Abby's Birthday, Pt. II

What's up, Internet.

Well, now that it's Saturday - and Yours Truly is finally back from his trip down in to frickin' Ohio - we can finally observe Abby's 14th Birthday. 

As in previous years, Abby was beyond indecisive with what to do for her big event. This is almost an expected hurdle we have to overcome when figuring how her birthday every year, so Kris and I weren't surprised at all. See, she usually comes up with an idea for her birthday months in advance, then a month or so before her birthday she says 'nevermind,' then begins to go down this weird anxiety spiral for weeks. How many friends does she want over? Will her friends from different friend groups get along with one another? Will they not have a good time at her party and stop being friends with her as an immediate result? (because that's a thing that would totally happen.) Would it be safer to just skip inviting friends all together and just keep things low key with her family (like SHE DID LAST YEAR?!)

Anyway, salvation came this year in the form of the Cannonball, who asked to plan Abby's birthday for her (she's a nerd for organizing things - she comes by it naturally.) Abby agreed, and so Alayna took care of planning everything for Abby's big day this year, which took a lot of the stress away from Kris and I, we just had to finance things. 

She invited five friends this year: Ella (obviously), Addi, Emily, Kiersten, and Nica (from the Pom team.) We said she could invite more if she wanted but the was adamant that adding more would cause drama between multiple friend groups. 

Whatever you say, kid. 

Kris would shuttle this group of girls over to the newly-reopened Midland Community Center (it's been closed for months) and let them hang out for the afternoon: swimming in the pool, relaxing in the sauna, hitting up the other new amenities and crap, etc. 

While Kris and the teens were away, Alayna and I would decorate the house - especially the basement - and get it all set-up for when they got back. Set up the karaoke machine, buy a bunch of the usual party food (pizzas, ice cream, pop, snacks, whatever), decorate everything, etc. Then, after cake and presents, the kids could just hang out downstairs out of everyone's hair and stay up until all hours of the night.

It's a win-win for everyone.

So, in the end, the day was great - Abby and her friends had a good time, Kris and I were about as opposite from stressed as one could get, and there weren't any major disasters whatsoever.

We need to seriously consider Alayna as our party-planner from this point forward. Make all of our lives way easier, for sure.

Check it out. . .

Once all of her friends had staggered in throughout the early afternoon, Abby had Kris (making whatever the hell this face is -  WTF) shuttle them over to the Community Center.

Clearly they had gotten into markers while in the basement.

Addi, Kiersten, Emily, Nica, Ella, and Abby.

The newly-renovated swimming area at the Community Center.

Kris grabbed some lunch platters and staked out a table in the area adjacent to the pool so the girls could graze whenever they needed to.

This pool has its own lazy river, which is pretty damn awesome.

Not sure if they have a cache of these noodles lying around there or else the girls hijacked these from some other kids - we definitely didn't bring 'em.

The peace sign is back in style now, guys. Just so you're aware.

Trying out the new sauna room. I've never gotten the appeal of these things, who enjoys sweating for Christ's sake?

They installed a water slide in this joint, too. Nothing you'd find at, say, Aquatica, but not bad for Midland, Michigan.

Ella

Abby

Screwing around in the kid play zone area. Whatever the hell you call it.

While they were away at the Community Center, Alayna and I set up the basement where they'd be hanging out for most of the night.

(I hate balloons. I blew up dozens of these stupid things.)

Kris suggested I set up the karaoke machine for the girls, something else for them to do once they got back to the house. You can imagine how well this sounded.

Meanwhile, back at the Community Center, Kris walked a couple laps around the indoor track, taking pics of different areas of the complex that were visible from her walk.

Apparently, they redid the outside, too - the old courts didn't look like that.

After a few hours of swimming and sauna'ing, the girls played volleyball for a bit.

More peace sign selfies with Ella and Nica.

All ready for cake and gifts. . .

(Abby's a fan of daisies, guys. Hence all the white and yellow.)

Upon returning home, Kris herded all the teenagers into the dining room so we could to the whole cake-and-song thing.)

Ella asked to light the candles, which we honestly should have seen coming - that kid loves playing with fire.

Making wishes.

(We didn't take any pics or video of Abby opening up her gifts from her friends, Kris only took this one of Abby reading a note from one of the girls.)

After they gorged on cake and ice cream for awhile, they retreated downstairs into the basement and spent the rest of the evening snacking, watching movies and Youtube on the projector, singing karaoke, and God knows what else (we tried to avoid going down there.)

So there you go, folks - Abby's 14th Birthday. Let's hope 15 goes just as smoothly.

- Brian

Some Retreat... Thing

I believe this translates roughly to 'What up, dawg' in Hebrew.

Welcome back, America.

So this weekend, while Yours Truly was hilt-deep in Powder Puff Derby and God knows what else, Kris took Alayna up north on some kind of a Youth Retreat through her church, First United Methodist.

Now, obviously I wasn't here for any of this, so I'm not entirely sure what all transpired.  I mean, I get the basics of what took place, sure.  Yes, Kris talked extensively about all of the stuff they did, once she came back home, and yes, Kris took a bunch of pictures. . . so you'd think I'd have some solid understanding of what all went down.

But. . . damn it all if all that stuff went in one ear and out the other.

Not that I'm a rude husband by any means, I just can't memorize the tomes of information my wife dishes out in a conversation.  I'm more of a 'one-paragraph summary' sorta guy.

Anyway, brace yourself for my summation of Kris and Alayna's weekend up north.

Here we go. . .

They stayed in some complex near Boyne City, at the base of a hill somewhere, that had multiple bunk rooms.  Here you can spot the bunk of Alayna and Maddie (her BFF who accompanied her this weekend) - that leopard print fleece throw as a curtain is a nice touch.

Some sorta Common Room, I assume.

Kris had her own room, which is always bad-ass (I hate bunking with other adults.)

Like I said, this place was at the base of some hill, so the kids spent a lot of time outdoors sledding.

They had an ice rink there, too.  Alayna had never been ice skating before, so some random adult (I assume she was there on the Retreat as well), helped walk Alayna around until she got more comfortable on a pair of skates.

. . . and I guess they had to shovel the snow off the ice?

I think Maddie has some prior experience with this.  She looks more comfortable on the ice than the Cannonball.

Some lady with my kid.

A couple of white girls, thinking they're all cool.

Okay, so I don't know the context here, but it totally looks like this kid just punched the shit out of Maddie and she collapsed into a snow bank.

 

Who is supervising all this?

Kris swoops in for a selfie.

Put a damn coat on, kid.  It's not cool to pose outside without a coat on.  Only teenagers think that's cool.

No more shovel nonsense, here.

Atop the sledding hill (I assume.)

Aside from all the Wintery fun crap the kids did, I guess the main reason all these kids and parents were away at this Retreat  thing was to get down with some Church stuff.  That dude standing up there is the Youth Pastor at Kris' church, and he'd lead kids in study sessions or whatever.  Once and awhile, though, to give the kids a break, they'd play indoor games, like this one where kids have to guess who a murderer is (like Heads Up, Seven Up, but with death and shit.)

. . . okay, I'll be honest - I have no idea how this game works.

 

And, in closing, here's Kris with two other chicks.

- Brian