LAKE MEAD!!!!
The Gates family invited us to go to the Lake for the weekend. We were so excited, especially me since I haven't been boating or water skiing since B.C. (before children).
We stayed in Boulder City (five minutes away) at a little charming historic hotel called the Boulder Dam Hotel which provided gourmet, huge breakfasts each morning including the "big dam breakfast" which in fact, was BIG!
The forecast was HOT - 110 degrees HOT and the water was perfect, refreshing want-to-always-be-in-it beautiful, clear and blue.
Here is the Gates' boat and wakeboards where we each got to try wakeboarding for the first time. There's John looking totally studly on the back of the boat. I took the picture from shore.
Here's our 'camp' on the island shore. It worked out really well for those who were waiting to go on the next run. We had coolers full of cold drinks, lunch, and snacks, beach chairs, shade, toys, snorkel gear and rafts.
Unfortunately, someone stole our EZ-Ups, beach chairs, snorkel gear and rafts the next day so we were left with no shade or toys in 111 degree sun. Not nice, not at all.
We drove the boat over by the Hoover Dam and went for a dam swim in the beautiful dam water. There were many people who liked to see how often they could fit the dam word in a sentence. (over and over again!)
My little stud muffin with his wind-blown hair.
(I have no idea why this is all-of-the-sudden underlining!)
WooHoo! Oh yeah - Mom's Wakeboarding . . . Look OUT!
This is such an awesome photo as it not only shows how Madison was able to Wakeboard for the first time, but the way we were positioned put the gorgeous red mountain in the background. Love it!
We rented two Waverunners and are so glad we did as they were the best fun! By the end of the day, I was more confident and when I didn't have any kids with me and learned that I couldn't really throw myself off, I was able to have some real fun!
The kids loved tubing!
There is nothing but pure JOY on Christian's face!!!
Ashlyn and Brooke give the "thumbs up" to GO FASTER!
The weekend went by way to quickly.
Then I was a bit spontaneous: Instead of going home super early Monday morning as originally planned, John flew home Sunday night and I took the kids up to Utah for the week. We had not planned on it so didn't have anything with us that wasn't fit for a scorching hot weekend at the lake. We stayed with Joe and Heather whose kids luckily didn't start school yet and didn't have anything planned for the week. First item of business when we arrived after a joyful cousin reunion was to do laundry (and every day thereafter).
The original reason to go up to Utah was to help my niece Domonique get settled with her first year of college. I was going to fly up later in the week and stay with Renee and Brandon and have lots of girl time, free time, visiting with friends time. But the kids had an absolute blast with their cousins and we had a little vacation as summer is quickly coming to a close.
It was so much fun going to orientation with Domonique, Renee, and Brandon. Ashlyn scored on all the UVU promotional items and is decked out looking like the littlest Wolverine.
Afterwards, we all went to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner.
John flew in on Friday as he was in San Francisco (so he can drive home with us) and we played miniature golf . . .
It was nice, warm, sunny (hot) day!
Then we lucked out by seeing part of the Fitch clan: Rachelle and her cute baby for super quick (that was way too quick!) at Lisa's house. The kids got to cool off and swim at her pool and I got to catch up with my great friend that I've known my whole life.
Then we were off to Kim and Kyle's for BBQ and more swim! It's always fun to visit Utah because there are some of my most favorite people in the world there that I get to see. It would almost be great to live there . . . if it weren't UTAH!
:-)
