But wait! There's more!

Not only is today Puppy Bowl Sunday--it's my sister Bonnie's birthday! As it happens, she's come down to visit us from her home in Kansas, and Jenny and Jeff are up from Orlando. It's nice to have so much of the family together. So this year I thought it would be fitting to wish Bonnie a happy birthday by showing a few family portraits that Mike had squirreled away.

First is this one taken in 1974, when Bonnie was seven years old. She's third from the left.

Here she is two years later, with Jenny and Mike at Halloween. Looks like it was a rough two years for Mike.

I think this one's interesting. Bonnie is second from the right, and Jenny is second from the left. The other people are their four cousins from Jeannie's side of the family. Mike says it looks like they might be "kissing cousins," whatever that is.

A couple of years ago our family got together at Ft. Knox to see M and J's grandkids (my adoptive niece and nephew) in a play called Bye Bye Birdie. (L-R: "Little" Mike, Jenny, Jeannie, Mike, Annabelle, and Bonnie)

I had to stay home from that trip, even though I was part of the clan by then. To read about my incarceration and more about the play, click here.

The very next month they all went to Jamaica (except for yours truly, who got boarded--UH-gain!) Here's a group shot from the day they went snorkeling.

And one of Bonnie snorkeling with my adoptive brother-in-law, Fred.

I guess I don't miss that part of the trip too much, because as you may know, I think swimming in any form is unpleasant. But then, so is going to the slammer.

One of the biggest group photos I found in M's archives was this one from Christmas Day of 2009. (L-R: Mike, "Little" Mike, Jeff (my other adoptive brother-in-law), Jenny, Jeannie, Annabelle, Grandma Grace, Bonnie, and Grandpa Dave. Unfortunately Fred was in Afghanistan, but was able to Skype with them on Christmas morning.)

The next day, Annabelle, Bonnie, Mike, Jenny, and Jeannie finished this gi-normous jigsaw puzzle they'd been working on. It's a picture of Polish Easter eggs.

Family gatherings are special, aren't they? And so is Bonnie! Happy Birthday, Sis!

PS - Bonnie and Jenny's names were both inspired by songs. To hear Bonnie's, check out the video clip at the bottom of last year's birthday post.