Pirate Birthday Part 1- The Friends

This year Isabel planned an overnight Sailing Pirate Party on our boat with her 3 best friends.

 

Friday afternoon,  JJ went ahead to the Lake and enjoyed a couple estrogen free hours sailing alone while I rounded up the friends. A moving epidemic has broken out where we live-- 2 of her best friends live on opposite sides of the phoenix metropolis and her last friend will be moving soon-- which made this weekend extra special for Isabel.

After rendezvousing with friends, swapping Laney and Jordan for sleepovers at their own friends, and grabbing some grub, we made it to the lake just in time for sunset!

--Video from the car ride--

Here we are, crashing JJ's party

We pulled into our cove for the night and got ready for our night swim.

Some campers drove in on a truck and broke out the booming rap music.

We weighed a night with the rappers and booze with the risk of hitting hazards or sandbars motoring in the dark and...

We moved.

We found our own private Island with only the soundtrack of jumping fish and distant braying wild donkeys.

The kids settled in for the night and watched the live action Peter Pan on our mini DVD

Cozied up in their comfy beds

JJ and I slept out on the deck benches--

It was a bit hard on the back but the stars were beautiful! 

Breakfast was served @..... 5:30 am...

 " How did you sleep girls? "

 

We decided to name our Island IHIA (eye-hi-uh) after their initials.

We took advantage of the winds in the morning and sailed around the lake pulling the raft behind

In their own words " swarming the raft like ants for food"

While Izzy and Isabel rode on the raft, Anya took a turn sailing the boat

It was cute--

 Haylee, used to rafting behind a motor boat,

told Isabel to tell JJ to  "go faster"

Isabel told her to tell it to the wind!

Unfortunately there is only one speed on a sailboat!

When the winds started to die, we headed back to IHIA island to explore. We anchored off shore and swam in.

Exploring their Island

They named the various landscapes....

and...

Then Back to the boat for more Swimming and....

 Jumping!

Ready For the Jump

 

Unfortunately, some of my favorite angles for pictures are from the water. I decided to take a risk and hop on the raft for different view.

These were the results

I'd say it was worth the risk, of course, I wouldn't say that if my Minolta ended up at the bottom of the lake!

All's well that ends well, right?

JJ passed out for a little nap and then we headed home

Turns out JJ wasn't the only one in need of a little siesta!

A little Ice Cream Cake Rejuvenation!

Her friends were so thoughtful, each present couldn't  have been more perfect for her. Thank You!

The girls each painted a little treasure chest I got from Hobby Lobby.  

I love how each one turned out different and suited their personalities!

We had such a great time, JJ confided in me afterward, that he had been worried it would be a drama disaster. 4 adolescent girls stuck together in a small space for 24 hours would normally be asking for trouble. But they were so sweet and polite and completely drama free. We had such a great time- we planned to make it a yearly tradition.

 Hopefully next spring we can find a new island to explore!

...After swapping back the friends. We picked up Jordan And Laney for part two of our sailing weekend-- Family Time--

It's All About the Proof

I decided to finally start a life blog for two reasons:

1. So that all of our memories are not lost by way of senility.

and...

2. Because I have learned that children's appreciation comes only with documentation.

Just like the proverbial tree in the woods, with no evidence of the nice things parents have done for them, children forget and it's only the parent's word to back it up. We as parents know how much our words are valued, especially during the teenage years. So, I have realized that someday when my kids are telling me that I am ruining their life, I'll need proof otherwise. I know it may not help at the time, but it might years later when faced with their own ingrates. 

And so I begin with my first proof for Isabel on how much we love her....

It started last year when she said she wanted a classroom for Christmas.   Just like many other girls her age, her number #1 activity choice when not in school is to play school (at least when it is hot outside) . I don't quite understand it, but I think it has something to do with empowerment.

 So she wanted a classroom.  When she dreams, she dreams big!  When it was appearant that desks, or classroom supplies wouldn't cut it. We went with plan B-- Santa brought her a bike. 

Appearantly with months to mull it over and her birthday coming up, she cleverly came up with a reasonable solution to her request.   She explained to me that she wanted 3 boards that could fold out and stand behind her so she could pin things up behind her while she taught. She was extrememly apologetic about it, and even provided an escape clause by saying if it was too much we didn't have to give her that. Man, she's good. How could I say no to this? With her engineer father, I knew it would be no problem, and I was thrilled that I didn't have to come up with a gift idea. But I played it cool and  said something like"I think we should be able to make that happen." I didn't want her knowing exactly what she was getting, I had to keep her guessing a little. JJ must be rubbing off on me.  So when the kids were staying with our friends for the weekend, we took the opportunity to make her vision a reality.  The tag team worked together doing what we each do best. He built it and I accessorized it! 

So this is what she woke up to Friday ....

From the wonderful suggestion of my planner friend, I found everything she would need to set up classroom at the dollar spot in Target just in time with the afterschool stuff. Thank you Jill! Most of it was gone when I went back a week later to get a few more things.

JJ used a big white board he got from work that has been hanging uselessly in our garage for years as the back drop. Then he hinged peg board on the sides for her to hang things on. We can fold it up and move it around.

She finally had her classroom, and it's portable!

A few hours later...

This is what our family room looked like

Team Teachers

Oh, they are so precious

Now this is what I am talking about.... Proof

Isabel admits she is spoiled and that she will love us forever, well at least about  9000 years- give or take.

We love you too Isabel!