Lake House Trip

As always, we had an awesome time up at the lake!  This year we spent 9 days there (Friday-Sunday of the following week).  We thought often of my dad and how much he would have loved to have experienced all the fun with us.  We certainly saw him in the wildlife.  My mom and I were sitting on the pier when an eagle flew right in front of us, tipping his wings to see us.  It's not often they come that close to you.  We figured it was my dad saying hi.  This past Saturday was 2 months since his death...hard to believe it's been that long.

I got a picture of the eagle on an evening fishing trip.  One afternoon, he was sitting in a tree right next to our boat lift.  I wish I had my camera ready for that!

This loon was fun to watch.  Cleaning his underside, sticking his foot out while he was swimming (which I read that they do to cool off), and coming up out of the water to shake his wings in an effort to scare us away from getting too close.

I have yet to get a close picture of a Kingfisher.  They are very skittish and fly away as soon as you start to get close.  This one pictured is on a branch near the base of the dead tree.

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak was always one of the first visitors to my parents' bird feeders when my dad would fill them up in the Spring.  I wouldn't doubt they knew his routine and were waiting nearby.  They were the first to the feeder the morning my dad died after filling the feeders the day before.

A beautiful sunset on the lake.

The moon was so bright one night and the lake so calm that it made the pier look like a light was shining off of it.

We went out for dinner one night to Marty's Place North. They have really good food! I had a mushroom ravioli, Brian a pork chop, and my mom a chicken cordon bleu.

We got ice cream from What's the Scoop? a different night.

Paddle boat rides...Hailey and Clara

Laura, Hailey, and Clara

Boat rides and driving lessons (in case of an emergency)...Hailey's lesson.

Clara's lesson.

Adam got a turn to drive with Uncle Brian's help.

Getting ready to go out!

Adam loves boat rides!

They also lull him to sleep!

Lots of fun tubing!

Hailey and Clara

Hailey, Adam, and Clara

Clara, Laura, Adam, and Hailey sticking their feet out to spray the water up.

Hailey and Adam

Hailey and Laura

Hailey swinging from the neighbor "Mr. Bob's" rope.

Clara's turn!

Hailey swinging.

Clara swinging.

An interesting way to view the bottom of the lake while your sister dumps a bucket of water on you!

Lots of swimming and playing in the water!

Watch out, Clara! Daddy's going to beat you to the shore!

Daddy adding an obstacle for Hailey in her swimming race with Adam to the ladder.

Clara learned how to do a hand stand in the water.  Look at that form!

Riding a pony at Holiday Acres in town.

Go-karts, too!  Clara and I drove one.

Brian and Hailey in one.

Laura in a single car.

We did some shopping in town as well!

Lots of fishing!

Trying to catch the many Bluegill off the pier.

Waiting to roast marshmallows in the fire pit one night.

A little down time inside...watching a movie.

Playing in the loft.

Napping...lake time tires you out!

I did some sewing and we all did a couple puzzles over the week!