's up, Internet.

Well, here we go again - another frickin' Homecoming.  

We had to wait in line for like twenty minutes for this photo op - appreciate it.

Now, back in my day, Homecoming was just a dance that you went to. And a football game. Nowadays, though, it's a big, stupid production that eats up an entire day, and it's beyond stupid.

So when I went to Homecoming my Freshman year, I went stag. No one took a picture of me, I just put on a dress shirt and tie and was dropped off at the school. That was it, nothing crazy. I skipped my Sophomore and Junior year Homecomings (despite having girlfriends that wanted to go, but whatever), and eventually went my Senior year to Farwell's Homecoming dance 'cause that's where my girlfriend at the time went to school. Still, my parents took, like, one group picture of me and my friends and our dates on our way to the dance. With a 35mm point-and-click, in the entry way of our house - nothing scenic or fancy, just a quick picture.

That's not what we do anymore, apparently.

The Cannonball and her friend, Rita, in front of a waterfall. 

Nowadays, the photo process takes a couple hours, involving multiple locations throughout town, before dropping kids off at a restaurant for dinner, then picking them up an hour or so later and shuttling them to the dance. Then, you know, picking them up from the dance a few hours later. We're basically 'on call' all damn day.

Alayna didn't have a date this year (she broke up with her boyfriend over the summer) and went with a big group of friends again. She wanted to take pictures at Dow Gardens again, like we did last year for Homecoming, then drive over to the Tridge to get even more pictures taken.  parents only seemed to want to take a pic of me going to a dance if I had a date in tow, but that was the '90s and people weren't as self-absorbed as they are now (thanks a lot, Social Media.) 

So yeah - this three-hour long dance ate up our entire day. Again. I'm sure it'll be the same the next two years for her, and it'll be compounded even further when we're juggling her group of friends with Abby and her group of friends starting next year, taking pictures of even more kids in even more scenic locations throughout town.

Then we'll have to go through the same song and dance when Prom starts rolling around, starting next year. That'll be cool because it'll cost us, like, three times as much 'cause the dresses are more expensive and demands will be even higher for that shit.

God, parenting is a pain in the ass.

Anyway, here's a bunch of pictures of my kid in a dress. You're welcome.

I shot most of these with my 24-105mm lens, busting out the smaller 40mm for portraits here and there.

Most of Alayna's friends were meeting up with her later, at the Tridge - so for most of the time at Dow Gardens we were just walking around with the Cannonball, trying to remember where we got good pics the year before.

Lighting was decent this year, partly sunny with some clouds. I didn't have to touch up these pics too much.

Kris mentioned afterwards that we didn't get a lot of pics of the back of her dress. I guess that's a thing I was supposed to take care of. Whoops.

Kris, mommin' it up between shots.

The sun was right in her face for these shots in the Rose Garden, so I'd have her keep her eyes shut then open them up real quick so I could snap pics.

Our neighbor friends across the street, Kyle and Emily, are hosting a foreign exchange student from Poland this year named Natasha, who has been welcomed into the Cannonball's group of friends.

(Emily took this wide-angle shot with her phone.)

After an hour or two at Dow Gardens, Kris wanted to get some pics in front of this giant, blue door on some old building near to the Alden B. Dow studio, downtown.

Alayna's friend, Lexi (who she went on a cruise with over Spring Break) and some other girl met us over there.

That's it, that's the blue door. Check.

Afterwards, we drove over to the Tridge to meet up with the rest of the crew and get even more pictures taken.

There were tons of people around, all doing the same thing we were doing. And some poor couple that was trying to get wedding party shots done - they picked the wrong day to be doing this.

For most of these shots, I had to wait for other people to move out of the way in the background - it was a pain in the ass.

Just look at all those people in the background, sometimes it was unavoidable.

Cristina and her folks showed up and we got some group pics done on the Tridge.

Alayna was creepily taking pics of other kids she goes to school with getting their pictures taken on the shore. Totally a normal thing to do.

That's about the only pic I got of the back of her dress. But I got it.

(Kris took this one with her phone.)

Me and Cristina's dad, Brad, recreating our 'bent leg' pose from last year.

Rita and some other girl - I forget her name, too - met up with us down there for some more group pics.

"UNDER THE TRIIIIDGE, DOWN-TOWWWN. . . ."

Bein' weird.

Lexi and Cristina skipped down this pathway and got in the way of the wedding party attempting to get some shots done. Nothing like ruining someone's magic day.

This dock was questionable - I'm surprised no one fell in (but several heels were stuck in the slits between boards.)

Kris and I ended up going out for dinner with Ana and Brad (Cristina's parents) at Big E's after dropping the girls off for their reserved dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings (where they chose to eat before the dance.) Didn't make a lot of sense to drive home for an hour, then turn around and drive back up to pick them up for the dance.

Waiting for their table.

Seated and awaiting food.

Lexi and the Cannonball.

The Crew.

Alayna took two, whole pictures at the dance, which was held - evidently - in the school's gym. Priorities.

So there you go, folks - Midland High School Homecoming 2023.  See you guys next year.

- Brian