a week at the lake

My idea of a perfect vacation involves staying right on a lake.  Add to that extended family, a beautiful house, and access to a boat and various toys to ride while being pulled by a boat, and well, that is just icing on the cake.  We are so blessed to be able to stay at a beautiful lake house in Washington state.  This is the third time we have made it up there for a vacation and sort of like childbirth, we seem to forget how painful the drive is.  Let me just say right now, next time we fly.

Once we are there, though, we get to see my brother and his wonderful family, and my dad always makes the trip.  One of my favorite things about these vacations with my extended family is the cousin love.  I love seeing my kids play with and really get to know their cousins.  Since we don’t live in the same state, this can be kind of difficult.  But as they get older, they seem to be able to pick up where they left off and their relationships keep building.

I love times like this where life really slows down.  There is time for long conversations and long naps.  Books are read, both silently and aloud (one particular 2 year old’s appetite for finding Waldo could not be satisfied). Many fingerless mitts were knitted with lots of help by little nieces.  Many tangles were worked out pink and purple yarn.

There was a lot of fishing, but not a lot of catching.

And lots of fun on the lake.

I can’t wait to do it again.