lake time

We didn't spend as much time on the lake as we usually do due to a cool and rainy spring and summer. Plus Carter had a torn hamstring for the first part of the summer.  We got a paddle board this year to add to our collection.  We can now have the whole family out with 3 in kayaks, one on the paddle board and Claire catching a ride with someone.  We all have really enjoyed the paddle board.

One day we paddled to some 10-12 foot cliffs near our house and talked Claire into jumping off.  After trying to talk her into actually jumping off the cliff she decided she wanted me to hold her hand and jump with her.  Bad idea.  I jumped. She didn't. So she landed on her side.  Lesson learned.

Boat wise, the boys really got good with the surfing this year.  Carter and Jared can stay in the wake/pocket and just get pushed by the wave for as long as they want.  They can ride up and down the wave like you see in the ocean.  Allen still struggles to stay in the pocket for more than a few seconds (he is blaming the board-too small for his height) and I just enjoy holding on to the rope.  Claire tried many times but has yet to really get it.

rv

We finally made up the trip to the Virginia Creeper that we had to cancel when we lost our dog Max last fall.  We tried something new, something our kids have wanted to do for a few years.  We traveled and stayed in a RV (rented an old one).  Our trip was 4 nights/5 days.  We spent a day/night at Warriors State Park and the rest in Damascus, VA. We loved it.  We all loved it.  It was such a fun, different vacation for us.  The traveling was the best.  We played games, I laid on my bed and read, the kids hung out in that cool space above the driver.  The driver, Allen, was the only one who didn't think this was the best way to travel.

Virginia was awesome.  The first day we hiked part of the Appalachian trail.  The next day we did what we have done before; we rode down the 17 miles from Whitetop to Damascus, which is mainly coasting the whole way.  This time we stopped a lot more and enjoyed what the trail has to offer-river with rocks, little caves, beautiful scenery, rocks to climb up.  The last day we did something new and rode the 17 miles from Damascus to Abingdon.  This is all flat and much more of a real bike ride.  We loved it.  Believe it or not I think its scenery is better than the first trip.  We went through beautiful farms, the kind that make you want to live on a farm.  One bridge was gone due to a tornado so we had to ride down and up a steep embankment.  Boys loved it, I thought I was going to die.

At night we would play games in our little RV.  Monopoly was the game of choice for this trip as we had a lot of time at night.  We also played cards and even watched the movie RV one night!  It was so fun.  I laughed so hard every night that I would cry and my cheeks would hurt.  Those times are what I loved about this trip.  Our little family in a small RV laughing until we cried.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  We made such wonderful memories and have some good inside jokes from this trip.

Here are just a few of the pics we took:

driving in style

Monopoly

bed time

skipping rocks

bride to Abingdon

The "Virginia Creeper" engine in Abingdon

nap time

 We've had a lot of good naps around here lately.