I can't really remember when we planned this trip, but Kevin is always looking at lake houses online and thinking of our next vacation! We went to a Texas lake a few years ago and had a great time, but this year Kevin found a perfect house in Arkansas. The listing highlighted how easily accessible the boat slip was from the home. You literally walked out the front door, took 20 steps, and were on the dock. No massive staircase, no steep walkways, just a few simple steps. This was a priority for us since we were vacationing with Jerry and Bev, and Jerry was in no position to hike up and down stairs after all of his foot surgeries.
The property was a win and the lake looked great, so we made the plans and prepared ourselves for a fun family trip. I snapped a picture as Kevin loaded everything up.
We woke the sleepyheads and loaded up for our 5 hour drive to Arkansas.
When we all needed a break from the car, we stopped and had some lunch at The Purple Cow. They are famous for their purple milkshakes, which are actually vanilla flavored but people rave that they taste better than vanilla. I am no food critic, but I didn't see the big appeal. But I did love my boy's cheesy grin.
The kids were SO excited to check out the house, and even more excited when we informed them that they would be sleeping on that trundle bed. The house had three bedrooms, which worked out perfectly so we could all have our own space. I made the shopping lists, but was completely exhausted by the time we arrived and settled into the house. I was only a few weeks pregnant, but was already feeling the exhaustion. Kevin and Jerry offered to make the grocery run, so Bev and I entertained the kids.
We blew up the kiddie pool, which was so funny until Brooke slipped and hurt her knee. Or was it Colby? (This is why you should blog right after the event and not 6 months later, haha.)
Day Two was off to a good start...
I loved all the trees around the lake, and the water was the perfect temperature for floating in :)
Kevin gave some kneeboarding lessons to Colby Boy.
The afternoon was spent napping, relaxing in the hammock, and eating watermelon! This girl loves her Daddy, and watermelon.
The lake was pretty empty, especially in the area where we were staying, which meant that we had smooth water and free reign to do as we pleased. I wasn't doing any surfing since I was pregnant, but Kevin had lots of fun riding his boards, and I loved watching the kids watch him. One day, I hope that they will look back on these memories with fondness and remember the happiness we felt as a family.
Day Three:
Brooke and Colby loved swimming at the back of the boat, and played "rescue dog" with one another. It really was hilarious to watch, and I loved that they were using their imaginations and getting along.
Happy as a clam :)
A rare picture of the two of us...
We decided to try our hand at fishing, which was a pretty big failure. The kids were very patient, but we never caught a single thing!
The squirt bottles were a questionable purchase on my part, haha. They had a blast with them, but the fun always ended in a fight about who was squirting who.
One of the many reasons I take a thousand pictures is to remember sweet moments. Pictures trigger those memories for me, and this moment was one that I want remembered. Brooke was eating an apple, and Colby asked for a bite. I wasn't sure that Brooke would want him eating her apple, but she said, "Sure, Buddy." They then passed the apple back and forth until it was down to the core.
I love seeing these happy, smiling faces...
Look at that water!! So perfect and calm. We tried fishing off the boat, which was also a flop. Maybe the fish just weren't hungry? Hahaha, who knows. You would think that coming from a great fisherman (my Grandpa), I would have paid more attention to his technique!
More surfing for Kevin...
Lots more floating...
Day Four:
Memories not photographed: Merlin, the huge white dog that lived next door but who wandered around like he owned the place. The kids thought he was great until he ate Brooke's bunny stuffed animal she left outside. They both became so scared of him, and would lose their minds any time he would wander over. We ate al fresco quite a bit, which meant at least one Merlin visit per meal.
S'mores by the lake one evening. You could hear the water quietly lap against the rocks, and enjoy the great outdoors, all while eating a s'more. Doesn't get better than that!
Day Five was spent packing up, getting the boat back on the trailer, and making the journey home. It took 10 hours to get home, which was the most ridiculous thing of my life. We came upon a road closure, and I found an online resource with updates, but they kept pushing the times back. We were sitting still on the freeway for I think 2 hours before we finally were redirected by police officers to an alternate path. All I can say, is that is was a good thing we had snacks and lots of DVDs.
Despite the drive home, it was a great trip, full of memories and fun!
