Jessica's 13th Birthday

Lets get the disappointment out of the way early.  Barbara and I executed on the actual "Party" portion of Jessica's 13th Birthday yesterday (Saturday, May 1st).  The theme was a blend of Amazing Race and Mission Impossible.  The disappointing part... we made a video, but alas, this BLOG doesn't seem to afford us the opportunity to actually post the VIDEO.  Why don't we just say... the video was a me, solo, in Mission Impossible garb, doing Impossible Martial Arts moves and it was AWESOME.  I wish I could share it with you... really, I really do.

Any ways, the hormones... I mean Jessica's teenage friends (who really are a great group to see and hangout with) showed up around 2PM.  My wife dispersed the adults helping - to all the locations these kids would have to find later in the party (as part of the Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt part).  She then showed the video and gave the kids their directions... as well as their team tee-shirt and an adult driver.

The kids tore off to their respective destinations with their "Clue Cards" in hand.  I was positioned at the YMCA... the kids struggled at my location as each team was instructed to do a particular, somewhat embarrassing activity at each destination.  The better their performance the more points they would earn.

After tearing around town, with only ONE ADULT getting pulled over by the cops... the kids finished the race and rallied back at Milburn Park.  This is where I battled the demons from he!! (that's a public BBQ pit with two LARGE BAGS of CHARCOAL spitting fire, molten lava, billowing smoke thicker than the head of any teenager... ) to provide barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers.

While at the park, we did some three-legged races, sack races and the "poop a potato game."  It worked out really well.  A little cake, handfuls of M & Ms and some presents and then all that was left to top the day off would be ... CLEAN UP.  And I'm sure all of you know how much I love CLEAN UP.

Oh... I guess there's more bad news.  I don't have any pictures.  I probably should have snapped off a few pictures with my phone, but I guess I was too busy messing with the barbecue.  The party was a blast.  Here's a shot of Jessica at her birthday dinner with just the family.  Doesn't she look mature?

Yeah... she looks great doesn't she.  Man I wish she would stop growing up...