Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Party Time!




On one of the hottest days of the summer, we planned a garden party. My brother and sister-in-law offered their garden and borrowed enough canvas shelters that we were not sitting in the direct sun.

China and glassware, pretty napkins, 


and flowers from the garden added to the festivities.  


A special Battenberg lace tablecloth looked extra pretty. We ate - grilled meat and lots of salads, we sweated gently and tried to stay cool, we laughed and chatted. 



Our talented daughter-in-law created this beautiful and delicious cake. 


The focus of the party - my beautiful mother. Thirty-two of us gathered to celebrate her 80th birthday. 


Hooray for our wonderful mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother! My dad instigated the planning for the party back in February and it all came together well. 


Before the party, a photo of four generations: My mom, the eldest daughter, Yours Truly, also an eldest daughter, my two daughters, and Miss S. We are so blessed. 


And so ended our last week of vacation - a trip to Alberta to see Tim's family there, and then a couple of days in Chilliwack for my mom's party. After cleaning up, we headed to the ferry terminal and sailed westward, into the sunset, and home again.

Since then I've been working in the garden, dealing with green beans and tomatoes, and trying not to think about school beginning next week (preparation week for teachers). The summer has flown by so very quickly.  

34 comments:

  1. What a lovely party! The flowers and decorations and pretty dressed up ladies will add to your memories. My mom turned 80 this summer too. She, myself, my daughter and her 7 month daughter, are all firstborn girls. If only my grandma had been there too, as she was a firstborn girl as well. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Belated Happy Birthday greetings to your mother - she looks absolutely wonderful for 80 years old, and what a gorgeous cake. It must have been a very happy and memorable occasion for you all especially for your mother.

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  3. How lovely for your mother, indeed fr all of you, to be able to celebrate such a momentous occasion. Your table looks so pretty.

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  4. Ahhh, yes, school quickly approaches. right, let's stick our fingers in our ears and sing "la la la la."

    What a happy summer you have enjoyed and this celebration just caps it. Your mom looks like your slightly older sister! Good genes, Lorrie, good genes! Wonderful four generation photo...strong family resemblance throughout the generations...

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  5. Anonymous4:39 AM

    Your mother is beautiful and by the smile it seems obvious she had a lovely birthday celebration. Applause to your very talented DIL because that is one beautiful birthday cake. :-)

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  6. I see all of you ladies have inherited your Mother's beautiful blue eyes, Lorrie.
    AndGod bless your Mom on her 80th! I believe you are a spitting image of your Mother, she is sure a lovely looking lady. Your DIL did a great job on her cake too, so pretty. Enjoy what's left of your summer. It's always so hard to go back to work after being off for a break:>(

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  7. Happy belated Birthday to your BEAUTIFUL mother, Lorrie!! What a lovely lady...she sure doesn't look 80!
    The table & that gorgeous cake really added to the celebration, I'm sure.
    How wonderful that you still have your Mom around to share these special events.

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  8. Happy Birthday to your mother! What a wonderful way to celebrate her milestone birthday. I'm sure she loved having her family all together enjoying her special day. The party scene looks amazing! That's a wonderful photo of your family, you can really see the family resemblance in all of you. Enjoy your last week of freedom Lorrie ;)
    Wendy

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  9. Happy Birthday to your lovely mother! WOW! You all look so much alike! I know you feel good knowing you will look like your beautiful mother when you get older. And the cake is fabulous! Hugs!

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  10. What a nice way to make your mother feel loved and special as she celebrates her 80th birthday. The garden party looks so pretty and that cake... WOW, what a work of art. Almost too pretty to cut into. The four generation photo is fabulous. You bear a strong resemblance to your beautiful mom.
    It seems like you were just telling us about school being out. Can it really be time to start again?? Yikes, time is just flying too fast!

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  11. Belated Birthday wishes for your dear Mother. What a wonderful celebration in such a stunning setting. Beautiful four generation photo and an amazing cake.

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  12. Happy Birthday Mom! May your year be filled with good health and happiness
    Beautiful table, cake friends, and family is a wonderful way to celebrate outdoors in such a beautiful setting.

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  13. Hard to decide the most beautiful - your lovely mom (belated happy birthday) or that stunning rose covered cake!
    She does look amazing, and all of you are just a lovely family. So glad you all got together at that beautiful table.
    Welcome home - hope prep for another school year goes well Lorrie. I know you enjoyed your travels this summer.

    Hope Tim's mom is coming along well.
    Hugs - Mary

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  14. Love the picture of your 4 generations of beautiful ladies! ...and that Cake
    ...lovely!!

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  15. Anonymous8:09 AM

    Your mom makes 80 look fabulous. So nice to celebrate her in this special way. That cake is amazing.

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  16. Oh Lorrie, what a beautiful and enchanting party for such a lovely lady. What a joy to be able to celebrate 80 years with her.

    The decorations took my breath away and the cake...stunning! Hugs to you!

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  17. That cake has me drooling ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  18. Happy Belated 80th Birthday to your mom. Your gorgeous garden party is the perfect way to celebrate her milestone birthday.

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  19. It looks so lovely..a memorable celebration of your mom that you will love to look back on. The cake is amazing! Your mom looks wonderful.

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  20. What a lovely celebration - and a lovely family.

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  21. Happy Birthday to your lovely Mom.
    The beautiful table setting, flowers and amazing birthday cake, added so much to the special occasion. So honouring that 32 attended her 80th birthday celebration

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  22. Happy Birthday to your lovely Mom.
    The beautiful table setting, flowers and amazing birthday cake, added so much to the special occasion. So honouring that 32 attended her 80th birthday celebration

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  23. Such a beautiful setting for your mother's party! Happy Birthday! 80 lovely years. I think the picture of the generations is so great. I simply love the cake! :)

    Back to school! It happens very early here. My daughter went back on August 5th. I wouldn't like that a bit but she loves her job and was looking forward to it.

    Enjoy the rest of your summer and thanks for sharing the wonderful party held in honor of your mom.

    Jane

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  24. I hope I am as beautiful as your mom at 80! A lovely party to celebrate for her. A great memory for her great granddaughter, too. A wonderful way to end the summer. School has begun here. I barely felt the pang of being left out, but glad not to be having to prepare a syllabus. Things are changing at the university and so I am glad not to a part of the changes. I will be tutoring in the writing center again this year. Our garden is pretty much done. It didn't do well this year, too hot and the hail didn't help either. I am glad to wind down. Make sure to get some rest before you head back.

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  25. Lorrie, that four-generation photo is a treasure! What a beautiful occasion. Sounds like you're winding up the summer in wonderful ways.

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  26. A beautiful afternoon in the garden for your wonderful mom Lorrie.And the cake was reflective of the occasion.A beautiful memory for all of you.

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  27. What a wonderful birthday party, Lorrie! Everything looks so beautiful and planned with love. Your mother must be very happy - and your father must be very satisfied that everything went so well. :)
    You all look happy. The photo of four generations is wonderful.
    The summer surely passed fast and new projects and challenges are now waiting for us.

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  28. Such a lovely celebration for your beautiful Mother.

    Love the photo of the generations,
    Meredith

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  29. What a wonderful gathering. I loved seeing the photo of the four generations. What beautiful women!

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  30. A lovely celebration of your beautiful mother. Everything looks wonderful set outdoors.

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  31. Beautiful post and four generation photo! I so understand the place we take in that photo
    with our moms being 80 and 81.

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  32. How lovely to mark your mom's milestone birthday in such a special way! Love the four generation photo.

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  33. What a beautiful party! You honored your mom in such a lovely way!

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