MN Summer Week 4 - The Rest

Fri - We dropped the kids off to the cousins since my Dad, Jon, and I all had chiropractic appointments together - you can tell we're all getting older!  By the time we got to the lake, it was raining, but we still had a nice time visiting with Jon's cousin, Jenny, and her boyfriend, Greg.  They are the sweetest couple!

Sat - was another beautiful lake day with the cousins - cue the water photos!

Sometimes the hot dog shoots underwater like a torpedo...

...and other times it flies over the waves!

But the kids like it best when it flips.  :)

The boys were up next.

I caught some good wipeout sequences...

They all fell off the first time, but the last time Ben managed to hold on...

How about 4 kids?

Wipeout!

Although Jace has ridden the hotdog and such before, he really enjoyed his time on the water this year.  I love seeing his smiling face!

After a long day at the beach, no one felt like cooking so we went to Coaches for dinner.  Sat night on the busiest weekend of the year probably wasn't the smartest choice - I think it was like a 2 hour dinner, but the kids entertained themselves with cards.  Afterwards, we went across the street to get photos by the deer...

 and learned that, shockingly, he is an anatomically correct buck.  Who knew?  

I guess I always assumed a smooth front like a Ken doll.  Lol!

That night the kids had a sleepover with the cousins while 

Laurie and Anthony came out with us for a couple of drinks.

MN Summer Week 4 - 4th

After the parade, we spent the day at the lake with the cousins.

We pulled all 5 kids at the same time.  The boys were on the sidewinder...

...and the girls rode on the hotdog.

The sidewinder is always trying to bulldoze over the top of the hot dog.

Then Nick decided to jump ship to the hot dog.  

This is a long series of photos, but they just cracked me up.

At first, Jace is all excited to be in his new seat.

Then he gets drenched with water...

... ha ha!

Stop!

He decided to move over a seat.  Lol!

Later, Rylee decided to join the boys on the sidewinder 

(it's like a chinese firedrill out on the lake).  

We went back to the resort for dinner with my parents, Greg and Sharon, and Sara.  Rylee even made a patriotic cake for dessert.

Then we actually got out on the lake for the fireworks!  I think we tried the last two years, but our plan was always foiled by pontoon issues.  This year everything worked perfectly - hallelujah!  Only us youngins went out...

It was a beautiful night and we even saw an unusual sight.  It's hard to tell in this picture, but there is a circle of 6 loons.  I've never seen more than a pair of loons and possibly a baby before, they don't usually congregate.  We figured they were gathering for the fireworks or possibly having a lake association meeting (you know warning each other about crazy boat traffic and eagle attacks - they have to stay vigilant).

Nothing compares to watching the fireworks over the water.  A boat nearby was even playing patriotic music.  It was perfection (minus the minor explosion they had in the beginning that blew up an entire barge's worth of fireworks accidentally - oops!).

MN Summer Week 4 - The Parade

I love the 4th.  We watched the parade in front of my Dad's old office - our usual spot. 

Jon wore the tshirt the kids bought him.  

When they saw it, they knew it was for him.  :)

The Erickson family was there (including Meg since she wasn't dancing in the parade this year).

Look at these cuties...

...and these handsome dudes!

Rylee loves this picture, but she thinks it would be better if Jace had glasses.  Lol!

We'll see.  He has his eye exam before school starts.

The cousins watched the parade with us this year too.

We also had a special visit from my former babysitter, Sue.  We had the most fun together when I was little - so many great memories - and she always keeps in touch.  If you're reading this, I love you Sue!  :)

The kids always have fun getting candy, but Jace was really into it this year.  He stood up the whole time and got tons of candy.  He worked for it this year.  :)

MN Summer Week 4 - first half

Sun - resort play, cards, Jon threw his back out

Mon - visit with my cousin Katie and her kids, then Chelsie and I drove to Mpls to pick up Jon and Rio (we had time for lunch and shopping first) - Papa took Rylee to dance and then the kids went out to Grandpa Chip's to spend the day with the cousins (who got in the night before)

Tues - Jon took Rylee to an early golf lesson, then we spent the day on the lake with the cousins and Linda (Sandy's sister) and Steve

Fun on the new lily pad...

Wed - Papa and Jon went to the chiropractor in the morning (bad backs abound), then it was another lake day with the cousins, Laurie's birthday dinner at Rafferty's, followed by a stop at the brewery, and then cake by the lake (not as cool as cake by the ocean bwahahaha!)

Matching swim suits 2019...

Games at the brewery...

The boys beat the girls in pinball (when Rylee accidentally scored 

the winning goal for them instead of the girls.  Lol!)

These kids still have so much fun together.  I love it!