I'm a little short on words tonight so I thought I'd just post a smattering of pictures from our Fourth of July week at the Lake.
Ummm. Hello cuteness. 
I LOVE the freckles. Scrumptious.
Our lake neighbours a few doors down got a new boat. OH SO NICE! The PERFECT shade of orange. Delightful. 
Small town America at its finest. The Richland, Michigan 4th of July Annual Parade. We LOVE it and can't miss it. And again, if you're ever thinking of getting married on July 4th and you actually want me to attend your wedding, you're gonna need to pick a different date because I just don't think I can be anywhere but Gull Lake on the 4th. It's tradition.
Papa and the kids. 
Always a great representation of our military. And just after the parade ended 2 fighter jets flew by. Love that they're on our team. 
Okay gorgeous girl. Love that she actually cooperated for this one. 
Thankfully he's not frightened of clowns. {Sorry Gabe, I know you wish you could say that about Leslie. Is she over those fears yet?}
Maddie was lovin' this. 
It's so very hard to wait. Candy bag in hand. Just throw the candy already is what I'm sure he was thinking. 
Can't have a good parade without a local old-timey type band, complete with harmonica and ukulele. 
And the beauty of small-town America is that when your child is in dire need of a drink of water, you can just walk across the street and ask a friend and they readily supply. Love that. Can't necessarily do that in Chicago. 
Ahhh. The firetrucks. Loud. Shiny red. 
And here we are in all our cuteness. Like my hair? {You know I only mention it cuz of the drama from last week. *smile*} 
And then on to the annual "Wood Boat Parade" on the lake... always on the 4th ... usually late afternoon ... it never disappoints. Never. We love, love, LOVE wood boats.
Here's my fave. 
And we've actually ridden in this one. I called up the owner a few years back and said, "I don't know you and you don't know me, but my husband, dad, and father-in-law absolutely LOVE wood boats, especially yours, and I would love to surprise them with a ride. Is there any chance you'd be willing to take us for a ride?" And he said yes. No way! Yes way! See, it never hurts to ask, right? And we all, collectively say ... "All they can do is say no!"
So that's perhaps one of my favorite lake memories of all times. It was like we were movie stars riding around in that boat. EVERYONE waved at us. We were famous, if only for an hour!
And the rest of these boats are amazing, too. I might make it my mission to hunt down these owners and ask for random surprise rides. Why not? I'm in my 40s now, what do I have to lose?
And then the fireworks on the boat later that night. Since our first trip back up to the lake this spring, Jackson has wondered when the fireworks would happen. I'm so glad he remembered them from the year prior. And finally we got to say, "The fireworks are this weekend, Buddy!" And so here's his reaction to the first big.bright.red.firework.
A boat-load of fun. This is when I know we're spoiled because I have no desire to watch fireworks from solid ground anymore. Well, I take that back. Fireworks are grand wherever you are. But to be rolling in the water with the fireworks basically right above our heads. There's just something rather magical about THAT.
Our friends Kim and the kids, and her mom joined us for a fun evening out on the boat. Gavin, her middle child, is just a couple weeks older than Maddie and we have pictures of the two of them together every Memorial Day and 4th of July since they were tiny.
And here's her oldest - Landon - being such a great sport with the little ones. They somehow thought it would be fun to tickle him with stuffed animals. If only you could hear Jackson and Malia giggle. So contagious.
And Jackson and his sweet friend Malia. One month apart in age. And let's just talk about 2 kids who play amazingly well together. They were literally together playing for HOURS (as in like 6 hours at a time) and nary a squabble. They make each other giggle. One leads and the other follows and pretty soon they flip-flop and the other leads and the other follows. And they do lots of copy-catting. If one does it, the other must attempt it, too.
Another super fan-TAS-tic week at the lake. Complete with a boat ride over to the ice cream parlour for some yummy local ice cream. It's just so fun to step off the boat, onto the dock, in your bare feet, and walk up to the store to buy your ice cream. Not sure why that tickles me so, but it just does. Rocky Road delicious-ness. And black cherry for Jack and his dad. {Why they would pick that flavour when Rocky Road is "in the house" I have no idea, but to each his own.}
And Jackson skied with Jack {rats, no pictures}. And both kids tubed with Jack. And Jackson got very brave in the deep water with his life-jacket on, which was so fun to see. At one point he turned and said to me - exact quote - "I just can not believe that I'm swimming in the big lake." (by big lake he meant deep water). Isn't that precious. What a kid! What a family!
Thanks, Pops, for sharing your beautiful home and lake with us, yet again!
