This past weekend was one for tradition. Namely the summer picnic at Sam’s parents’ place. I’ve attended almost every year since I was 12 years old, but this year was a little extra special.

It’s almost always held close to Samantha’s birthday, and this year the lovely lady to my right..

…turns 40 years old! Can you believe it? I can’t, and I’m only a year behind her. To celebrate, we wore matching outfits (Sam had recently discovered the comforts of the Old Navy Fit and Flare dress), and I presented her with the Superstar quilt. She was thrilled, which of course, made me very happy.

Sam’s two eldest took advantage of Dave’s presence for some impromptu ukulele lessons.

If it’s hard to believe that Sam is 40, it’s just as hard to believe that Lily and Owen are BOTH in high school. I was at the hospital the day Owen was born, and it doesn’t feel like it was all that long ago.

Little Miss Nora is turning into quite the beautiful young lady…

Though she’s definitely got her daddy’s silly streak.

Sam’s parents still live in the teeny, tiny village I grew up in. It’s really just two country roads with a bunch of houses, more or less in the middle of nowhere. When I lived there, the population was 500… and I don’t think it’s changed much.

Despite the people picnicking, there’s always lots of wildlife to be seen, so before we headed out there, I snagged Mom’s long lens. I was hoping to get a couple shots of the bluebird family that has been living there for the past few years. Sadly, they were shy this year, but I did get some fantastic shots of the woodpeckers…

A rose-breasted nuthatch…

And this cheerful little chipmunk

And though it was a terribly humid day, it was a wonderful filled with friends, food and fun… who could ask for more?