Fifty is Nifty

We had a great time celebrating Vicke's 50th birthday at Scott and Tina's house. Honestly, I've never seen so much green in one place. Scott said, "This isn't "Vicke Green;" it's  freakin' green!" It started with the clothes. Most party-goers wore some shade of green. Yes, it was a bit obnoxious, but silly and fun, too. Here's the most recent photo of the Harness clan. I'm certain that everyone is just as grateful as I am for these kind of family get-togethers.

The menu began with simple petros as well as hot dogs cooked on the open fire. Then we got creative with all of the extras. You would be surprised at how many "Vicke Green" foods that are out there. The "Vicke Green" appetizers included jalapeno poppers, spinach and artichoke dip, guacamole, and asparagus rolls. Sorry for such a blurred photo:

Next, came the "Vicke Green" side dishes: fruit salad (layered honey dew, green apples, green grapes, and kiwi), pea salad,  broccoli toss, veggie tray (broccoli, celery, and cucumbers), and a lime congealed salad.

Then, came the "Vicke Green" desserts. My brother-in-law Greg made the birthday cake as shown above. But of course we had more: key lime cake, million dollar pie, tapioca pudding (always one of Vicke's favorites, but this time Mom used green maraschino cherries instead of the red ones), banana bread with a green tinted cream cheese topping, and Easter s'mores made with green peeps.

In addition to extended family members attending, Vicke really enjoyed close friends and former classmates who came bearing well wishes. It was a real "blast from the past" for West High graduates, some who I hadn't seen in 30 years. From left to right:  Lynn (Smeltzer) Raymond, Tina (Irwin) Harness, Scott Harness, Jackie (Harness) Bailey, the birthday girl Vicke (Harness) Pyles, Mike Zavels, Steven Pyles, Keely Moore, Apryl Pyles, KK (Harness) Moore, Tammy (Waggoner) Zavels, and Harry Paris

Although I can tease that "50 sucks," we all knew that this fifty was indeed quite nifty.  :)