350 TREES ON FIRE. ON A LAKE.

My friends. I am SO excited to share this post with you today, because this weekend was amazing.

Before I get too ahead of myself, let me share with you how ridiculous the weather in the Midwest is. I've lived in other states and countries, and none of these places have the ridiculously quick climate changes like Wisconsin. Tuesday it was 55 degrees. Wednesday we got 8 inches of snow. Thursday it was -25 below zero with windchill. WHAT. WHY. BOO.

Needless to say, after that weather rollercoaster, I was ready to relax over the weekend. 

Michael and I drove back to my hometown in Minnesota and enjoyed some time with my family in the sun & fresh snow.

This weekend was the weekend of the Epic Tree Bonfire. 

It's been going on for 8 years or so, and every year it gets more and more insane.

This year we had a bonfire or 350 old Christmas trees on the ice.

Yes, on the lake.

For those of you who didn't grow up in a place where you can walk on the frozen lake in the winter, I'm sure you don't believe that a bonfire that big can happen on a lake without falling through. I assure you, it can.

Enough talk, here is some photo evidence:

(yes I got carried away with M's iPhone 5 Panorama)

(home sweet home)

(lake pre bonfire)

(bonfire time)

Michael and I went out to see the huge structure my dad & neighbors built before it got dark out:

It was about 22 feet high!

Here she blows... it's impossible to really capture how high the flames/smoke rose...it's just breathtaking!

To make the night even more amazing, it was snowing the whole time. You can kind of see the flakes in this photo: 

 Amazing, right?!?!?!

Now, we don't just stop at the bonfire. My amazing neighbors made a whole bar area, not only with seating and lights, but a full homemade ice bar, ice shot glasses, ice votive holders, and ice coffee tables. Yep, this is what we crazy Midwesterners do in our free time! 

Here's me checking out the ice bar while they were still constructing it, huge down coat and all:

 We didn't get too many shots of the bar at night, but Michael did get a few of the light up ice tables and the lights. The bar entrance had a Hawaiian theme this year, and my neighbors made "palm trees". They constructed them out of poles & piece of pine trees! Amazing! 

Okay, I'll stop going on about it. Promise.

For those of you NOT enthused by big bonfires, check out some sneak peeks for this week's Valentine's Day themed posts:

XO art DIY:

The sweetest of sweet V-day treats: 

Sidenote: How freaking amazing was Beyonce/Destiny's Child at the Super Bowl? Oh. My. Gosh. 

Stay tuned, this week is going to be a good one!

What was great about your weekend?

Any other ice bonfires? Anyone?

xo, lp

** don't forget, discount codes still valid from last week's Etsy post!

Psssssssst: Find more pictures of the insane fire HERE on Instagram.