ION, should I be feeling put out that my brother just posted pictures from his birthday party on Facebook; a party that I was not invited to, that was held less than a mile from where I'm living? A place I drove past earlier today when I went grocery shopping?

Should I?

I would be very put out, but I tend to be sensitive to such things.

"Sorry I couldn't make it - next time you should invite me!"

I sort of did that. I commented that it looked like a fun party and I wished I could have been there.

This link will self-destruct later, but I just have to share.

We had family pictures taken when I was on vacation a month ago. I think this is my absolute favorite. It shows my nephew's personality SO much: [link]

Oh, cute kid!

quester, obviously your brother was having a big stoner/BDSM/X party, and you are a clean-living teetotalling vanilla celibate.

I mean, that's the logical assumption, right?

Ok, I have to go get groceries, but now I think I may try to persuade my husband to go get fancy ice cream with me first!

Pix, ND, tons and tons of good vibes coming your way. I hope they find the problem and enact a solution way fast.

It's more likely they just planned it at a family gathering and didn't think to invite anyone else, with school beginning and all. At least that's what I hope.

Oh, cute kid!

Cass, there's also this one that has kind of hilarious backstory. Every time we get family pictures taken, we sibs (with SIL) do a silly picture. Last time we did the cuckoo pose from Sound of Music. This time, we all laid across a table pretending to look serious. Until a little boy decided he just couldn't be left out of this picture and crawled up onto the table to pose just like mama, daddy, auntie, and uncle. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard (photographic evidence of laughter: [link] If you look really hard you can see nephew's hair poking over us). But, it ended with this great picture, which really, no one else will probably get how funny and cool and special it is, but I'll love it anyways: [link]

amyth- not recently, but i used to live half a block away, and now i'm more like a 20 minute drive away. That's like a whole world in Portland!

quester- i'm sure there's a reason....but i'd be sulking in hole at the perceived insult. it has also been pointed out that due to adolescent and teenage shunning i'm super paranoid about that sort of thing.

I love that picture of Coop. His expression is priceless. That's frame-worthy.