We got up before seven and were on the road by eight to get to Tampa for our nephew-type-person’s bar mitzvah. That meant for the first time since my cousin’s 2004 wedding, sherlock had to get dressed up.

Funny thing about ties: if you haven’t worn one in six years, it takes a minute or ten to remember how to tie one! We all gave it a go.

But in the end, the tie was successfully tied, and pictures were forced upon those who were disinclined to be photographed.

My camera inexplicably turns my Colombian family yellow in indoor shots. I don’t have photoshop on this machine, so I can’t fix the hues right now.

Dang, no fully body shot, so you can’t appreciate the shoes that killed my feet.

After the service, two hummer limos pulled up to take the kids to the party. Must be nice! I’ve never ridden in a hummer limo.

Three cousins in a hummer

Arriving at the reception

dancing queen

They had these giant, inflatable gerbil wheels and were conducting races for the kids. But the MC kept saying adults could race too, as the wheels would hold up to 250 pounds. I kept looking over to RTY. She looked like she wanted to take her turn, but is at that age where she’s just too cool for such fun nonsense. So, I went over and suggested she and I race. That’s me in the wheel in the foreground, and RTY in the rear.

She won. That was exhausting. And fun!

My niece worships RTY. RTY is at that age where she doesn’t always appreciate having a six year old glomming onto her all the time.

Oh, more yellow. Stupid camera.

Proud parents. But I managed to get no pictures at all of the bar mitzvah boy.

Later, they had mini bike races. Sherlock and I were two of only four adults that embraced the silliness. And… I won!

My husband, his sister/cousin, and his aunt.

Over at the kids tables, RTY caught a boy’s eye. He seemed quite smitten.

Cheesecake!

They exchanged phone numbers. I’m all in favor of a long-distance relationship. You can’t get pregnant if you never see each other.

Her mom forced her to wear purple dress shoes. She wore them an hour before swapping for combat boots!

D&J threw one heck of a party.

wRitErsbLock