The signing of ........ Matt's "declaration of independence" !!!

Grand-parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and...
....friends(not to mention his brother and parents, too) all came to Matt's graduation party yesterday to sign his ......... "declaration of independence" (i.e. his GRADUATION QUILT !!!)

In addition to signing the quilt, there was .....
.....eating and ....
.....more eating ....














......AND, we also had .....

...two Fourth of July Birthday Girls !!!! one is my Mom, the Birthday Queen, and the other is Matt's friend, the Birthday Princess (who was celebrating her Sweet 16 !!)...(note Birthday Crown on Mom .... that was made last year for her birthday by her grandaughters, Maura and Erin .... I think it's pretty spiffy!) ....and for the Sweet 16 Birthday Princess, nothing less than a sparkly "Birthday Girl" tiara will do! .... oh, and also notice that the Birthday Queen also has a sparkly sceptor that also lights up .... she was going for a kind of Vegas Look ....

Now, speaking of significant milestone birthdays .... yours truly has a whopper coming up about 4 1/2 months down the road .... and I'd really just rather ignore it ... HOWEVER, certain family members are NOT gonna let this go quietly or wait until I absolutely have to admit that it's my "significant" birthday .... oh, noooooo!!!!! they had to bring it up YESTERDAY already !!! UGH !!! It seems my sister, Boop, and my sister - in - law , Lori and their daughters Maura, Erin, Katie and Stephie have been planning behind my back already .... and yesterday at Matt's graduation party they gave me a gift bag full of clues/presents that lead up to the BIG SURPRISE ...... which is a girls' weekend in New York City, in November, to shop, dine , drink, and see "Mama Mia'" !!!!! WHAT FUN !!!!!..... and, now, let me show you some of the pictures that were taken with MY CAMERA as the surprise was unfolding .....
....here I am looking at my "Grow Your Own Enchanted Castle" ......really ... just add water (If you click on the picture, you'll be able to see it better ....) (OK.... and don't look at how BAD my hair looks ..... it was raining earlier .... maybe I should have a "Grow Your Own Hairdresser " .... just add water ....)
.....next is the new addition to my "Beauty Queen Sash "collection .... the "Birthday Queen" sash !!! .... and let's not overlook THOSE GLASSES !!! Those are real HUMDINGERS !!!

.... and , next ... since I started the Flowered Bathing Cap Tradition, they felt it only fitting for me to recieve a GOLDEN BATHING CAP for this stinkin' significant birthday of mine WHICH ISN'T FOR 4 and 1/2 MONTHS YET !!! (EAT YOUR HEART OUT all you "over 35" model wanna-bees on that show "She's Got the Look!" .... I'd say I've got THE LOOK !!!! and it's STUNNING !!!
.... anyhow, my dear sister - in - law wasn't able to find a gold bathing cap with those nifty flowers on it, so instead they decided to sign their names and decorate the gold bathing cap with "jewels" WHILE MY HEAD WAS IN IT !!!!

.....SO.... we had 4 celebration categories yesterday ...well 5, I guess if you count the fact that it WAS the Fourth of July ... so we threw in fireworks at the end of the day just to complete the Graduation Party Extravaganza !!!! (at least I get a 3 year break before Evan graduates and we do this again !!!!)

Well gang .... I'm POOPED !!! I think I'll get my jammies on and fall face down onto the first soft surface I come to .....

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)