MAKIAH TURNS FOUR

With sixteen humans converging on our backyard yesterday, Makiah celebrated her 4th birthday.

Makiah hot-tubs with Nana.

Makiah chats with her mom from the side of the spa.

Makiah coasts along the pool surface with Nana on a floating lounge.

Ashley warms up in 102-degree water while Makiah and Nana, along with Gordon and Josie, cool off in 76-degree water.

The faces of a four-year-old.

Ready to blow.

Licking frosting.

Opening gifts while sisters, Rylie and Baylee, watch.

Sister Alexia also watches.

TEN GIRLS AND ONE GUY

I was the one guy.

Rylie, who celebrates her birthday in May, asked if we could host a belated party for her in June so that she could invite some of her friends over for a swimming party in warmer weather.

Once everyone arrived, ten females were present. And me.

Miranda, Baylee, Rylie, Star and Analise jump in.

Josie holds Alexia.

Baylee and Rylie and two slices of pizza.

Debra and Josie with pizza and Alexia with watermelon.

Jill dines with Raven and Makiah.

Miranda and Analise with their pieces of pizza.

Analise and Star.

Makiah hides from her mom.

Airborne Baylee.

Jill floats Raven.

With Alexis' slice of watermelon, she samples real food for the first time ever.

Raven and Makiah.

Baylee doing something.

Rylie doing something.

The dragon.

Alexia crashes.

When the girls jumped in and discovered this creature at the bottom of the pool, there was much screaming.

Ten girls and one guy.

THE DAY BEFORE SUMMER

Tomorrow is summer.

Today it is hot.

I went in the backyard

And found a cool spot.

WAITING FOR WILSONVILLE

Sung to the tune of

"Sweet Baby James"

by

James Taylor

(Sorry, James)

There is an old Papa who lives in a home

His truck and his Dutch Freeze are his only companions

As he sits at the wheel for four boring hours

Waiting for Wilsonville finally to come

Every half hour he stops at a rest stop

Ejecting some caffeine and stretching his wings

Then back to his driving his journey continues

He sings about Pepsi and bladders and things

And so is the turnpike from Medford to Portland

The boys' cakes seem dreamlike

On account of the frosting

With no miles behind me and two-hundred-plus to go

There's a song that I sing when a grandson turns seven

There's a song that I sing when a grandson turns nine

There's a song that I sing after exiting I-5

To a middle-aged woman who's now thirty-five

Happy Birthday, Threesome

We celebrate birthdays in June

I'm hitting the road with a fairly light load

Including some gifts and a toothbrush and clothes

And I will be seeing you soon

Probably late afternoon

ASHLEY GRADUATES FROM COLLEGE

We descended on the Southern Oregon University football field at 7:30 a.m. this morning under cold and cloudy skies to await the graduation ceremony for the class of 2011. Ashley received her bachelor's degree in elementary education during the two-hour event.

Later in the day, about twenty of us met in our backyard for a party to celebrate Ashley's achievement.

Debra and Ashley before the procession begins.

Empty chairs awaiting graduates.

Family in the audience.

Where's Ashley?

There's Ashley.

Chairs occupied.

The receiving line.

Ceremony completed.

Mom and grad and dad.

Later in the backyard.

Rylie, the Weathersbys and the hot tub.

Makiah on the stairs.

Silas flying.

Silas and Rylie.

Alexia and Bethany. And Devon, too.

Shade seekers.

Four-year-olds.

Visiting.

Grilling.

Baylee.

A visit from Kim (Ashley's fourth grade cooperating teacher).

GRADUATION CELEBRATION PREPARATION

Next Saturday, Ashley will graduate from college. After the graduation ceremony at Southern Oregon University, we'll return to our house to celebrate with a backyard party including about twenty guests.



Since our backyard typically suffers from a shortage of shade during the summer, we decided to increase the amount of shade available to our guests by setting up a pop-up canopy.

With the weather forecast still indicating the possibility of rain through the middle of June, however, our canopy may be protecting our guests from the rain rather than from the sun. Either way, rain or shine, we're ready.