Lake Gaston

The last week in July we spent in Lake Gaston, our fourth annual trip with the kids. We usually go the second week in August, and are there for Mom's birthday, but this year Cliff had to return to work July 29th, so we went the week of 7/20 instead.

I love Hayden's man made lake.
Daniel and Anabella helped, too, though the pictures I took early on
were too blurry (it was so humid that the lens fogged up when I first took
the camera outside).

Mom brought along a tarp this year, which was perfect for our "beach."
 (not that Hayden wasn't already brown as a biscuit!). 

While we like the sand and all, it's on the water where we have the most fun!
Hayden was the first to take his turn knee-boarding. 

Allie did pretty well, too.
(though I do have some great video footage of her bailing- twice!)

Erica got up on her first try. 

Eric did well, too.
It was all due to the resident sports director giving encouragement from
the back of the boat.

Twizzler, anyone?

We do a lot of good eatin' at the lake.  Starting with our breakfast, which includes about 2 pounds of bacon every morning, Cliff's belly reminds us when it's time to return from the boat for lunch. And, then at dinner, oh my.  Our menu this year included the following: ribs, bbq chicken, shrimp, crab cakes, filet, Italian one night and Mexican another.  I could do an entire blog post on our food alone! But, since I went a little overboard on my Lancaster posting by sharing what I ate at the Shady Maple, I'll spare you and just share these two cute pictures from rib night.

While I could almost always be found on the boat
 (directing when there were water sports involved),
Daniel, like his Daddy, would rather be riding on a jet ski!

I was nervous at first, but he's his Daddy's boy, what can I say?
(don't you love the Steelers' doo rag?

There they are- happy as two kids on jet skis! 

You don't get a picture like that every day! 

Daniel could play in the water for hours.  He loved going back and forth
carrying buckets of water. 

Feeding the fish at the Pointe.....a Lake Gaston tradition.

Look, Anabella and Maw found a pink fish!
Pink- Anabella couldn't wait to get her hands on it-
she loves ALL things pink.  

Oh no, she's going to come back out pink!! 

Shhh, everyone be very quiet; Dan Credle is sleeping. 

After feeding fish, you must eat ice cream (even if it is still morning and
you've just eaten a breakfast of bacon & eggs).
It's a Lake Gaston tradition.

Jumping in the lake from the boat is one of my favorite things to do.
I don't have many pictures this year (it's hard to take pictures from the water!)
Daniel jumped in about 78 times.  And, then he'd climb out and do it AGAIN!
He rivaled Hayden this year, the year he was about Daniel's age, but I think
he even had him beat! Anabella loved the water, too.
She preferred to be "dipped in," though.

Anabella enjoyed palling around with Erica.
She loved having Erica style her hair- see her pretty french braid
(look closely- it's behind that silly face).

I think Cliff and I walked like this once.....eight years ago. :)
(probably the last time I looked like that in a bikini, too) 

Fishing buddies

I don't know why everyone thought it was so funny that I ended
up on this raft with the kids. 

To add to their amusement, I waved and played it up as much as possible.
(Someone took like 54 pictures, and I can still hear the laughter, though
I still don't know what's so funny!?!)

 Here we are doing our Indian dance around the bon fire.

 Dad told the kids Injun Tom stories all week. Injun Tom lived in the
woods at the lake and came out at night. Here we are looking for him. 
Is he really hiding under that large rock?

Play Doh on the deck

All week I talked about Goat Island, an island on Lake Gaston that had goats, imagine that.  Beth told me about it.  The morning we went there, it was a little chilly.  We didn't dock the boat and walk onto the island (something about it hitting the propeller or something), but I was happy to see two goats! Next year I'm taking the canoe there so I can get out and explore. It's only like 9 miles from Greg's house. Definitely doable.  

Do you see the two goats?

Look closely.  

 Dan's annual snooze on the boat.
Goat Island is a long way!

Don't you like his do?

 The four cousins on the boat.
Another tradition. :) 

Daddy on two skis

Daddy kicking his ski

Daddy on one ski! 

Anabella can ski on sand, Daddy!

It's impossible to take enough pictures to truly capture all the good memories and fun we have at the lake!

As usual, we are so grateful to Uncle Greg and Aunt Julie for letting us "borrow" their lake house, boat, skis, and all that accompanies it. They are very nice, and we are so appreciative of their generosity.  Last week Anabella reminded me of this when I told her MaMa & PaPa were coming to our house to stay overnight. She said we'd let them "borrow" the guest room because we are "nice" like Greg and Julie.   :)