Belly Laughs

Patrick, the coach, accidently (?) hitting one of his own team members with a wild pitch and his brother’s reaction.  The re-enactment later, after dinner and a few beverages was beyond hilarious. 

Izzy and Anja sitting at the patio table with a bin of nail polish, chatting about who knows what and being girly.

Patrick sharing that it was Karen’s idea for my gift which was dead-on perfect!

Joan and I chatting alone, with our cosmopolitans, while the madness went on elsewhere. 

John and Matt in deep conversation at the patio table, the subject of which I will never know, nor need to.

All of the kids and a bunch of neighbor kids playing kick-ball on the front lawn, even letting me take a couple of kicks while Izzy ran my bases.

Donovan, The Great Frog Whisperer with a bunch of his buddies at the creek, squealing like pigs when they found a bullfrog.

The way Anja’s kinky hair amazes Izzy and how she plays with it.

Patrick doctoring up the orzo salad I brought because it didn’t have much taste and the comments shooting from the window at me as he did it.  “Don’t go handing me a bag of bread crumbs and a stalk of celery at Thanksgiving and tell me it’s the stuffing!”  I will never hear the end of that orzo salad. . .I hope!

Donovan dancing on the outside furniture and leaping like a mutant gazelle from one piece to another.

Patrick cursing over trying to separate frozen meat and the gas running out on the grill.

Karen telling ethnically inappropriate stories and offering opinions that had us all rolling on the floor, even though we knew we shouldn’t.  She was on a roll!

The cushion that tipped from the back of the chair and fell flat, though no one had touched it and there was no wind.  At that moment I felt it was Wally telling us he was with us, too.  He would have LOVED yesterday and said, “This place is a Nut House!”

The game of “Who would play you in the movie?”  They had to haul out the technology to find everyone’s perfect choice, with some matching looks and some matching personality. It was unanimous that mine hit both. . .Kathy Bates would play me.  “You dirty birdy, you cockatoody. . .”  Nice.

The look on Izzy’s face when her parents were telling stories about her.  I have never, ever seen the child laugh so hard.  I’ll see that face turning red, dimples digging in and eyes running with tears in hysterics forever!  A great moment.

Patrick trying to start the patio heater and Karen’s aside comments about what a piece ’o crap it is.  Then each man offering a solution. . .and one-liners to help. . .none of which worked or were appreciated.

But the very best for me was my son’s telling stories of their childhood and how they perceived me as a mom.  From the “ghetto in a box” (a laundry drying umbrella); to the whistle I called them with when they were little and playing outside, (I had laryngitis and was singing in a play and couldn’t shout).  One toot meant knock-off-whatever-you-are-doing!  Two toots meant get-your-asses-home. . .and even their friends would scatter for home.  There were stories about neighborhood mischief, petty thefts, water fights and classroom antics.  It’s clear both of them could easily do stand-up comedy.  What one doesn’t say, the other does.  It’s a perfect dance of wit and sass.  I learned a lot.  I laughed so hard that next time I’m wearing Depends!  But the best was the picture I have of them laughing together, albeit in a common goal of picking on mom.  Wow! There is no laughter like that of siblings!

It was a day of “making memories” and I will be forever grateful for the gut-busting, side-splitting, pants-peeing, belly laughs that my family provides.  A bazillion Hearprints!