Vacation at the Lake

This is secretly a report on Bridget's vacation at the lake.  For Brian and me it was mostly the same thing we do every day ("try to take over the WORLD") at a condo with some of our essential ingredients (like the babies' bedroom, bouncy seat, swings, etc.) missing.  Like Survivor: Bear Lake.  We filled the van to capacity and we still didn't have all the stuff we might need.  After a few stops, we made it to Ideal Beach where Brian took Bridget swimming right away and I rigged up some trap to feed both babies at the same time, then watched TV while they slept.  That evening we went to LeBeau's for burgers and fries.  Bridget and I stood in line while Brian stayed in the van and discovered a blow-out poopy pants by Emil.  Good thing I put the heavy sweatpants on him - none of it got on the car seat.  A vacation miracle!

Saturday was our family day at the beach.  Brian and I took Bridget and the babies to the water early (what else were we going to do - we'd been up for two hours by the time we ate breakfast) and staked out a very tiny spot for everyone.  The water was so high this year that there wasn't as much beach available.  It was nice to sit there listening to the water and relaxing for a little while.  The babies weren't impressed, but Bridget had a great time getting in and out of the lake, then playing in the sand with her cousins.

Grandpa keeping Emil happy at the beach.  That swimsuit is working hard for the money!

This is the least irritated look I captured on Colin's face while we were at the beach.

Poor Nate was forced to wear a life vest while he was in the lake.  He was mad at the world for quite a while about that.

Bridget and Abby coming out of the water.

Janessa, Aunt Diana, and Aunt Debbie at the beach.  I should dig up some photos to show how far away that playground usually is.

Bridget and I went to the pool (the gated off area in that last photo) for a few hours while the big kids were on the boat.  Bridget bossed me around big time!  That girl loves to swim.  They had a slide into the pool and she would come down it with her arms straight over her head, which means I had to go under the water to find her.  Brian fed the babies while I was at the pool, then I relieved him while they took their nap.  I think it was then that I watched the final third of "The Shawshank Redemption."  Over the course of the day, I was able to catch the other two thirds of the movie, not in order.  Thanks, AMC, for showing a 24 hour marathon of "The Shawshank Redemption."  (No really, thank you.  Not much of a movie selection at our condo.)

We shared our condo with Hal, Debbie, and Nate.  That's always been the arrangement and it works out well since Bridget and Nate get along.  It meant that we weren't in on any Canasta games this year, but we'll take care of that next time.  Brian and Hal had a chance to talk late into the night and Debbie held a crying baby every time.  Perfect condo-mates. :)

On Sunday Brian and I took our side show to church and ended up sitting next to my cousin Koryn's parents-in-law.  Small world!  That afternoon we took everyone over to the pool.  We had the babies in the sun for two afternoons and I almost ran out of sunscreen.  Bah!  We didn't put them all the way in because they weren't wearing swim diapers and we didn't want them screaming in everyone's ears.  Grandma and Grandpa were good to sit in the shade with them and keep them happy while I took a few pictures.

Aunt Debbie gave Bridget a little tube (it would only fit around Nate's neck) and she was off!  She kicked around that pool for two hours straight and then we had to pry her out.

We had our family dinner, then the traditional Frisbee Football game on the big lawn.  Denise brilliantly suggested we get a family photo that evening instead of trying to corral everyone as they were getting into their cars to leave the next morning.

Front row: Bridget, Nathan, Abby, Kalvin, McKade.  Middle row: Janessa, Jed, Nicolette, Jake.  Back row: Dena, Darin, Diana, Kyle, Grandpa, Grandma, Linzy, Nick, Nicole (holding Colin), Brian (holding Emil), Hal, and Debbie.

For some reason the young boys didn't wear shirts for the frisbee playing this year.  My favorite was watching the teenage boys bathe in sunscreen before going out on the boat.  Janessa helped her brothers and when she found herself rubbing sunscreen on Jed's arms, she asked loudly, "Why am I doing your arms?!"  Brothers.

I like this even though no one is in focus.  Look at Brian's form.  Good form!

This is what Bridget and Nate were doing during the game.

Then they were doing this.  Good thing they have a strong Grandpa.

Grandma was holding Colin.

That night we watched a few random fireworks and tried to find a movie Bridget could watch on TV unsuccessfully.  The next morning we headed to Pocatello to visit my parents for the first time in over a year!  How can that be?!  They're at our house every other week, so it was crazy to realize we hadn't been to their place for such a long time.  I was pretty much done trying to get photos by then, but I'll save that report for another time.