Happy 9th of July!! Yay! For some reason, the whole family gathered from the four corners (literally) to celebrate something. Who knows. But I do know this, my grandma thinks I've stolen her soul. Sorry GG, I gotta get as many as I can. Can't row the boat down the river of Stix all by myself, ya know?

GPA Scott, ahh, GPA Scott. I'm pretty sure he didn't want his picture taken either. These people just don't cooperate with me now that they think they'll show up here.

Here are some 4th of July players. You might recognize some return players from last years event, some new. Ryan and Holly have joined us from some rainy state up north. Grandma Merkley came along too. Pretty much everyone else you know. Oh, and of course, Perpetual Motion made it's daily appearance. It doesn't get to take a holiday.

Guess what they're talking about? Give up? Perpetual Motion. Again.

Reality Check: 8:30 AM, July 4th. So clean, hair pulled back, attitude painted plainly on the face. "Oh mother, really, do you have to start that so early?"

Yes. Yes I do.

Here she is after knocking back a few cupcakes. This is my spawn, my reality. Sigh.


Oh, but then there's the "good one". I say this lightly of course, because it changes about every five seconds between the two. "Ahh mom, you crazy git you."


The kids got to play some fun game...I think it's called vertical golf.


I just call it, "Arm the young children with balls and have them throw them at each other." Awesome.

Here's my girl beatin' the crap outta the pinata. I taught her everything I know; which is probably why she wasn't the one to knock it open. Oh well, sweetheart, you still have your drunken good looks!

Lefty Rodriguez. We have big plans for this one in the Pinata World Series. Big plans.

This is perhaps my fondest memory. Let the kids do all the work, you big strong men, and then go in for the kill. See how the little ones can't quite get past all the big ones? Yeah, it's pathetic. "What, I'm getting candy for the kids." Sure you were Brett...sure you were.

Um....Nevermind.

Yeah...wow. At least he's good looking, though, right?


I think Cohen agrees with my sentiments.

It took us several hours to convince Uncle Steve that this wasn't a party hat. I think he secretly wears it at night still.

I am continually amazed by the absolute enjoyment I get from our family. I mean, let's lay out the facts. You see them all the time, you know their quirks, you know what makes them tick, and they know what makes you tick, they drive you insane 98% of that time, and yet life would suck, monumentally suck, without them. There is no other place in this world or beyond, no other group of people I would rather be with than these nut jobs. I hope they feel the same way about me.