Anniversary Weekend at Big Bear Lake

This weekend Joe and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary (actually it was 1 year July 11). We decided to take our new mountain bikes and go to Big Bear Lake. We stayed in a small hotel right next to the sky chair. We shopped at The Village, ate some wonderful food, and went on several bike rides. It was so great to spend time just the two of us.

Jenna's 8th Birthday Luau!!

This year for Jenna's birthday we wanted to do something really fun and special for two reasons: 1. Last year we had just gotten married (we actually had the Luau on our 1st anniversary) and we didn't get to do a whole lot for her 7th birthday; and 2. She turned 8 this year and it is a very special time for her. She will be getting baptized August 1.

Joe and I went to Party City and had a ball finding tons of Luau party stuff. We had planned to surprise her, but ended up telling her because she kept saying she wanted to have a "Puppy party" (whatever that is??) and I got sick of hearing her whine about it. Once she realized what we had planned, she was so excited.

I wanted to have the Luau at night so that the Tiki torches we had bought would look cool, so we had the party at 6pm. We got out the big slip and slide for the first part of the party. The kids had fun on that for about five minutes--they were too excited to start the Luau in the back yard. We had invited about 20 friends and family and by about 7pm everyone had arrived. We had a Hula Hoop contest, and Limbo contest and then just ate sandwiches, fruit, chips and dip, and Heather's Hawaiian slush (I should have made at least twice as much--it was gone in minutes!).

I made chocolate cup cakes and put little paper umbrella's on top to make them look like Tiki huts and then decorated her cake with umbrella's as well. We opened gifts--All of which were great. Lots of craft stuff for Jenna to enjoy creating things.

After gifts and cake, we just hung out, listened to Hawaiian music, and made paper grass skirts. It was dark and we had hung paper lanturns, lights, and had Tiki torches, so we stayed out until about 11pm.

We had so much fun for Jenna's birthday and it was a nice night for our anniversary as well. We love Jenna very much and we are so proud of the young lady she is. I can't wait to see her baptism!!