1st Weekend at the Lake 2008

I always feel like spring is here and summer is on the way when we can get out to the lake for the first time each year. This weekend we were able to venture out on Friday night after Trevor was off work and stay for a few days. It was great to get out and smell the fresh air, to look out at the water and to just get away from the busyness of the week.

Of course there always seems to be a long list of things to be done when you have a cabin so we took no time at all on Saturday morning putting the kids to work! Hee hee. They jumped at the chance to help Grandma wash lawn chairs and scrape paint off an old table that I think we later decided we should just toss anyway (sorry guys). What is worse is that while they were working I was busy having fun taking pictures of them. Don't worry - I quickly put the camera down and pitched in too.

The most exciting part of the weekend was that Grandma and Gramps bought a small swing set for the yard. It was decked out with monkey bars, swings, rings and a trapeze (Sarah's dream structure). The only problem was that it took way more time to put together than the kids anticipated making the wait even that more painful for them. As soon as it was half put together they couldn't stay off it. Once together it was a hit all around. Sarah loved the monkey bars, Ethan loved the trapeze while poor Megan was bumped numerous times walking in front of or behind one of the other kids on the swings or other apparatuses. She seemed to learn quickly to move out of the way but I think we are going to have to be extra careful this year. When we weren't using the play structure to actually swing on it turned out it made a great soccer net for our soccer game.

The rest of our time was spent at the beach building sand castles, playing on the play structure, eating ice cream or just hanging out at the cabin reading and playing. All in all it was a great weekend. It was especially nice to spend some time with Gramps as he now lives out there for the summer in order to work at the golf course and then golf at the golf course. We miss him while he is there but know that he is lovin' retirement!

A note of importance was that Meg slept in a big bed for the first time this weekend. I put her to bed in the bottom bunk and she seemed to be settled right in. 15 minutes later I went to check on her and out of the darkness heard a quiet little voice that said " Hi mommy" and then she was up. But thankfully as soon as I put the other two to bed she crawled right in and went to sleep herself. Of course that only lasted the first night and then it was back to the playpen when Grandma brought it out the next day. Soon we will make the transition .. soon...