Happy Father's Day +Lake Weekend

Last weekend was of course FATHER'S DAY and my family celebrated by heading out of town to the lake for the weekend.

Ben wasn't able to make it out to the lake until midday saturday but the rest of us went down friday evening. But first me & my kiddos had to make a special trip up to Ben's work on friday to celebrate DADDY with a special treat.

We took Ben an edible fruit arrangement in a baseball arrangement. Aiden stole many pieces of daddy's fruit before we left. Those things are GOOD!

Ben is the best daddy ever and I have 2 super lucky kiddos.

Pretty much immediately when we got to the lake we had to start opening the gifts because aiden saw them being unpacked and continued to ask about the presents. I forgot to mention that we were also celebrating MOM this weekend since we didn't get the chance to honor her over mother's day cause she was out of town.

Aiden helping poppy with his present

A dallas T-shirt and some super awesome keen's sandals.

Now for mom!

I put this together and I think it turned out pretty cute (if I do say so myself). It's a "flower garden of mom's favorites" but it's really cut out flowers that I made with little sayings on them about her favorite things, also gift cards to her favorite places were stuck in there and pictures of her favorite kiddos, along with some chocolate and when you take out all the "stuff" it's a herb garden of mint, rosemary, and basil.

I love this picture and wish aiden didn't have his eyes closed. Gigi asked him if he wanted some of her flower chocolate and he said "hold on I'm taking my picture" and he smiled big for me but of course his eyes are closed!

NOW it's chocolate time!!!

After all the presents were given out it was basically lake house weekend as usual. Losing track of time, sitting on the dock, deck, laying out, swimming, riding the jet skis, eating. Good fun relaxation time.

Gigi & Hallie enjoying some bonding time on the deck.

Hallie's new pea pod we got her to use at the lake and at the beach this summer. It protects her from the sun and the wind but let's her be outside with us. So far I'm a fan of this little product!

Jarod riding the jet ski.

Jarod and Garrett on the jet skis.

Beth & I getting some sun.

Poppy & Gigi enjoying some snuggle time with miss priss.

Now there's no picture that tells the major story from the weekend so here's as good a place as any to write it out. Like I said, the lake is traditionally just about relaxation, hanging out, doing anything you want or nothing at all.

Wellllll saturday afternoon/ evening Jarod, beth, and I decided to go out on the jet skis. I haven't driven a jet ski in a very very long time. Maybe since I was 16? I've been a passenger on them many times but not the driver. But since we're about to be spending lots of time out on the lake I wanted to learn how to drive again so I feel comfortable going out on the jet ski by myself. So here we go. We set out riding around on the jet skis and I ride with jarod until we "park" in a little cove and he hops on with beth so I can drive by myself. We drive around the cove slowly, practicing and what not. I start to get the hang of it so I start to follow them back into the big part of the lake. I'm doing well now but jarod doesn't want to keep riding on the back and so he wants to go back to the house and let beth & I just ride around for a bit. We take jarod back to the house and drop him off and then beth & I head back out for more jet ski riding fun. I've been driving by myself for all of 30 or so minutes now. I'm practically a pro. So we ride around the lake just having fun, going fast and we get fairly far away before we slow down to talk to each other and beth says she thought she may have heard thunder so we should probably start heading back. There's still not a cloud in the sky or a sprinkle of rain but since she heard the thunder we start heading back towards the house....

No more than 3 minutes pass before we start getting DRENCHED!! I mean buckets and buckets of rain on us. The waves on the lake are HUGE. We keep slowing down just to see each other cause we can't see right in front of our faces. Plus it's hard to decide if going faster is better even though you can't see or is going slower and getting hit by huge monsoons of water with each passing wave better?? It's hard to judge. Then starts the hail. Yes HAIL! And that HURTS! Here beth & I are out in the middle of PK lake with buckets of water raining down on us, 4 foot high waves, and pellets of hail hitting our unprotected skin. Did I mention I haven't driven a jet ski since I was 16?? So it is very bizzarre that in these moments I began to think hmmm I'm gonna die on this jet ski. How ironic! I say that jokingly but in all honesty I really did do a LOT of praying in those terrifying moments.

Needless to say since I'm writing this...we DID make it back to the house and relatively unharmed. Our husbands already had the lake police out looking for us on the water and everyone was extremely relieved when they saw us coming in to the dock. In hindsight we were so incredibly lucky. We later found out that there were jet skiiers who were really hurt in the storm with bloody noses, black eyes, and such. Not to mention we could have been hit by any boat out on the water since no one trying to make it to land could see where they were going.

In the end we made it back to the house thoroughly drenched, shaking, bruised by pellets of hail but completely intact. We got a story we will always remember out of it and I am proud to say I proved myself as a jet ski driver! Nothing like baptism by fire!!!

Other than that one dramatic night it was a very relaxing weekend! Lots of good food, family, and celebration!

We love you DAD! Absolutely the best dad and poppy you could ever hope to have. You're an amazing role model, friend, and father. I'm so proud to be your daughter.