Two major family events

The Birthday Party
One of the difficult aspects of working for the State Department is that you are always living far away from family. We usually get only pictures from the birthdays and other events of James's family. They try hard to schedule them at a time and place when as many relatives as possible can attend. Louisa's birthday is actually not until the end of August but it was planned to have a party to celebrate with all of her cousins. We decided to have an all-girl sleepover party at Grandma's house. There was a dinner with Louisa's choice of menu served on a pretty tablecloth. All of the aunts, including Susanne's sister from Michigan, along with all of the female cousins were in attendance.
(Lisa and Elliette live in Florida and couldn't be here.) After dinner the girls made fleece no-sew pillows then beaded jewelry. After that, we sang "Happy Birthday" and enjoyed the cake that Louisa herself had decorated with the advice of her very capable cake-making mother.
Then it was time to open presents. Louisa got plenty of girly-type gifts, including a headband and hairclips with butterflys from Grandma and Grandpa that she is happy to model!

All of the boys were at Angela's house. The older boys went with Grandpa and James to an air show at the Air Force Base which ended with
fireworks audible all the way over to Angela's house where I had left the girls' party to be with the younger of the male cousins. We had popcorn and watched a movie. I didn't take the camera over so I didn't get any pictures of the boys' activities.