Concert + Graduation Party + Lake + VBX

I was back down in SD with my drone for work on Friday and melted like everyone else. 

Amanda and I had tickets to the Alabama concert at Bluestem that night. It was super fun and felt great to be out attending things like concerts again. 

There isn't a bad seat at this venue, but ours were pretty nice and close anyway. The lead singer recorded us with his phone for a bit. Haha. 

They sounded great! Unfortunately some weather started moving in, so they had to cut it short.

Amanda hand-delivered some correspondence from Adria to Clara. So sweet! Amanda and I were reminiscing when we would mail each other letters during the summer...even though we still saw each other and talked on the phone all the time.

On Saturday we headed to Alexandria for Dana's cousin, Marki's, graduation party. Clara was impressed with the donut wall. 

Afterward, we all ended up at Dead Lake to spend the night. Auntie and Brynn were having some good life conversations. 

Clara had fun swimming. You can see her down there in the rocks. Brynn was taking pictures of her with her phone.

...it was a nice night until Dad emitted some kind of foul smell.

Stay classy, dear!

Looking for the big snapper that sidled up close to Clara when she was swimming. She was faking us out that she was going to jump in by him, but we didn't want her to get eaten.

Checkers with Grandpa on Sunday morning. (Photo cred: Holly)

And gettin' her nails done.

I borrowed this book from my mom and it is so good. Highly recommend...unless something goes south in the last half anyway. I'm not finished with it quite yet.

For Brynn's English class, they read the book 'The Outsiders' and then were able to watch the movie (in class) before school let out. Brynn got really into it and wanted to watch it together at home. I had only seen bits and pieces of it before.

Monday was Nanny Taylor's first day with us, so true to my nerdy self, I put together a bunch of notes and such. 

VBX also started this week and this year the theme is the Jolly Ranch. Brynn was a helper and Clara had a blast attending. 

The girls are already having such a good time with Taylor. They've gone to the pool every day so far, to the library, done lots of drawing and today they tie dyed t-shirts. 

Clara left this sign and a bag of chips for her. :-)

I love the Cruella drawing!

After the girls got home from VBX last night, Clara was hanging out outside, so I grabbed my camera and took a  few pics of her. She sure is looking older now. I feel like her birthday is coming up so fast.

Tonight was the last night for VBX and of course I wanted to make it for the last song and the confetti bomb. I expected it to be at the very end of the song, so the jump in the camera is me being startled. Ha. I always get so verklempt watching how excited the kids get and how they always have such a good turnout for VBX.

Rinsing out the shirts they dyed today. Brianna, my cousin's granddaughter off to the left of the picture, came up today so that she can come to Cousin Camp with us. We depart first thing tomorrow morning! We are all so excited that we're able to have it this year.