When we arrived on Saturday afternoon, we were relieved to have dodged yet another summer storm that ripped through the southern half of the state, and also VERY excited to get into the water and have some family fun.
Not only was our cabin adorable and spacious, but it was butted right up next the the beach! What could be better?!
We wasted no time, and got our suits on and ran down to the water. The beach was well equipped with lots of sand, a shallow entry, a twisty-turney slide, and a floating raft out near the edge of the swimming area.
Ella striking a cute (but almost inappropriate) pose.
I am all about beer life jackets.
At the lake, you can never be too safe.
Just look at the lovely pedicure my family bought me for Mother's Day.
Good thing too. It it weren't for my newly filed feet, I probably could have started the campfire by rubbing my dry heels together!
Jocie was the resident "fish" ( . . . swimming one) of the weekend. She was in the lake every chance she could get. Back and forth from the raft, doing handstands or just floating on her back, she never seemed to get sick of it.
Ella was heard around the resort as she screamed, "Look Mommy, I am swimming!" when she laid on the water's edge and kicked her her legs and paddled with her arms. As you may know, she is still not so sure she trusts the water yet. But every day she is in it, she gets a little more confidence in her water ability.
Claire had the most fun playing in the sand with her toys. She got very excited when she would scoop up the wet sand and dump it into her bucket.
As as I sat in the calm rippling waves, taking pictures of my family having fun, I couldn't help but feel total peace and happiness. I also couldn't help but hear a song play in my head sung by one of my favorite groups.
"I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand.
Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand.
Life is good today.
Life is good today."
~ Zac Brown Band
As the sun set on our first night, Carl and the kids decided to try their luck at fishing of the dock in front of our cabin. I think it's these simple and quiet moments at the lake that our girls will remember into their adult life.
A little cast-coaching from daddy.
And wouldn't you know it, Jocie snagged a small mouth bass with Ella's Barbie fishing rod! What are the odds?
The next morning started off a bit windy and cold, so we cuddled into our cozy cabin for a little R&R.
The little girls playing Guess Who with Dana (Carl's sister) and her boyfriend, Ryan.
After lunch, the wind dyed down, so we decided to take the pontoon out to explore the lake. Of course, when going on a pontoon ride in the afternoon, you have to pack beverages and snacks to enjoy. As you can see, Claire is clearly not ready for juice boxes yet. She wanted to be like her big sister Ella and drink it without Mom holding it for her. As I am sure you all know, the juice erupted out of the straw like a volcano every time she tried to pry it from my hands. Much of it landed on the deck of the boat, but a fair amount splattered onto her face. She didn't seem to mind, as long as I kept my hands off the box.
. . . she even had it dripping off her long lashes . . . not a good choice, mom!
The sun sets were absolutely magical. It seemed as though they were painted by a gifted artist. I tried to capture it, but even these photos don't do it justice.
After the sun set every night, it was time to switch gears and head out to the camp fire. Ryan brought a cooler full of his home-made brew for us to try. His beer brand is named Herman, after his grandfather who also used to brew his own beer. Being a beer lover, I thought his beer tasted bold, yet smooth, with a creamy texture. Nice work.
Another one of Ryan's many talents is his guitar playing. We have always made Keith (Carl's brother) entertain us with his musical skills around the fire, but this year he was accompanied by Ryan. They made an awesome team. We heard everything from Jack Johnson to Johnny Cash. I promise to post a video of Keith paying tribute to "The Man in Black" soon!
The next morning, the lake was very calm. So Dana, Jocie and Ryan decided to try out the canoe. They were gone for at least an hour exploring Lake Amelia.
As the explorers were gone, the little girls were inside the cabin having fun with their cousin, Annika. For being as little as she is, she sure was a trooper! This cutie-patootie has a laid-back disposition and loves to just take it all in. At this time next year, she'll be running around with Claire. We can't wait!
Later that day, after another afternoon at the beach, Ella tried her hand at fishing again, and caught a couple of fish all by herself! She was very proud and so was her daddy!
Getting some tips from grandpa.
I can't thank you enough, Judy and Dwaine, for this past weekend. It is apparent how much you love watching your kids and grandkids have fun! We had a ton of fun, at the beach, on the dock, on the pontoon, in the cabin, on the volleyball court, around the campfire, on the slide, on the beach chairs, on the deck, at the jungle gym, in the kitchen, by the grill, and of course in the lake. These long weekends have created many lasting and loving memories that will be remembered by not only your kids, by also your grand kids. We love you, and can't wait until next year!
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