Bubbles & Banana Cake

This weekend we finally made it to the lake, our first trip since July 4. We had plans for a big Labor Day celebration there, but instead I celebrated by laboring with Gavin...quite appropriate given the name of the holiday and much more special, but still a bummer that we couldn't go.

Olivia had been asking to go to the lake forever as, in her mind, that is where all of the really cool toys are. The sandbox and swingset Gramps built her, the big trampoline, the pontoon boat, and we of course can't forget the poker chips. I know you are thinking...poker chips??!! Yep, they can entertain her for hours. You can play a game where you match colors, make a really long snake by setting them end to end, build a tower and knock it down, and her favorite--color in the middle with a pencil. Like I've said before, we're not sure where she comes up with these things, but so it is.

This trip Gramps had some more treats. Once we convinced her to put her jacket on (why she has such an aversion to it, I'm not sure), she braved the 50 degree weather to chase the huge bubbles Gramps made with a big bubble wand. And then, he introduced her to sidewalk chalk--she was entertained for hours. And to top it all off, Gramps baked her some banana "cake" (it is really banana bread, but she likes it a whole lot more when we call it cake). I am going to try this technique on other things and see how it goes--"look Olivia, tonight we are having 'meatcake' for dinner." Perhaps that sounds alot better than meatloaf. Stay tuned, I'll let you know how it goes.