Granddad/Pop-Pop turns 97! Happy birthday!

So much stuff has happened since I last blogged, including a Davis family visit to a church (finally!), a bunch of cook-outs and visits from friends; I finished book one of Game of Thrones; Michelle our nanny got MRSA (!!!), so we had a bit of a panicky scramble trying to figure out childcare for this week (Lester ended up taking the week off); and lots of other interesting things to blog about.

But tonight the boys start soccer practice, so I know I'll want to blog about that tomorrow. Which means I HAD to get one very important thing down first. My Granddad turned 97 on Aug. 30th!! Isn't that a blessing?!

We all got together to celebrate him over Labor Day weekend. We had birthday brunch and the menu was off-the-chain. Grits, corned beef hash, eggs, waffles, pancakes, cinnamon apples (which I made and they were goooood), sausage, two kinds of bacon, coffee, orange juice and then...CAKE.

The kids had a blast playing with their cousins and eating everything under the sun. I loved seeing all my family together - even my brothers, who are usually MIA. And we all loved thinking about the blessings that my Granddad's near-century of living has brought. The older I get, the more I realize that family means everything. I'm grateful to have such a big and boisterous group of people who I love and who I know love me.

97 and still smiling!

Granddad and my sister Kadija.

Granddad doesn't move out of this chair, so we all had to pose for pics with him here.

Matty and Clair waiting for food.

Isn't Matty the cutest?

My boys love Auntie Hira!

My oldest nephew, Kalonji. Can't believe he'll be 13 in November.

My brother Rashad's daughter Nasya, Aminah, Kalonji, Kwahli and Russy.

Nasya, Matty, Aminah, Kalonji, Kwahli and Russy.

I love how Matty is looking at Dean. His little face cracks me up!

Kwahli and Alahna

My brother Rashad! So happy to see him!!

My Dad did most of the cooking. Everything was delicious!

Clair had on a pretty dress, but she spilled my whole cup of coffee over on herself and me. So we had to change her clothes. I had to walk around in coffee-stained clothes.

The Holmes Family.

My Mom put 97candles on Granddad's cake. It took three people to light it.

This is what it looked like all lit. Call the Fire Marshal! Seriously, after he blew out the candles, we all almost choked from the smoke. LOL.

Granddad is so special he had to have two cakes! Kadija and her family brought this one. Dean said, "How did trees get on a cake?" And Cary said, "They just grew!"

This man has been alive almost 100 years. He still eats any and everything he wants. He is healthy as a horse. And sharp as a tack. I said to him, "Let's do this again in another 97 years." He said, "I'll be here!"

My sister and me, doling out cake.

Clair was soooo tired, but not too tired to eat cake and ice cream.

Twins!

Dean and his Granddad. I hope Dean and Cary get to celebrate HIS 97th birthday!

My brother Haleem showed up -- late, of course. But he came!

Haleem and Cary!

And just because we were there  marveling at Granddad's 97 years, we had to pull out the photo albums. Such GEMS in here! I could look at these old photos all day.

That's my Granddad in 1973 giving my Dad a look that says, "Why won't you cut your hair?!"

That's my beautiful Grandma holding my Dad in her arms. Isn't she amazing?

My Dad!

That's my Grandma on the right and my Aunt Pearl. Aunt Pearl was a hot ticket, wasn't she?  I think my sister Tahira looks like her a little.

And just for good measure, that's my Mom (weighing in at 90 lbs.), holding me as a little baby, and kneeling next to me in my stroller. We're in front of my Grandma and Granddad's house -- the same spot where I took the picture of Matty with the hula hoop!

Anyway, it was quite a stroll down memory lane and quite a marvelous day. I'm so happy my kids got to be a part of their Pop-Pop's 97th birthday. I hope they'll get to be a part of his 100th!