Birdthdays

Remeber, the greatest gift is not found in a store or under a tree,

but in the hearts of true friends.

~ Anonymous

Yesterday we combined our final pool party of the calendar year with a birthday party for one of the children, Mariana, who turned 8 a couple of weeks ago. 

The celebration started like our typical pool party, with lots of splashing and yelling and goofing off in the pool: 

Because it was Mariana's birthday, her Mom invited some folks who aren't part of the "usual suspects" - including this 7 month old: 

I wasn't the only person who found him irresistiatbly cute!  ;)

Then things took a decidedly birthday-ish turn with 2 pinatas!  No blindfolds for the kids - just a man at the other end of the rope, lifting the pinata up and down so that they were swinging at a moving target.  :)

He made sure that everyone got a turn... 

...before finally letting someone break it open. 

Then they brought out Mariana's cake.  One of the boys had made paper party hats for everyone to wear! 

Even the baby got a hat! 

The surprise to me was that Mariana's mom remembered that my birthday is close to Mariana's and she had also gotten a cake for me: 

It says, "Happy Birthay, Teacher" on it.  :)

Note that I am not anyone's teacher in that crowd - this is just a left-over title from when I started teaching Ana how to sew 5 years ago and she couldn't pronounce my name...  ;)

And she and Mariana each gave me a yard of (pink!) fabric!  Isn't that sweet? 

This cotton print was from Mariana: 

And this polyester (?) from her mom: 

Two other people gave me handmade gifts.  The mom of 2 of the kids who have been coming to our place all summer had asked me to write my name on a piece of paper for her about a month ago.  I had no idea why at the time... 

Now, I know: 

Lesson learned: If asked to write your name down for someone who doesn't speak English, PRINT VERY CLEARLY.  (I usually go by "Campbell", not "Campbeu") 

Still - how sweet is that?  I told her how much a hand made gift means to me.  :)

Possibly my favorite gift is the drawing that Brandon made for me: 

I don't know how well you can make it out - but that's ME piloting the fighter jet and our kitten Popeye's face is my tail sign.  Watch out world, I'm the Cat Woman!!!!!!!  :)