Suzapalooza 2014

I am so very far behind blogging the events of our summer on steroids.  It doesn't help that every time we go to camp, Ella gets a hold of the camera and takes 1200 pictures (I am NOT exaggerating) and most of them are a nearly continuous shot of people tubing.  It has taken me hours to pick out the good pictures and delete the rest.

So here is the second, and last, installment of Schoodic/good-time-had-by-all/wish-this-would-never-end photos.

I am lucky enough to have a summer birthday and even luckier that for the last few years running I get to celebrate it with some of my favorite people in the best way imaginable.  It was another memorable, hysterical, went-way-too-fast Suzapalooza again this year.

This event, while centered around my birthday, is really more of excuse for people to come and play on the lake.  I like to think we make it fun for everyone, especially the kiddos.

In the morning, the girls gave me my gifts: a new bike pump, blinking reflectors to keep me safe on the road and 10 yoga sessions on my punch card at the yoga studio.  All the gifts of sanity for me.  I love how Sandi allowed them each their creative expression in the wrapping of my gift: half Hello Kitty for Maya and half tasteful stars for Ella.

Once everyone came, we hit the playing hard.  This is a day that has a tendency to speed by so we got right to it.  A big thank you to Patti and Dwight for having all the right toys, the boat, the gas and the want to show people a good time on a tube!

Ange, Anna, Ella and me.

Matt and Noah

The boys' ride: Matt, Noah, Brevan and Brady

The girls with their grandparents.  I LOVE these shots.





I made my cake this year.  What can I say?  Ange was the only other person I would ask to do it and she sort of already completely outdid herself with umpteen favors for our wedding.  I don't like to buy cake when making it is so fun, so here you have it: a dark chocolate zucchini cake with dark chocolate frosting.  I swear you can't even tell there is zucchini (or whole wheat flour!) in there.  But it was so dark and chocolately that I even ran out of steam before I ate my piece.  Now that is saying something.

Perhaps my favorite part: the dock jumping competition.  These kids brought their A game as usual.

I loved Sandi and Maya's piggyback jump. I love how it looks like Sandi is balancing on the tow rope. 

Even Max participated!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure she PUSHED him.

Ella and I did a leapfrog jump.

Our esteemed judge, Kim, took copious notes to be able to award trophies fairly.  She is very serious about judging this competition.

In past years, we have done prizes for the kids.  This year it was all about the thumbs up trophy.  Look at their faces!

As we were handing out the trophies, it occurred to me that this experience of the kids getting so excited to jump off the dock and receive an inexpensive token for it would not last forever.  I mentally fast forwarded to a day when there wouldn't be big and little kids running around giving Suzapalooza such life and vitality. I mean, we adults are pretty fun as far as adults go, but kids have such an unbridled joy and enthusiasm.   It made me so sad to know they would grow up sooner than later and not play with us in this way, maybe even someday finding this party lame or whatever they will call lame when they are teenagers.  I had to block it out and just be happy that they are who they are right now and to strategize ways to keep them interested in us as they grow up.  I do believe we will need to step up our game to keep them interested.  Which we will certainly do.  God how I love these kids.

Anna looks like she is praying.  Maya, I believe, is gloating.

And then there is giving a trophy to Beckett who later told his dad this was the best part of his whole day.

And, of course, Max got a trophy for his jump!

Now for the adult tubing pictures.   I tried to only pick the best ones (out of the HUNDREDS).  I think they are too fun not to share.

First up: Robbi, Kim and Kristi.  I think Kim had fun...

Followed by the crazy ride of Sandi, Matt and Kristi.  Matt was especially nuts when, after they dumped the tube the first time, he slapped the water and said to Dwight: "Is that all you've got?"  I tell you, not a smart move.  It is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. 

Matt's facial expressions kill me. 

Matt, are you still sore?

The wind blew my candles out for me. I consider that good luck and made a few extra wishes.

Could Beckett GET any cuter?

The trophies, Sandi's idea, were such a big hit.

I had the best birthday this year, both Suzapalooza and the day of my birthday itself.  I spent the day at Sand Beach in Bar Harbor with Ange and the kids, had a lovely dinner with my three girls and then birthday dessert at Emilie and Tim's house.  Simply perfect.

 I'm going to miss this guys when school starts the day after tomorrow.   (sniff, sniff)

Someone wrote a happy birthday to me that said, "It seems you already have everything you want" and I was struck by how very true that is.  It made me feel like the most fortunate person in the whole world.  It has truly been the best summer of my whole life.  Here's to 38!