Back to School

Yesterday was back to school and everyone had a new first.  Trent started his first day of high school. Teagan began her first day of middle school.  These two take off first at 7:30 a.m.

Then these two follow shortly after at 7:45 a.m.  So thankfully everyone leaves about the same time which makes it possible for devotional to happen at a sane hour.  Brilee had her first day of Montessori school (3rd grade).  And Benjamin had orientation for kindergarten which will start next week.  Since he left a little later for that he filled the gap with extra long teeth brushing, rinsing with mouth wash, and asking me to put gel in his hair.  I love the gel look but normally he wants nothing to do with it.  But he was good with some extra primping yesterday, which just cracked me up!  But the result:  a super handsome kid WITH fresh breath!

Splish Splash Hawaiian Bash

Brilee was born the day after Christmas.  It isn't exactly the best time to have a friend birthday party and so she has never had one.  And always wanted one.  And I've been promising her one for the last couple years.  So now that we finally have some grass and landscaping we threw Brilee a big Splish Splash Hawaiian Luau Bash!  She invited about ten friends. 

We played three games:  pass the coconut (like hot potato), beachball toss, and a tropical relay where the girls had to put on a grass skirt, large flower lei, big pair of flip flops, big straw hat, and crazy glasses.  Then the part they were all dying for - the water slide...

 

 We served the yummiest luau punch in pineapple cups, cake, and for the ice cream Teagan and Taryn (my party assistants) served sorbet in pineapple, coconut, orange, and lemon halves.  My friend MaLea introduced me to it and it went along perfect with our party theme.  Plus they are delicious!  You can buy them at Costco.

 These guys worked their tails off getting the new trampoline put in by party time.  It had only arrived the day before the party, our old one was a saggy, droopy danger zone. 

 

 Long after the party was over neighbor kids stuck around and decorated our sidewalk with their beautiful artwork.  The birthday girl sporting her new shades...

 Benjamin and Shaylie played endlessly with the dragons...

By the end of the day we still had a houseful and they decided to make it a sleepover.  Brilee got a Disney make-up kit and that led to some serious pink eyeshadow make overs.  Then they raided the girls' dress closet and wanted me to take pictures of them.  They were pretty silly by this time of night.  Brilee loved every minute of  her first official friend birthday party!

Bear Lake

The Savage Crew had their annual "pow-wow" at Bear Lake this year.  Grandpa and Grandma rented some cabins and they had a beautiful view.  My niece, Chantel, designed shirts with this on the front...

and this on the back...

I thought they were cute since people will randomly sing that song to us from the Disney movie, Pocahontas.  The hot tub was a hit and the kids were constantly in it when we were at the cabin.

We played some games, in fact Trent struck up a game of Monopoly with anyone willing to play.

Benjamin won his beloved Starbursts in the candy bar game.

We took a tour of Minnetonka Cave which is full of stalagtites and stalagmites.  It was kinda cool.

No matter how many pictures we took of Trent his eyes were closed in all of them.

The cave is huge and a chilly 40 degrees year round.

This was the one they actually let us touch.

Then we had lunch and a couple hours on the beach.  It was beautiful weather that day!

That night we went to Pickleville Playhouse for dinner and to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  It was a great show, Pickleville always does an awesome job.

The next day we wanted to be on the beach all day but the weather didn't cooperate so we finally came back to the cabin and fixed lunch...

Aunt Lisa brought sugar cookies and the kids had fun decorating them. 

Brilee said, "Take a picture of my cookie glasses, Mom."

Shayna is an awesome decorator...

Bruce and Grandpa had to jump in the hot tub with the kids to get warm after the long, chilly trip bringing the boats back from North Beach.

One night we tried Bear Lake Pizza Company's "Old Ephraim" which is an enormous 28" pizza with 20 slices, each slice being 14" long.  To give you an idea this slice in on a large dinner size paper plate...

We tried again the next day for more beach time.  We did have a little better luck but it didn't last as long as we hoped before the wind came along.

This was Benjamin's butterfly friend.  The kids got a kick out of seeing this beautiful insect close up but I think he ultimately had a bad wing...

Thanks for the cousin fun Grandpa and Grandma!