Birthday summer

Between the end of June and the middle of August, three of my closest friends, both of my parents, and four of my nephews have birthdays. It's rough! Saturday marked the end of the birthday season for another year, with my nephew Nate's fifth birthday party. My sister threw the pirate-themed fête in her backyard, complete with a treasure hunt, eye patches, bags of loot, a treasure chest pinata, and pirate cake. The only incongrous element was a giant Scooby Doo moon bounce, though predictably the children didn't mind the breach of theme in the slightest. All in all it was a fun afternoon. My mom also managed to round up all seven of her grandchildren for a photo, which was actually quite a feat.

Speaking of the children of my sisters, my niece starts middle school in a couple of weeks. How did that happen? I basically know her as a child, but I'm looking forward to getting to know her better as an actual person. (You know what I mean.) I haven't had much opportunity, since I typically see her only briefly every couple of months. I need to find out if she has an email address.