Birthday bowling

For my birthday this year, because of how much fun we had bowling over Christmas break, I requested an old school bowling birthday party with my family. (Just after I got this idea in my head, a friend - hi, Sarah! - and her husband pulled off a big bowling party for her birthday and it was so neat that it sealed the deal for my own birthday dreams.

The itinerary:

Bowl

Pizza party at home

Cake

Part I: Bowling

Five of us (Josh, Mom, Dad, Brother and I - my sis joined us later for cake and pizza) pulled up a couple of lanes at our local bowling alley.  I knew it was a good omen when I found a ball that was 1) 10 pounds 2) red and 3) had a hole big enough for my thumb.  (I guess bowling ball manufacturers don't expect weaklings who seek out 9- or 10-pound balls to have monster thumbs.)  

We got started, and my lane (Josh, Brother and I) got out of the gates slowly, in contrast to my mom and dad, who were both flinging strikes and spares left and right.

Then, later in the first game, I found my stride and my mom started to taper off, although she still surpassed her goal of 80. I finished with 106 (seven pins off my best!) and my mom leaned over and said something I will not relay on M&L but classifies as trash talk.  Game on!

Game faces for my brother and me

Well, not exactly.  We all faltered in the second game, I think, except Josh, who whompomped all of us.  It was pizza time.

Part II: Pizza party

After snacks and two episodes of "Lassie" - not kidding - we started the pizzas.  Mom had assembled a grand spread of pizza toppings and had dough rising when we got back home. We each started preparing our individual pies.  I learned that I had to spin my section of dough in the air to properly and evenly distribute the dough.

Who did it better? Josh...

...or me?

They suggested that I was doing it wrong. The gall!

Then came the toppings: lots of cheese, pepperoni, chicken, olives, artichokes, and on and on and on. No mushrooms on mine, though.

  

I split my pizza between a caprese pie (tomato sauce with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil) and a traditional pepperoni with olives and other things.

And they were great.  I want to do this for a dinner party of my own someday!

Part III: The cake

Cake. Very important. For several years - I don't remember when this started - my mom has made a lemon cake for me with a lemon pudding sort of topping.  It is delightful and just light and fluffy enough to allow one to sit in front of the pan and eat it all day long.

Candles, too.

Because March 11 fell on a Sunday this year, I got to spend the whole day with my family.  It was a wonderful way to ring in 28, and I am so grateful to all of them for pulling it together.