Lake Monroe

This year we took our Klinker vacation earlier in the summer, since we didn't have to wait for any babies to be born ;)  Unfortunately Michael and Stacy weren't able to make the trip this year due to their move to Denver and it just wasn't quite the same without them.

The first day we met on the lake and rented a double-decker pontoon boat (a tiger-striped double-decker pontoon boat!) with a slide like we did last year.  Again, it was a BIG HIT!  The girls had no fear going off the slide, despite the two-foot drop from the slide to the water.

We spent all afternoon on the boat, which included a picnic lunch and lots of breaks to swim and float about.

The girls got to go tubing, which was great because the pontoon boat was just their speed...slow and steady.

Rose was brave enough to tube all by herself this year.

She had way more fun than it looks like in this picture :)

Ava and Madeline had tubing buddies.  Clearly the ride wasn't as exhilarating for them (hence the beer in Ben's hand ;)

The babies were just precious toddling about the boat in their ity-bity swimsuits.  They spent the day taking in all the action around them.  They could not have been easier (or cuter) that day!

The guys added a little danger to the outing, of course, by diving and flipping off the top deck.  Luckily, nobody broke anything!

Their form was near perfection!

After spending all day on the boat, we packed everyone up around dinner time and headed to the cabin about 20 minutes away.  It was a very spacious place (called the Snuggled Inn :), with a room for each couple as well as a separate room for the girls.  We were all so exhausted from our fun in the sun, that we just chilled the rest of the night, then turned in early to save up our energy for skiing the next day.



The second day, we rented a speed boat in the afternoon.  There was a big storm predicted to hit at the same hours we were supposed to be boating, so we were a little worried about how much actual ski time we were going to have.  However, I think the weatherman just wanted to get into our heads because it only rained for 2 minutes out of the entire afternoon!  The water was calm and the sun was in and out the entire day...perfect skiing weather!

We did a little wakeboarding...

...a little skiing...

...and Paul and Ben did a little slaloming, which was pretty awesome to watch, I must say.

Since we couldn't all fit on the speed boat at the same time, Joy and another adult took turns watching the little ones at the beach.

Once we got back to the cabin, we finished off the evening with a bonfire and smores....yum!

Rose came up with a fun idea for making smores on a stick...put M&Ms inside the marshmallow, then roast.  

It was chocolate gooey goodness!

Can't you tell? :)

After we got the little ones down, we finished off our last night there with drinks, a game of Buzz Word, and some late night chats.

On our last day of vacation, we spent the day at one of the many beaches along the lake, building sand castles, swimming, and catching some rays.

It was such a fun trip, we are already looking forward to next year!

Hugs!

Glam Girls

Yesterday, Rose, Ava, and I went to a birthday party for their friend, Whitney who recently turned 5.  It was at a place called Club Tabby in the mall...a dream store for any little girl.  They had about every accessory there known to man, a stage and dress-up clothes to use for birthday parties....AND they do hair and nails.

The girls before they got all glammed up

Each girl got her nails done with the color(s) of her choosing.  Rose chose orange and black tiger nails and Ava chose zebra nails with pink and black stripes.  Then they were given 5 or 6 different options of hairstyles they could choose from.  Of course my girls and Whitney all chose the Rockstar hairstyle,  despite Whitney's mom's futile efforts to get her to choose something more feminine.  The stylist twisted little pieces of hair from the top of their heads, put it in a ponytail, then added a crazy colorful hairpiece.  They each got to finish it off with 3 hair colors of their choice...and glitter, of course.  My girls were in glam Heaven!

Whitney, the birthday girl

Diva Rose

Diva Ava

Here are the Glam Girls showing off their new looks on the stage...high heels and all!  ...My girls are such posers!

Everyone even got to make rings from a ring kit Whitney's mom bought from Club Tabby.  They were so excited for all their flair!

Madeline and Ella stayed home with a sitter, but we did bring home a ring  for Madeline so she could share in the glam fun.  She always wants to be like the "big" girls.

Works of art!

Needless to say, this party was one my girls will never forget.  Rose is already planning her glamour party for her birthday!

My two little Rockstars

Hugs!