It was the first of April and I started out the door to meet Dr. North for lunch when there was a knock on the door and the baby was settled for the photo as mother Sanderson and grandmother Sanderson posed for the family picture before I drove to Somerville for my curry which shone better with less light as did this curry that Steve ate. After lunch, I returned home where the party table the party balloons the party boy the party chess game the party boy's sister and her friend and the party boy's mother were waiting for the guests to arrive.

First came Jeremy and Sam who headed out with Ben to start the basketball game

which became part of the board game party. As I recorded the welcome window I recalled previous Ben birthday's including

2004 and 2004 party

2003
and 2001 birthday and 2001 party
and 2000 with the sad observation that in 2002 my camera was broken and there was a shortage of new digital cameras.

at which point it was time to return to the basketball game

as Betsy and Bobby Sands arrived and the game grew

though I took a break for a self portrait as others arrived and played and the recycling rested and the cake (not a cake! but brownies) was on display and Josephine finished up as Ben Strauss joined the game for my artistic picture of the ball on stones as a larger game made room for Nate who brought this card and came with Hannah and Laura The game continued even as spectators arrived and wondered whether to call fouls but instead we brought people in for board games as the shoes were neatly lined up to Suzanne's amusement as the monopoly phase of the party

progressed as Jane and John drove off to get the hoagies and Audrey appeared to drop off Joel so that the games could continue even as Sarah arrived home and opened and displayed her Race for the Cure special edition shoes. After a few more rolls of the dice the games were over and it was hoagie time as the guests assembled around the table and Sarah ate while telling stories. The views around the table amused Jane and her friends as we took one last photo and then set up the basketball under the lights game before brining out the cake getting ready blowing out the candles and enjoying the decorations as Ben got and opened the one gift that would be relevant to the party. Afterwards, some watched the Incredibles and some played Apples to Apples. Being in the latter group, I gave up my role as photo journalist.