Ray and Ailsa's 80th Birthdays

Last Saturday night we had a bit of a birthday bash! All the family celebrated with Ray and Ailsa (Stephens parents) their 80th birthdays. Both were born in 1932, Ray on January 18 and Ailsa on June 22nd. Since they are away in Broome in June, to get away from the cold of winter, we decided to celebrate them together.

We invited 25 people and then had to work out how we were going to fit everyone in. Tape measures out, phone calls to party hire...finally we worked out we could fit 3 tables in our dinning/family room. 

 We had to hire two tables, chairs, wine glasses some crockery and all the cutlery.

Had to buy a few roses for the tables as ours were looking pretty sick due to the hot weather we have been having.

 I didn't take a lot of photo's as I was pretty busy during the night.

 Ailsa and Ray

 Stephen...last one to be served

We arranged for the local butcher to cook and slice a butt of beef. All we had to do was pick it up and it was ready to serve. 

Sue and I made broccoli, mango, beetroot, rice, pasta and garden salads the day before and had to put most of them in plastic zip lock bags because I didn't have enough room in the fridge. Then just had to plate them up in the afternoon ready to go. Michelle made a potato salad and bought that over on the night. We decided we wanted something a bit different than the usual...they were all very yummy and I will be making them again.

Table 1 from left...Renae, Brooke, Damien, Kendall, Jessica, Jarrod, Brandon, Harley (who came all the way from Bali) Paula and Owen. Renae, Paula and Owen are Stephens children. Brooke and Kendall are Bruce and Sues children, Damien is Brooks husband (they have just had their wedding in Bali). Harley, Jarrod, Jessica and Brandon are Russell and Michelle's children.

Table 3 Jill and Lee (Ray's nephew).  Michelle and Russell, Marlene (Ailsa's niece - Ethel's daughter)   Bruce and his wife Sue (don't know what I would have done without her to help me).

Table 2 Stephen, Phil and Aunty Ethel, Ailsa and Ray and Aunty Pauline and Uncle Bob...yes Bob's your uncle!!  Ethel is Ailsa's sister and Pauline is Ray's sister.

  After dinner it was time to blow out the candles...

 ....and cut the cake

 Most of the crowd...a few had already left by the time we got around to taking this shot

....and one more with Jill in it this time.

 We had a slide show running during the night with about 550 photo's..it took about an hour and a half to run through.....after about the 3rd time the kids got bored and hijacked the computer.

 Grandma and Grandpa with a few of their grandchildren. Harley's arrival from Bali was a big surprise for both of them, they hadn't seen him for about three and a half years.

4 Cousins...Bruce, Lee, Stephen and Russell

This is just a sample of the slideshow that was shown on the night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAY AND AILSA XX