The Reluctant Party-goer Reports

Lisa and John's HUGE Firepit! I can't believe this is actually legal in Carmel, but no cops came and busted us. Carmel regulates EVERYTHING to make sure it is pretty. See the green flames? John threw copper bars in there and it made all these funky blue and green flames.
Lisa, our beautiful hostess. See once again how I am cursed with beautiful friends? And they are all even NICE to go with it.
Birthday Boy, John. His shirt lit up in sync with the sound or something.
John the birthday boy again, playing with fires, as boys ALWAYS do!
MaryAnne - she has been a good friend to Lisa for MANY years, through lots of thick and thin!
Heather - in the Bouncey house!
Action shot of Olivia, Lisa and John's niece, in the Bouncy House!
Lisa's Aunt Diane - I've met her before at other functions and I wish I would have spent more time talking to her this weekend.
Still shot of Olivia and (Addie?).
John's mom and his brother, Bernard. One year Bernard had me convinced that he and John were twins. I was surprised and delighted that Mom Vaughn had so much fun with karaoke, and she was also kind of a picture hog. I can see where the boys get it! It was cute.
Heather.

So in the end I had a good time. I was really shy when I first arrived and Lisa and John were doing party giver things, like mingling and all that. One of Lisa's friends just got a new dog, and it was cute, I'll admit it, but she let the dog, a little Pomeranian, get on the table while they were eating or right afterward and eat off their plates. It was extremely disgusting and upsetting to me. I had to look away, yet I kept looking back, that car wreck rubbernecking thing, I guess. This is a perfectly civilized woman, I know, we've hung out at Lisa's house before... It's just my dog thing, you know....

My favorite parts of the party were:

The bounce house
Karaoke
Taking pictures,
The big fire,
that Heather came and I had a pal
fried chicken
cake
Aunt Diane's lemon bars
Just a good chance to see John and Lisa again, even though we didn't get a lot of time to hang out and chat.
Mary Anne and I talked for just a little bit, and it was nice to get to know her a teeny bit better. She has been a big part of Lisa's life, but we haven't intersected very much. We should try to get the three of us together for a Girl's Night out or something.