Sorry I haven’t been very good about keeping this up like I promised my mom I would. I shall try to do better. We just got back from the most wonderful little trip to the lake that filled up my whole cup of happy. There’s something about lakes that makes everything move a little slower in the best sort of way. A few pics from the trip :)

The bravery :)

^^the dog that couldn’t figure out the doggy stairs and preferred to take the human ladder

^^she’s a water dog <3 something about seeing your creatures doing what they were supposed to do is so special. See da bess. Even if she did scratch everyone up in her trying to save all her humans effort.

This place we stayed was exactly what I wanted. It was so cute and tiny but a place for everything…thoughtfully designed, kinda cabin-y and not too fancy but still pretty… it was just all the right things :) the only thing was….. the stairs…

123 of them to be exact. Oi. It definitely made you think twice about did we get everything?? before heading up.. but by the end of the trip, they weren’t so bad and I really loved how it made you feel like you were in a tree house. The bugs were SO loud at night in the most magical jungle-y sort of way, and the fireflies were dancing and I just loved every bit of this vacation :)

^^Noah man finally worked up the courage to do the big jump <3

^^this one ended in a, “ughhh… not doing that again… ughhhhh” …as I recall

^^Luke learned to levitate

^^finally figured out the stairs :) whattagooddock

^^cause they are my favorite :)

^^always spoiled by husband handing me things!

^^And then the kids discovered tubing…

^^And the baton has officially been passed. I was telling Greg, it’s so weird to be at an age where roller coasters don’t thrill me like they used to – they sorta just make me sick, and I have little to no desire to be whipped around on the water and flung in the air by bumps of glory but alas, it makes me equally as delighted to see them so happy out there :) they started out so unsure and a bit timid and were doing proper extreme tubing by the end. So very proud of them ;) we only broke down and needed to be rescued once!

^^Someone started to get a bit cocky…

<3

We love she :) I think the doggy stairs started hooking her back nails and they started breaking off and bleeding right at the quick so she had to rest the last two days so they wouldn’t get infected :/ naturally in my middle of the night anxiety, I took Greg’s comment of “if they get infected, they might have to remove her toe…” to obviously then removing her whole leg and got all upset picturing her having to go around on those wheel legs they have for dogs and such. I think she’ll be fine though ;) she the best dog of the girl dogs that are now living

^^ there was an attempt at fishing

^^ there was some Yahtzee

^^Abbie won her first game in her whole life :D

^^We tried to take a family picture

Just kidding, we got everyone eventually

I got to hang out with this lady, eat my ice cream in peace, finally read some Hemingway… it was just really lovely!

The kids made up interesting games…

^^<3 <3 <3

There was some positively delicious eatin’, so much relaxing, lots of fun, a few really fun storms and the most dreamy sunsets. Did I mention the water was NINTY ONE!?! I can’t even wrap my head around such madness. Smith Lake, you were mighty good to us!