BIG BEAVERTON BIRTHDAY BASH DAY

The party started at 10:00 a.m. and, aside from Granny (Lucille), we were the first to arrive. Eventually, a bunch of boys and their parents converged on the party, which turned out to be a huge success.

Upon our arrival, Silas challenged Nana to a game of tether ball.

Soon it became five boys against one girl.

Devon, who likes to climb, is silhouetted against the sky, perched atop the tether ball pole.

Naomi prepares for a game of pop-the-balloons-tied-to-everyone-else's-ankles.

Joe and Silas attempt to pop each other's balloons while protecting their own.

The balloon popping war continues.

Devon, who likes to climb, poses with the other boys around the swing set.

Silas takes his turn in a contest to determine who can spit a popcorn seed the farthest.

Devon's turn to try to spit the greatest distance.

Silas spits again.

Naomi retrieves a popcorn seed spit from the mouth of a contestant and, unfortunately, places it in her own mouth.

Naomi takes a birthday party break in the arms of Nana.

Each boy has his own cake: one baseball field and one bicycle.

Ashley, Tim and Naomi eat cake and creamsicles.

Boys only allowed to eat creamsicles at the tether ball pole.

Silas sucks on a creamsicle.

Time for opening birthday presents.

The face of a birthday boy.

Devon rips into a wrapped gift.

Part of a tossing game kit from Papa, Nana and Aunt Ashley.

The whole crowd participates in assembling the tossing game.

Assembly continues.

And continues.

And continues until completion.

Devon tries his hand at the tossing game.

Silas tosses the golf balls toward the structure.

Silas tosses again.

Devon takes another turn.

Piñata time.

Devon swings.

Silas swings.

Devon swings again.

Silas swings again.

The piñata audience looks on.

The mad scramble for the candy after the piñata breaks.

More candy.

Debra decides to try her skill at the tossing game with Ashley waiting in line.

Ashley's turn.

Debra tries again.

Naomi checks out the golf balls used for the tossing game.

Lucille and Bill visit.

Family history of chronic thumsukitis.

Devon joins Papa on the bench.

Naomi joins Becky on the lounge.

Naomi and Ashley sit down together.

Devon steps outside to discover his birthday bike from Brandon and Becky.

Silas responds to his new carpenter gear, also from Brandon and Becky . . .

. . . and begins unwrapping it.

Devon takes his new bike out for a test ride.

Silas puts on his carpenter equipment . . .

. . . and starts a new project, a ladder.

The project proceeds smoothly.

Ashley, sensing a camera pointing in her direction, chooses a fist photo instead of a face photo.

Bethany also celebrated her birthday . . .

. . . with colorful, noisy party horns.