Fifty

Know what happens when you have three grown children and four grandchildren?

 Oldest...

 Middle...

Youngest!

I was just setting my camera with this one, but look how cute it turned out!

My dad...and his four grandchildren.

Well, first those grown children make you sit with those four grandchildren and take lots of pictures.

 Group pictures involving one tired baby girl and three wiggly boys can be a challenge!

And in some of those pictures you will be expected to make monster faces with your grandsons.

And having three grown children and four grandchildren means that they will eventually conspire against you (with your wife of course) to throw you a huge party just to point out that you are now FIFTY years old!

And at this party there will be embarrassing presents such as the Loss of Control Kit from your youngest daughter.  (Don't worry, your son will redeem us all by buying you something worthwhile like a Blue Ray DVD player.)

And while the party was supposed to be a total surprise, you will only pretend to be surprised (big families can't keep secrets for six months after all) that is until the cake you weren't expecting is revealed...crude candles (purchased by your youngest) and all.  (Thank goodness those grandbabies can't read yet!)  And no worries...it may seem like a lot of candles, but those grandsons of yours will be up to the task!

All of your favorite people will be invited to this party, and there will be good food and fun games.

Eventually the sun will set and a fire will be lit...

 Yes, that is my child and he his filthy!  Outdoor living is dirty fun!

And when it gets really dark and the party is still in full swing someone will pull out the sparklers (which will give your oldest, camera-obsessed daughter a chance to try out a new photography style*)!

The party will carry on long into the wee hours of morning of course.  When it is all said and done people will look back and talk about what an awesome good time it was too.

Happy Birthday, Dad!  May we have more amazing birthdays (and parties) to come!

*There's a name for this type of photography though that name eludes me right now.  It didn't turn out quite right...probably a combination of the fact that it was my first try and the one holding the sparkler was my four year old!  I think it still looks pretty cool though!