Lobster Party 2012

The best party of the summer was a bit different this year. Due to the fact that I can't eat dairy and I didn't have a ton of saved milk (so I didn't want to pump and dump), I decided it wasn't worth me staying for dinner and dancing. It was a tough decision to make as the party is seriously so fun, but I knew I didn't want to be drinking on an empty stomach, and literally everything served at the party has butter of some sort on it!

Instead, I brought the boys down to the beach for cocktails and appys and to socialize for a bit. We were able to snap a few pictures. It was out of control hot (above 90 and humid as all get out) but it wasn't sunny, so that helped a little bit. It is awful when it's that hot as everyone is dressed up and looks so cute and then is just standing around sweating through everything. Uggg.... You hate to be outside at one of the biggest social events of the summer and feel gross like that, you know?

Love these two!

Fake smile much, Spence??

This one is better, but I should have been holding Peter upright. Notice the hickey on my shoulder from my little baracuda!!

Spencer and his cousin. He is obsessed with her! They're really sweet together and we're hoping they always love each other like they do now!

I'm going to frame this one!

B's pants and his dad's shorts.

Spencer spent most of his time burying his shoes in the sand. It kept him quite occupied, so I was happy!!

Can't you just feel the humidity when you look at this picture? The air was so heavy.

The pretty grasses at the dunes

After we socialized sufficiently, I took the boys back to my mom's house and put them down. I then ate dinner and watched the Olympics until B called to have me come pick him up (I did not want him driving). He said the band was great (as they always are) and he had fun hanging out with his brother, sister in law, and his cousins. I'm just going to be counting down til next year!!

Lobster Party 2011

Boy, oh boy, it was H-O-T when we arrived at the party.  We got down to the beach around 6 p.m., and most of us filled up a cocktail glass and headed down to the lake to put our feet in and chat while cooling ourselves off.  After about 20 minutes of feet cooling, we went up to take pictures on the dunes, refill our cocktails, have some appetizers, and chat it up with the fam.

Spencer, 15 months

Harbor Springs, MI

All the cousins together.  The three older ones were so delightful with the two babies.  It was lovely to see!  You can see the darling lobster bows in this picture.  The girls all loved them.

PGT and LGT

(different middle names though)

All smiles from my two amazing boys.  God in Heaven, thank you for these two blessings.  There isn't anything better than their happy smiles!!!!

A and his girlfriend, A came in from the East Coast for the party.

Family pic

About 8 p.m., my mom came up to get SYT and LGT to take them home for the night.  It was definitely night night time for the little ones.  We were then able to eat our lobster dinners and dance with the band.  Around 9:30 the other little ones left to go home as did B's parents and one of my SIL's.  The rest of us stayed to dance some more and then........the rain started!!!  Not the best thing to happen at an outside party :(

Sister-in-laws make life SO much better!!!!!!

It started pouring around 10 p.m.  The band had to stop playing early which was a bummer.  It did cool the weather off for the rest of the week, which was nice!!  We all had a wonderful, wonderful time as always!

SYT's gonna look cute in August!!

I picked these darling lobster shorts up for Spence this weekend.  Won't they be perfect for the Lobster party??  I have been searching and searching for lobster stuff for him, and I bought these as soon as I saw them.  L-O-V-E!!

Knowing that Michigan weather is very, very fickle, I also found a rollneck navy sweater with a red lobster on the front that is by LL Bean on ebay.  I'll take it up north just in case!

My two boys will be soooo cute together.  Cannot wait!

Lobster party- family pics

This last one is my favorite (though I look quite wide in the chest region!!)

These dunes are where you will see many, many families taking pictures on lobster party night.  We won't be using any of these for our Christmas card this year as SYT will change so much between now and then, but I'm sure one year our picture will come from this party!!  It's just a great, gorgeous, simple spot to get a family snapshot.  I mean, really, can you beat the blue sky against the reed grass?  Gorgeous!

Lobster party- appetizer

Seriously, this is WAY yummy and way healthy.  And still so incredibly pretty on a plate. 

Recipe:

Cucumber (fresh from the garden)

Watermelon (we used yellow, pink would be just as cute)

Feta (the block kind, not the crumbled kind)

Mint

Cracked black pepper

Peel the cuke, score with fork and slice.  Place on skewer.  Chunk the watermelon, place on skewer.  Cut the feta into squares, place on skewer.  Be careful with the feta as it is soft and will crumble easily.  Mince the mint and sprinkle over top.  Grind some pepper over top.  Serve on a white tray with extra mint for garnish.  Done! 

I got a ton of compliments on this- you will too!

Lobster Party- the set up

So, here starts the lobster party.

The tables are set with checked tableclothes, lanterns, buckets for lobster and clam shells, and table names to tell you where to sit.  The beach is cleared and just waiting for all the excitement.

Let the cocktailing begin.  The cocktail "hour" usually lasts about two, and it's a chance for all those who come for this part of the summer to catch up or get reaquainted.  It's also a chance to check out who's wearing what, hear all the latest gossip, and to get family pictures for the Christmas card by the dunes.  Appetizers and drinks are brought by each family as they await their lobster and filet dinner (the best part of this year's dinner was definitely the sweet corn- no butter, no salt, no pepper, just the perfect ear of corn).

After the delish dinner, the dancing begins.  The Jelly Roll Blues Band plays ever year, and they couldn't be more fantastic.  Kids, adults, grandparents- everyone hits the dance floor and enjoys the amazing summer night.  The just barely chilly air makes you feel alive, and the band sings Van Morrison as you dance with your dad, your mom, your husband, your newest baby. 

It's always a night to remember.  Thanks H&D for sharing it with us year after year!!

ETA: There were about 400 people this year.  Last year it was 550, the biggest ever.  It really is a HUGE deal.