Life at the lake

We love the lake!  Some of my favorite childhood memories are of the times my family spent at my grandparents house at the lake.  I remember

• waking up early to get out on the boat so that the water skiiers in our family could take advantage of the smooth water
• getting to drink fanta orange and crush grape drinks on the boat ... ahhh
• looking for bathing suits that didn't have any white on them, because white would be a lovely shade of orange by the end of summer
• not wanting to come inside until dinner time
• pink cheeks and shoulders
• jumping off of the boat house and the rope swing
• our first jet ski - it topped out at 32mph if you laid real low across the handlebars and had the smoothest of water
• swimming inside the boathouse when the rain came
• snakes :o/
• time with my cousins and sitting at the kids table
• finally being old enough to sit and talk with my and aunts and not get sent to the kids table :o)
• wonderful family meals
• watching fire flies and fireworks
• playing Careers or Monopoly on rainy days
• waking up to find that our parents were still playing Canasta at 7:00 the next morning

Really, I could go on and on ... so many wonderful memories.  I remember the first time I got to bring John with us on a lake weekend (a pretty big deal if you know my Dad! :o)  I wondered if he'd love it as much as I do - turns out he does.  Now we're getting to make so many of these same memories with our kids.  A few pics (or maybe a lot!) from our days at the lake this summer ...

This is the first summer Kate would jump in :o)

And the first summer we let Will swim without a lifejacket ... he thought it was very freeing!

This little one is a lake baby FOR SURE ... he L-O-V-E-D the water!

Pops & Mimi are happiest when these 3 are around!

W - almost 8, K - 3 1/2, E - 1

These two had quite a shell/rock collection by the end of the week

Headed back to the water

Kate put a "hurtin" on Pop's boiled peanuts this summer!

Everybody loves riding the "Jeffrey"

And Eli loves waving to everyone on a "Jeffrey"

 ***In case you're still with me, just wanted to give a warning about these next pictures.  Your nephew might be cute, but mine is the cutest!!! See evidence below - 

I told you!  Cutest. Ever.

Watching the skiiers

Mattheo

Johnny B

Pops

Will took full advantage of Pops and Mimi's open fridge policy on Cokes :o)

Boat rides are so relaxing

Like REALLY relaxing!!!

We spend a "little" time indoors too

Back to the boat!

One more trip to the pool

Will loves his Mimi!

Kate was not too sure about the "green slide"

But she forgave Pops real quick!

Well, if you're still reading, you are a true friend!  I'll leave you with one last picture of how we all feel when it's time to leave the lake ...