'Twas a Happy Birthday

We celebrated Alina's 11th birthday a few days earlier with a pool party and a delicious barbecue. She invited the girls from her class (yes, there are only 5, including her) and unfortunately, Grandpa was traveling for work so he missed it. They had loads of fun swimming, playing, eating, having a water balloon fight, checking out Marina's cats, and in the end checking out part of Alina's library and oohing and aahing over her latest Dork Diaries (7 and 8). 

Thanks ever so much to Grandma for making all the trimmings and uncle Diego who took care of the meat! There wouldn't have been a bbq without you, heh. 

 Grandma and cousin Arthur:

A froggie filling her balloons:

The tweens:

 When Grandpa came back from his trip, he and Grandma took the girls and I out to dinner to celebrate Lili's birthday together.

Striking a "Laura" pose:

My big girls!

And at last, the actual day arrived! As is tradition, she opened [the rest of] her presents before heading to school.