She's quoting her favorite Dr. Seuss: do you like my hat?

Although it seemed like a good idea at the time, the trouble with having so many kids born 2-3 years apart, I never really did sit down and do the math to figure out that perhaps one day we would be celebrating...a couple of major milestones...THAT SAME FREAKING DAY!

Watch out middle school, here she comes!

So, I thought to myself...SELF!...why not throw one GIANT graduation party the following weekend or something and just be done with it?

Self:  Okay, ummm, but what about Hope's birthday?

Me:  Ummm, what about it?

Then it suddenly occurred to me (thank you, Self!) this year Hope's birthday happens to fall on the SAME day as the graduation party, tentatively speaking of course.

Coming to America (these 3 escaped Hungary, as teenagers):  my dad (far right) together again with my adopted uncles.

With Father's Day that Sunday (I think, wait, yeah, I'm pretty sure) then the 4th of July (which, as a 1st generation born American, is really a BIG DEAL at our house) a few short weeks after, well, the rest of the family might as well just sleepover, right?

"Don't make yourself crazy, Mom!"

I have a REAL bad habit of thinking out loud.

"Just make it ONE BIG HAPPY EVERYTHING PARTY!"

BRILLIANT!  Further proof that my kids are SO MUCH smarter than I am.  Really.  Then, it rained almost ALL week and I started freaking out (because, I am freaky like that) about having to be stuck indoors with 20+ people.

We have 2 seasons here in Jersey: hot and cold.

So, we broke down and ordered a tent just in case.  Still.  People might want to use the bathroom, or something.  So, I tried to pace myself and spent 3 days cleaning and/or rearranging the house.

Her future looks bright, let's eat cake!

Then, it stopped raining and, well, at least the house is Thanksgiving clean and thank goodness I won't have to do THAT again...not until...well...next Thanksgiving.

Happy 11th Birthday, Hopey!

Which reminds me (thank you, Self!) I owe this kid a "Happy Birthday" post, but decided to save it for another time (you're welcome!) because, well, I'm still trying to recover from...you know...EVERYTHING!

Oh, and looky what else I made (DID SO!) courtesy of many, many lost hours spent on Pinterest.

Enough said.  In the meantime, if anybody needs me, I'll be upstairs, trying to convince my kids to help me bring ALL the clean laundry back down from off of my bed.

Our own private little after party.

Once they wake up, of course!  Considering today just so happens to be the first day of their summer break...as well...YO!

The end.

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