cammy's 70th birthday

My mom turned 70 on November 10th!  She was planning a party, and asked if I could make the trip to Virginia Beach so her entire family could be there.  I could, but the airline ticket costs prohibited me from bringing the hubs and the kids too.  Yes, my mom was just here in Texas visiting at my birthday at the end of October, so about two weeks later I was headed to her!

I flew in ridiculously early on Friday morning, but I prefer to get to my destination and start my visit as soon as possible.  My mom picked me up at the airport and we went directly to Taste Unlimited (now called "Taste" which I can't even comment on because, please) for my favorite turkey/provolone/French bread sandwich.  My aunt Jill and cousin Kristen met us there, and due to the are-you-kidding-me cold weather, we decided to eat at Cammy's house instead of at the outdoor tables.  That night, Jill joined us for a birthday dinner of glorious seafood in butter at Croakers!

The next morning started with party prep!  Jessica and her family surprised us by showing up early, and it started to feel like a party.

I don't think we've been in the same room together in almost two years now.  With moving to Texas, seeing everyone regularly is hard!

Aunt Jill

My cousin Stephanie (that's Kristen below, Stephanie's sister) made this beautiful photo board, with photos of my mom from childhood to the present.  She included little cards for people to leave messages, and my mom was really touched by the words left by her friends and family.

I loved being surrounded by people I've known forever!  Garrett is my nephew and you know Kristen by now.  I remember when these youngsters were born!  That makes me sound old, huh?

Kristen and Mike

Caroline is such a light of happiness, and Stephanie was more than happy to snuggle with her!

Every party must have cake, and this one came from our family's favorite bakery, Sugar Plum Bakery.  They made my wedding cake, and probably every birthday cake since.

Make a wish!

Here is Stephanie's husband Kevin, and daughter Alexandria.  I got treated to a tour of their new house the night before, and it is gorgeous!

After the last guests had trickled out, Cammy was tired and I was hungry, so I headed out to pizza with Stephanie and Jessica's families.  I had a horrible headache (turns out I had a sinus infection), but I wanted to see everyone before leaving town.  My whirlwind trip found me back to the airport on Sunday morning, and I felt like I blinked and the entire visit was over!  I'm sure it won't take me two years to get back again!