New Boat!!!

I know it's been more than a year since I've posted here. I've made it my goal to try to catch up. I'm starting with most recent and working back to 4th of July, 2009!

This summer our boat has had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. The motor that used to be on it finally died. We (and by We I mean Jeff) removed the motor along with the steering column, captain's chair, etc. We put the 6 horse row boat motor on the back. I'm not sure I have any pictures to prove it, but I've been driving it all summer by sitting on the back on a green bucket. People would literally point and laugh. :) But it got us to the island for fun in the sun so I didn't complain... too much.

Last weekend Jeff surprised me with a new boat for my 40th birthday! It is SOOOO beautiful!! And it even has a steering wheel! It is a 22' Princecraft Sportfisher. (Yes, Jeff got me a fishing boat for my birthday... a little suspicious, right?!) It has everything we wanted! Chairs for fishing (for Jeff), a swim ladder (for Jack), a biminy (for shade for Elaine), a lay out spot (for Kim), and most importantly a 75 horse Mercury 4 stroke motor (FOR ME!!!)! It starts at the turn of the key, goes forward when you put it in forward and reverse when you're in reverse. You also don't have to shut off the motor to have a conversation! It is so awesome!

Karen, Dawn, Odalis, Isa, and Lola came up this past weekend and made the new boat's maiden voyage very fun! We got a 3-4 person tube. The boat doesn't go fast enough for a thrill ride, but it goes fast enough for some fun on the lake!

Jeff's Aunt Pat came up from Iowa for the weekend too. On Sunday it was chilly and was a perfect afternoon for a tour of the lake. It was great!

The Wood Shed

Jeff enjoys a little project! In June I went away for a weekend and came back to dig post holes for a new wood shed. We have many logs stacked on our property from when we cut out the road and the spots for the outbuilding and cabin. The logs have been out in the snow and rain for a couple years now. We needed to get them cut, split, and stacked in a dry location before we lost all that good fire wood. It (as usual) has become a project for the masses! Lisa, Jeff, Dad, Jack, Mom, Uncle Bob, Shawn, Elaine, Jack T, Odalis, Isa, and even 3 year old Lola have had a hand in building, cutting, splitting or stacking tons (literally) of wood since June! It has turned out to be a great project!

Some Nieces Visit

At the end of July Odalis, Isa, and Lola came up for a week.

One of the highlights of the week was sleeping in Aunt Lisa's tent! The 4 kids slept out there without an adult and had a great time!

Things started to get a little crazy!

Whose big feet are those?!

Safe to say lots of fun was had in the tent!

Aunt Lis also paddled out to the island one day! Isa helped her paddle back. They almost beat us back!
We spent time everyday at the island.

Isa got creative.

Odalis and Jack moved big rocks so boat props wouldn't hit them under the water! They're so strong!

The girls also had fun on the rope swing!

GREAT Times!

Uncle Bob and Aunt Diana Visit

Jeff's Uncle Bob and Aunt Diana came up from California for a week in July. Lisa had been swimming all summer and lately she was getting bumped by a big muskie. The fish was pushing her out of the way! She didn't want to become fish lunch so she asked her Uncle Bob to go get that big fish.
So he did!

My Hero!

Now THAT'S a FISH!

He caught it right after a huge storm. The sky was magnificant!

At the end of the week we had a fish fry with the lake family. Elaine made her famous egg rolls! Uncle Bob made fish tacos.

Some of the girls on the deck. Me, Aunt Diana, Lisa, Mom, and Elaine.

Enjoying dinner.
Aunt Diana, Karen G, Pat, and Linda around the table. Bob, Lisa, and Mom chatting in the background.

The boys eating outside. Shawn, Jeff, and Dad

Jack, Bob, and Aaron

Kids on the Lake

We have so many fun days with so many fun kids on the lake!

Tony and Jacob live up there year around. Jack goes fishing with them in the evenings.

Abby LOVES playing with the kids. Squirt guns are her very favorite, but she also enjoys resting on the floating toys. Here I think she's trying to go for a tube ride.

Abby wasn't allowed on but Meli, Allison, Cole, Joey and Jack had a great ride!

Meanwhile Shawn and Jeff had a very relaxing float while Jeff fished some too.

Memorial Day Party

Kim's Uncle Fred came up for Memorial Day.
Since he is the source of the best fish fry batter ever we had to have a fish fry in his honor.

Dawn was also up so she made home made tortillas for fish tacos. Kim and Karen also help. I think Oz was there to taste test!

The kids all gathered on the deck to eat. Jack, Jack T, Isa, Meli, Luke, Lola, Cole, and Odalis LOVE Uncle Fred's fish fry!

Ray from next door stopped by too!

Here we are enjoying the girls. Me, Kim, Elaine, Elaine O, and Aunt Mary

Karen and Dawn were well entertained by Elaine's wonderful sangria as well as Shawn and Oz's humor.

It was another GREAT Memorial Day celebration!

Everyone LOVES the Windmill

The Windmill gives the biggest scoops for the best price in Wisconsin!

Odalis won a triple scoop for doing something really helpful!

Isa got a double!

Marcos got to finish what everyone else couldn't finish.

Jack enjoyed his with his long hair.