party aftermath ...

dang, i was way too busy running around during our bbq to take photos! and if i was too busy to take photos, then you know i was reeeeeaally busy. but please check out katherine's blog for the few that she was able to snap (you'll have to scroll past the cubs game).

but i do have are a couple photos from the day after...

my birthday hat. patrick had a hat with a blue star that said: sheriff.

here's the invite patrick sent:

"devon is turning 30 and we're celebrating up on the roof! join us for a bbq and
views of neighboring city fireworks. we will be providing beef and turkey
burgers, beer, and birthday bubbly!! please feel free to bring appetizers and
side dishes. best americana-themed apparel wins a super-duper prize!! we mean
it, people!! that means red, white and blue!! show your patriotism and vigilance
against terror by sinking the bis… let us know if you're coming, and who you are
bringing,so we can plan accordingly!!"

click below for more!!

the day started out so gloomy! and then it ended up raining for hours and hours!! people even texted me to see if we were still having the party despite the rain. umm, yea-ah!! but we were going to do it inside our place instead of up on the roof ... then at about 6pm the rain stopped and the skies cleared.

it was a mad dash when we decided to throw the party on the roof again -- the party was starting at 7pm -- furniture needed to come out of storage and all goods needed to get up to the roof (nikolai and christine came early to help):

• big table (for which its four big legs had to be attached)
• two buffet tables
• chairs
• the gas barbeque
• two speakers
• stereo and receiver
• a friggin' lamp
• small white christmas-like lights
• cooler full of condiments
• a half keg of miller light
• a quarter keg of goose island matilda

that was A LOT of work and because of all of that, there was no time to organize before people started arriving!! really would have liked the time to figure out the best way to set up the food. I count that 25 adults, plus 2 babies, passed through our shin-dig and we still had WAY too much food! can you say leftovers?

we had christine and nikolai over again the next day for more burgers, chips, guac, veggies and fruit (they even brought leftover salad). they even helped us move everything from the roof back into storage. and we're having them over again NEXT weekend, plus their friend, for more leftovers - traditional and chicken sausages and potato salad. anyone who is hungry can come on over. especially if you like buns.

this was a watermelon that was cut into the shape of a whale and filled with fruit salad. my friend nikki brought it -- my mom used to make these too!

remnants of the 'make your own berry champagne cocktail bar'

these were the two articles that inspired the cocktail

i guess i did take one photo before the bbq.

birthday cake!

the '30' and the other charred candles were SPARKLERS!! i know leslie doesn't like the idea of blowing out candles on a cake - but it's been years and years since i've done this and it turns out it's quite fun! gina pulled the plug on the light source and patrick brought the cake up to the dark roof - so pretty with all the candles and sparklers!

oh, one photo from the bbq!