Go Gators Party!

And a good time was had by ALL…..
What a wild day it was…..some family members arrived on Friday and spent the night….Pipo, Vinnie, Britt and Joshua started the party with a slumber party, movies etc…..
Arising early on Sat. morn to decorate the house from top to bottom with Gator paraphernalia….we get a report from Lynn that Aunt Shyrl (who was with her) had to be taken by 911 ambulance back to the Bayfront Hospital.
We quickly held hands and said a prayer for her.
Next on the agenda was to get everyone in the right direction for showers, Gator clothing etc. Vinnie balked…..he is a life long (15 yr. Old) Seminole fan and has always competed with his Pops for top billing….
He always looses…..
Being the only true Nole fan among a huge Gator family….he doesn’t even stand a chance…In fact, his Dad…Chuck…is a born Gator since he was birthed in Gainesville, Florida at the Alachua Hospital within blocks of the University of Florida…. Vinnie stands a chance….remote he thinks….of going to the U of F….structural engineering is his goal (right now) and there are prayers- in- the- works for the right scholarship….
We shall see….
Anyway…..for the first time Vinnie donned Gator clothes as a tribute to his Beloved Pops…he even surprised Pops…. and all of us ….by putting on Pops Gator ski hat and Gator watch….
Now that is…..L O V E!!!
Then the work begins…..Carla arrives with the shrimp after a stop off at the mall enroute…..Blue Crabs had already been cleaned and prepared by Pops but Vinnie, Britt and I start working on 8 lbs. of Jumbo Shrimp from the coast which Terry had supplied. We had food coming out of our ears….
Britt cooked her 5 lbs. of red potatoes and sautéed them in butter and garlic…yum, yum…and I made strawberry pies….while talking nonsense….again….Matt and Ashley arrive….Ash with the Gator hat that everyone wanted….one way or another….
The Marine said that he could confiscate anything available ’for the cause’ and did with a brand new Gator shirt of Pops ….. I’m still not convinced that it wasn’t ’unwrapped pre-maturely’….he swears that it came from ‘Pops stash’….of shirts! Thank God he had sense enough to leave Ashley’s hat alone!!!
…….A ‘day of reckoning’ was at hand though!
Matt and Chuckie have waited years for this day in time…..to grow up and be strong enough to ‘take Uncle Chad/DooDoo’ down! He has picked on them for years and years…..so this was their ‘gottcha’ time…..
They tried in the house….they tried in the pool….they tried under the patio…they tried and tried….Two on One…..was NOT fair...Everyone agreed. So Chad had some help from time to time…when Joshua put his arms around Chad’s neck in the pool….to protect him….The aggressors knew to …back off…Next, they turned on Uncle ‘fully clothed’ Chuck….soon everyone was in the free for all…..have a few bruises to prove it myself…
Entirely too much energy was spent….trying to prove….”my dog is bigger than your dog”. Joshua is growing up thinking the…abnormal is normal!
Families are supposed to be the free entertainment at Birthday Parties….
Since he received 1 lb. Bar bells as a gift from Pops….he now does his exercise along with Pops ….saying “Go..gators…Go…gators” with every pump of the muscle…..
Having Chuck and Terry arrive later in the day from their church work…gave us the signal that….The Party Can Now Begin!
Too late….it began….yesterday.
Pops had a ball….was smiling constantly….and completely Happy on his day…..being surrounded by his crazy family IN GATOR GARB…..was the best gift ever…
Yes…..It IS A Good Life….and MORE to come!!!

See Pictures…Link #1.…Birthday and Celebrations Album