Saturday, August 10, 2024

Postcards From the Lake: Indoors and Out!

So, what do you plan when a six and a seven-year-old (along with their beautiful mom) descend on you? Well, when you're at the lake, there are no shortage of options! And no double-trouble!


Molly brought the boys up for a couple of days and fortunately, the sun was shining and the weather was warm! On the first afternoon, Rick took each of them out in the kayaks. It was their second time and the journeys weren't far!


Needless to say, they stuck pretty close to shore!


But no worries. 

They were ready and enjoying it all!

There were board games to be played! (Those guys are good -- Carson (7) can beat you on almost anything! I was ridiculously proud when I took him in two our of three Sequence rounds. Meanwhile, he also develops his own games with the checkerboard and the Genius Square games.

The next day we went to a nature museum filled with dioramas of animals, mostly from Michigan. (My cousin's son called "Call of the Wild" the "Dead Animal Museum."


I was pleasingly surprised. They enjoyed the exhibits and so did we.


Even the little movie was pretty cute. 

They could listen to the animal sounds on a microphone crafted from (or to look like) an antler or tusk. And there were plenty of interactive exhibits -- doors and drawers to open, screens with information, and photo op places, too.

And of course, before we left, we had to visit what Cam calls "the Pro Shop." (That little fox on Carson's shoulder was his constant companion, thanks to Grandpa. Cam got one, too.)


We were lucky the weather was good during their stay so we could enjoy beach time.


They brought their fishing poles.


No one captured "the big one" we saw jumping while we were sitting on the porch, but the time wasn't without a little bit of a catch!

Molly (aka Best Mom Ever!) even taught Cam how to "carry" a fish with his thumb. 

Carson learned about charcoal grilling . . . 


. . . and we celebrated Molly's birthday and mine.

Our time together was all too short. But it was all wonderful! 


This is how you spell "Happy."

Sharing with:   Talking About It Tuesday    /     Share Your Style   /   Rain's Art and Dinner Date   

59 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Looks like a fun time indeed for you, Rick and the boys and their mom. They all have happy smiles, so you can tell they enjoyed their time at the lake. Great photos! Take care, have a great weekend.

Valerie-Jael said...

Glad you all had such wonderful times together. The things they are loaning - boating, fishing, grilling, games - will last for a lifetime. I hope you have many more such fantastyic visits! Hugs, valerie

My name is Erika. said...

You look like you've been having a blast. What a fun few days. And you might be exhausted because I'm guessing the kids kept you all on your toes.They are adorable though; I especially liked those enraptured looks as they watched the movie with grandpa. I bet Rick was in 7th heaven too. Have a great weekend. hugs-Erika

gigi-hawaii said...

Happy Birthday, Jeanie and Molly! Aloha from Hawaii! To fun times!

Tom said...

...what a heartwarming time. I wish that we still had grandchildren this age. Count your blessing everyday.

Misadventures of Widowhood said...

Spending the end of summer with grandparents will weave life-long memories for the boys.

Bill said...

Happy birthday to you and Molly. I love the expression on Rick's face as he listens to the sounds with the kids. It is priceless. Keep on having fun times, it is the only way to enjoy life.

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Sounds like a memorable birthday celebration for all of you.

Rita said...

OMGosh! What a wonderful visit! Lots of fun things for the boys to do. We need to appreciate these days as they up grow so darn fast. :)

Steve Reed said...

What a great time! I loved seeing Rick teaching them how to kayak. And the animal museum looks pretty cool -- probably a great way to learn about local wildlife.

Debbie said...

what awesome time with the boys and their mom, she is your daughter?? maybe i missed that part. you planned wonderfully for this time with them, all things boys that age would love to do. but just time with you 2 is a blessing, they must really look forward to coming!! i think teaching they to kayak was a great idea, i have trouble in a kayak and i wonder if someone actually teaching me would have helped me. happy birthday, i can't remember if i wished you that in a previous comment!! ooooh and they are beautiful boys!! and their mom too!!

Rustic Pumpkin said...

A good idea to start the boys off young under controlled circumstances with the kayaking. Looks like a fun time had by all.

Divers and Sundry said...

So much fun! The kayak experience looks exciting!

DUTA said...

Kids open a whole new horizon to us, adults. Their likes and dislikes are broadening our life experiences.
Happy Birthday to you, Molly and Rick!

Cindy said...

Such a fun post! You all did a lot in short visit. Glad you both had a very happy birthday!

kathyinozarks said...

What a wonderful time you all had together-special moments

Sandra Cox said...

What a wonderful time. You created some special memories:) Nice pic of you guys!

Red Rose Alley said...

What a wonderful time you had with the boys, and Happy Birthday to you, Jeanie! Fishing is such a fun sport for the kids, and I'm glad to hear they are learning little things about it. Those grilled sausages look Yummy. I love the little stuffed fox. I just bought Mia a stuffed cheetah for her birthday also. That's neat that they could listen to the animal sounds at the nature museum. Looks like they are having a great time kayaking!

I know your special time with the boys was the best birthday gift of all, Jeanie.

~Sheri

gz said...

Definitely Happy..a lovely day

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

What a wonderful time! Those days at the lake will be with the boys forever!

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, grands are the greatest! What a fun time with the handsome boys and their lovely mom. The weather cooperated and I know they enjoyed their time with you and Rick!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Time spent with grandchildren is fleeting and precious and I am glad you were all able to enjoy time together. I am especially delighted that they got some exposure to nature. Maybe one of them, both even, might grow to be a biologist!

Anvilcloud said...

Looks like a great family time in the halcyon days of summer.

La Table De Nana said...

The very best of times indeed..Mommy is so lovely..And the blond is evident in all three:)You are happy:)

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

What a great visit, truly the stuff of wonderful childhood memories you are making for those boys.

Sharon in Las Cruces NM said...

Jeanie, your post brought back happy memories for me of my family and grandparents interactions. You certainly had an awesome time at the lake. I enjoyed all those smiles!!!!

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

A beautiful visit with special memories that were made.

carol@The Red Painted Cottage said...

Making great memories with grandkids will always be cherished.

carol l mckenna said...

Happy Birthday ~ what a lovely family ~ handsome boys and fun times ~ Great post and photos ~ hugs,

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Ricki Treleaven said...

Your grands will always remember their time at the lake with y'all! What wonderful memories. I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Rita C at Panoply said...

So sweet! Y'all look like you're having a good time. Jeanie, you especially look radiant. I love your hair. Again, Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

It looks as though everyone had a fun time. How could you not happy birthday Jeannie

Barb said...

What a great visit for you and the Grands! Those boys are growing! I bet you had to catch up on rest after they left. Great pics of a good time.

Prims By The Water said...

I remember going to a Call of The Wild exhibit when I was young. Wonder if it was the same one? Looks like the boys had a fantastic time. My paternal grandfather taught me how to play checkers when I was really young and he always played with me. Janice

shoreacres said...

What a splendid couple of days -- and happy birthday to you! I'm so glad the weather cooperated, so the boys were able to kayak and fish. Museums and such certainly have changed since my childhood. For all my nose-twitching about electronic entertainment and such, it is great that so much inter-activity has been introduced in such places. Still, there's nothing like a good game of checkers or Scrabble to keep me entertained!

Buttercup said...

Congratulations, friend. A Paris magnet is coming your way.

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

Nothing better than spending time with grandchildren. Looks like you found some really fun things to do. Beautiful photo of you guys and the boys!

Pamela said...

Making memories! What a wonderful time together.

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

What a fun weekend for all of you! I see that fox in multiple pictures so that was quite the hit! I bet it was a treat to be able to get something from "the pro shop."

This will be us a week from today as we are going up to my parents for our annual lake vacation and then they are keeping the boys the following week! Paul's summer care program ends mid-week next week so we have a childcare gap to fill. My parents took him for the week last year and were up for keeping Taco, too, as they can be each other's playmates. Hopefully they are on their best behavior for my parents although it seems like that is always the case when they watch them.

Maggie from Stillness at Cherith said...

Great photos! it looks everyone is having fun :)

Sami said...

Great activities for the kids and wonderful family time Jeanie.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

It looks like a fun visit. Great photos too.

thepaintedapron.com said...

Looks like a perfect time at the lake for little boys, fishing, boating and playing games, not to mention a fun outing the animal museum! I know they loved their time with you!
Jenna

DeniseinVA said...

What fun! And all the special memories you made for those darling boys. Great photos Jeanie!

Nancy said...

That last picture needs to be framed! Happy Indeed!
Looks like a fun few days. I am so glad the weather was good. Lake living is the best!
Enjoy the rest of your week!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Those darling boys have really grown! How wonderful to celebrate your birthday with fun times with family. The boys look right at home kayaking! Love the last photo of you all.

Marilyn Miller said...

What an absolutely wonderful time at the lake. I really love the last picture of the 4 of you. So glad you had the time together.

Jenny Woolf said...

Laying down some wonderful memories there - and sports skills they'll be able to develop later. It is good to get introduced to new things at this age.

Joanne said...

It sounds like a wonderful time was had by all!

Polly said...

What a great time, can I come to visit please? :-) The last photo is gorgeous Jeanie, you look beautiful, so young, and your hair looks lovely.

Hena Tayeb said...

Happy Birthday. Looks like wonderful memories were made!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Happy Birthday, Jeanie, and you certainly had a fun surprise visit and looks like great times for all and great that the weather cooperated too.

KarenW said...

Lovely, lucky people. Great times with the littles.

Breathtaking said...

Hello Jeanie :)
Happy smiles on all your faces tells me how much you all enjoyed your time together. The boys will remember their time at the lake when they are grownups, and you and Rick made these precious moments memorable. Lovely photos Jeanie!

Christine said...

Lovely family

Christine said...

Lovely family and a fun summer!

Gillena Cox said...

Some very very interesting doubles

much♡love

Anca said...

Haha, the Dead Animal Museum is a very accurate description. Nice to see the children kayaking, it must have been very special for them, a memory to last.

crackercrumblife said...

That looks like a great time! And it so very "up north" all of it and makes me feel so nostalgic! I have driven past the Call of the Wild so many times and we have never stopped. We will have to next time! I am glad you had such a wonderful time.

Popular Posts