Our beach vacation got canceled this year because of a hurricane. I was VERY angry about it, that vacation means a lot to us as a family and as a friend group (we go with two friends from high school and my college freshman roommate). We didn’t want to completely cancel our time off though, and since E hadn’t been to the lake house yet this year we hung out in Virginia. It was a little colder for my taste, but it was still fun. Our best Navy friends came to hang out from Virginia Beach so Caroline got to see her favorite person. We even did a grown-ups only day in NoVa with most of the friends I was supposed to see at the beach, so we don’t have to wait another year to see my BFFs. It’s hard to complain about a lake vacation, especially now that we’re home and I’m just looking back on the pictures.

This year, my parents moved full-time to their lake house. That means my mom officially retired and my dad sort of kinda almost retired except that he still works almost every day and has to commute up to Washington D.C. a couple times a week. I sort of doubt he will ever truly retire, just because he literally does not know how to relax. He needs stuff to do. The lake house was a good purchase because it always needs something done – fix a leak, build a garage, mow the lawn, do boat stuff, go to Home Depot three times in one weekend. It’s also an incentive to get us to visit – lake houses are much more fun than the nice but boring house they lived in when I was in high school. The kids beg to visit and cry when we have to leave.

Our visit this year was extra exciting for Caroline, since the week included pony camp for her each morning at the community’s equestrian center. The boys didn’t seem to care that she got to go to camp and they *only* got to swim in the lake, kayak, tube, boat and hang out with my folks. Unfortunately, E couldn’t get out of work that week so we went without him.

Here are way too many photos from our trip. You’re welcome, Mom!

This is Fancy saying “HI”, not being mad. Caroline and Fancy are BFFs.

My children are incapable of making normal faces for photos.

Finnegan was nervous about jumping the first day. It didn’t last long.

I can’t believe I am still doing this, even after falling behind, even on weeks that are super boring, even though when I started I had ONE KID and was pregnant with Caroline. The blogger friend who inspired it hasn’t blogged in years. And yet I refuse to give it up – it’s like the longest baby book in the world.

Sunday:

Feeding baby goats is fun even if you’re a cool 8-year-old

Baby snuggles, front and back

We are SO GLAD it’s spring

Monday:

This is a good look

Selling some of my favorite baby wraps

Unicorn helmet is life

Tuesday:

This is why I usually wear him

So far, the Caffeine eye cream and the Niacinamide are fantastic

I’m being attacked by balloons

Wednesday:

Eight today!

Sup, frog?

Linc has to ALWAYS be touching someone

Thursday:

Rainy day walking

Super excited to be at the doctor, I guess

I don’t know what’s happening here

Friday:

Skillz

Everyone loves Bumpa

Oreo cake was requested, Oreo cake was purchased

Saturday:

Still 8, and I still can’t believe he’s so old

They made hand puppets out of the silverware sleeves

Bubble bath + tub jets = LOTS OF SUDS

We turned off the heat in the house, which means I’m putting away the winter coats but also wearing a sweater all day because it’s actually still pretty cold. But the trees and flowers and blooming and that means winter is OVER. I had forgotten how dirty children get when they’re out in the garden. I should buy stock in a bubble bath company.

Oh, today isn’t Sunday? I have no idea. I’m at the beach and all I can keep track of is “can I eat another piece of cake right now?” When I started looking through my photos for the week I got confused that the first part of the week was in some strange, boring, non-professionally decorated place that didn’t have constant cake. I don’t want to go back there.

Sunday:

Watermelon on the porch = summer

Shirtless naps = summer

Happy, peaceful children = almost never

Monday:

IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOOOOOOOWN

Skeptical baby is skeptical

Taking pictures like mommy

Tuesday:

Important vacation prep

I suppose cleaning is also important

This is Linc’s favorite game: Face-Smash Selfie

Wednesday:

Sunrise in the car – we’d already been driving for 3 hours

In and out and in and out

Bedtime stories with Mormor

Thursday:

Absolutely worth the 2 days of driving

Basically a private beach

There are NINE decorative pillows on this bed

Friday:

There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew…

There was also shrimp in the low country boil I made for dinner

Oh ok, that’s perfect

Saturday:

A very french baby breakfast

Would you like some bait with your frozen pie?

That’s a virgin Pina Colada in a shot glass

Now I’m going to go work on the second thousand pictures I’ve taken so far (not an exaggeration). The first thousand have been edited so I’ll have a ridiculous photo post up probably tonight. If I can get out of the pool long enough.

My parents lake house/future retirement house is pretty awesome. I mean, it’s no beach mansion, but it does have boats, a swim platform AND grandparents, which completely makes up for the lake of bathrooms. Not that there are NO bathrooms. There just aren’t 9 bathrooms. But it’s ok, since we taught the kids they can just pee in the lake.

Please don’t judge me for, well, any of this. Lincoln loves everything about the water, he was always in a life jacket when he was on boats/tubes and we didn’t go fast if we were towing him. We’ll wait until he’s at least 3 before we make him try water skiing.