Lake Trip 2011 Part I

Our beloved lake.

We spent a glorious week at the lake, Lake Chautauqua in New York state.  It is one of our favorite places, we truly love it there.  I think a sense of true serenity just drapes over us. I know that the boys will have fond memories of our summers spent by the lake and that is so  important to us!

Things we loved about the lake this year:
1. swimming at Mayville Beach and spending the 4th of July there at a small carnival that was going on.  It was so much fun to be right on the end of the lake, swimming, tasting yummy food, dancing, playing on the playground, listening to live music and being together as a family.

Being cute

Tom riding on the train at the 4th of July carnival

Charlie playing games with Dad at the carnival

Dancing at the 4th of July carnival

*playing on the "Train" playground, even though the train was under construction.  But the tug boats were a second favorite.

I love this boy!

 *Ice cream at Bemus Point, except for when Penny decided that it was now a good time to break her week long hiatus from her normal plumbing routine and I had forgotten the wipes.  Lovely :)  But the ice cream was good and we always enjoy Bemus Point!

*visiting with family

Spending time with Great Grams

*Traveling around to all of Trent's old haunts.  I think it is so cool that we get to spend our summers where he spent his first years as a small boy.

T1 Our Lake House

 *nightly fires making smores with Daddy

SMORES!!

*spending lots of time with Daddy, such a treat!

Our annual wooden model extravaganza with Daddy

View off the porch, the lake is beyond the trees

*watching the boys finally sleep in the same room together without trying to kill wrestle each other to sleep ;) (and they are now going to sleep at the same time in the big boys room at home!!! Halleluiah!!!)
*going to bed early and the feel of cool sheets from home while laying next to my sweetie!

Early morning breakfast and crafts!

*having meals out on the deck, especially early morning breakfasts with the kids as Daddy caught some extra sleep
*having that feeling of not needing to be anywhere at any certain time
*spending time as a family.  It doesn't matter where we are or what we are doing, as long as we are together!
*doing one of our favorite things as a family, going for a hike in the woods

Thanks Baby for working so hard so that we can enjoy this time together at one of our favorite places!