Birthday Fun

Emma and I love having our birthdays together but this year was especially fun because our annual Rasmussen Reunion fell on our birthdays and the reunion was held at Cherry Hill.  One of the Gunnell kids favorite places!

We've had season passes to Cherry Hill this summer, which has been really fun.  And I took the opportunity of birthdays to actually take my camera along and document some of our fun.  All I wanted for my birthday was an entire day with my entire family at Cherry Hill.  Even though the kids and I go 2-3 times a week, JayDee rarely comes for the obvious reason that he works during the day. So Friday the 23rd, I got my wish and we spent the day - from opening at 10:30am to closing 8:30pm - at the pool.  Grandma and Grandpa Taggart and Aunt BriAnne came for part of the day too.

Emma just loves baby Eden.  And how could you not in that fantastic suit!?

 Check out those beach babes!

Grandpa with all his granddaughters.

Saturday the 24th (my birthday) was reunion day.  We started bright and early with breakfast and then moved right on into all the traditional reunion fun.  This year our family (my brothers and sisters) were in charge of the reunion craft.  Since the theme of the reunion was "Splish Splash" we had all the kids decorate their own rubber duckie to be used in a game later on in the day.

W

We seriously overestimated the number of kids in attendance so everyone, 

even adults if they wanted to,  got to decorate 2 or more ducks.

After the decorating, the kids got to help finish a rubber duckie pinata that we made to help raise money for next year's reunion.  We had previously done the paper mache(?) and cut all the crepe paper so the kids just helped us glue it all on. Here is our duck's progression from start to finish.

 Closer. . .

 and closer. . .

 Almost done and. . .

 FINISHED!!

 That's one good lookin' duck!  

And one very sleepy Grandpa!

Now you may be wondering how this pinata helped raise reunion funds.  Well, we sold swings.  That's right, if you wanted a chance at the bat you had to pay for it.  And pay for it they did.  Everyone lined up and took their swings.

  Emma took her swings. . .

 Hannah took her swings. . .

Isaac took his swings. . .

along with all the other kids and here is our precious pinata during and after his beating.

 First to go, the tale feathers.

 Next came the head.

 And finally he came down.

 And of course, the frenzy that followed the duck's demise.

After lots of fun and games and lots of food, came the family program.  This is the time during the reunion for sharing of talents, jokes and just plain silliness.  Every family must be represented, so to represent our family my sister Shanna took the stage.  She combined her talents with a bit of silliness and sang a duet from the show "Wicked."  A duet you say?  Yep, she sang both parts.  Half the time she sang the part of Glinda and the other half she sang the part of Elphaba.  Still can't picture it?  Well, here's a visual.

 This was at the end when both parts were singing together.
She was the hit of the show!
I had a great birthday.  I love my family!
Sunday the 25th was Emma's birthday.  She had a much more traditional birthday than I did.  She woke up to her favorite breakfast. . .cinnamon rolls.

  And then she got to open her presents before church.

 The Mickey Mouse ears were her idea. . . she said they matched the tableware 
because they had a princess tiara on them.
After church we went to Grandma and Grandpa Taggart's house for a Mom and Emma birthday dinner.  Emma got to pick the menu and it was delicious.  Grandpa's famous BBQ chicken, potato salad, watermelon and corn on the cob.  For cake, well. . .Emma wanted it to be hands on so it was just a regular old cake that she decorated.  Can you tell?

  We added a couple pies for the masses.

 We played games and had an all around great time.  Birthdays are always fun and I really like sharing mine with Emma every year.  She is a sweetie when she wants to be and every once in a while she'll give us preview of what we get to look forward to in the teenage years.  Yikes!  But she does have a caring heart and the most beautiful eyes.  
I love my girl!
Happy Birthday to Us!