Our First Family Vacation
I know, I know the title sounds weird but truly, this was the first, just-us-four, Family Vacation we have ever taken. Last week we went spent 5 days at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. We went there because we had free lodging! One of Dan's clients let us stay at his beautiful lake house (with access to his private dock, 2 jet skis, and a speed boat). It was such a wonderful getaway. The setting was very relaxing, the house had plenty of space, and there was lots of hangout, down-time. AND, there were whole house speakers with XM radio so we had several family dance parties.
Here are the trip highlight photos:
However, Dan did take out the jet ski. He got to play on it a lot by himself, and Marie even went with him twice! I was so nervous the first time she went out with him but, although he was a wild, soaking-wet speed demon by himself, he was very slow and cautious with her and stayed close to the dock. She LOVED it! I think that was her favorite part of the trip. 
And here she is getting ready to go out again:
We spent lots of mornings hanging out on the deck. Sometimes bubbles were involved too. JJ really enjoyed watching them and chasing after the bubbles with his big sister. 
Marie and JJ got to roast marshmallows and make smores for the first time ever. Another highlight of the trip.
Just out of sight in the campfire pictures is a porch swing that the kids really enjoyed swinging on. And, here is probably the only picture of me I am going to post from the trip. Marie did a really good job taking it.
Rounding out the top three of Marie's trip highlights... The Ice Cream BOAT!! (And really this is probably second behind jet skiing.) How cool is that? Yep, just like an ice cream truck, the driver patrols the neighborhood with the usual musical tune looking for kids on the shore screaming "Ice Cream!" Dan, never wasting an opportunity to talk to someone about business, of course spent several minutes talking to the boat operator about the business and economic aspects of an ice cream boat.
And that was most our lake trip. Good-bye beautiful lake. We hope to visit you again! Thank you to Dan's client for letting us use your beautiful cabin.
This was the sunset the first night we got there. Just the reward we needed after a 7 hour drive. The kids did great the whole way though. Dan and I both agreed it was the best sunset we have seen outside of Arizona or Mexico. 
However, Dan did take out the jet ski. He got to play on it a lot by himself, and Marie even went with him twice! I was so nervous the first time she went out with him but, although he was a wild, soaking-wet speed demon by himself, he was very slow and cautious with her and stayed close to the dock. She LOVED it! I think that was her favorite part of the trip.
And here she is getting ready to go out again:
We spent lots of mornings hanging out on the deck. Sometimes bubbles were involved too. JJ really enjoyed watching them and chasing after the bubbles with his big sister.
Marie and JJ got to roast marshmallows and make smores for the first time ever. Another highlight of the trip.
Just out of sight in the campfire pictures is a porch swing that the kids really enjoyed swinging on. And, here is probably the only picture of me I am going to post from the trip. Marie did a really good job taking it.
Rounding out the top three of Marie's trip highlights... The Ice Cream BOAT!! (And really this is probably second behind jet skiing.) How cool is that? Yep, just like an ice cream truck, the driver patrols the neighborhood with the usual musical tune looking for kids on the shore screaming "Ice Cream!" Dan, never wasting an opportunity to talk to someone about business, of course spent several minutes talking to the boat operator about the business and economic aspects of an ice cream boat.
And that was most our lake trip. Good-bye beautiful lake. We hope to visit you again! Thank you to Dan's client for letting us use your beautiful cabin.
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Love, Nana