{catch up} Cousins!

We made our way back down to the lake at the end of summer for a glorious extended weekend with the cousins. Laughter, treats and rooms were shared. A first time water skiing for almost all. Brave lone swims out to the buoy. Fish caught, fish kept, fish thrown back. It was perfect.

{catch up} Fair Time!

I think my kids start asking when The Fair is coming within a week of it ending. It is a MUCH anticipated event in our household. We always have so much fun, and this year was no exception. Despite a downpour of rain on a hot summer's day, we managed to have a perfect time. While soaked to the bone.

{catch up} Reunited

We had a family reunion this summer. A gorgeous day in the heart of Edmonds. Adults chatted in the sun, sipping on iced tea and eating delicious pot luck salads. The kids ran around and played and made giant bubbles and painted in the garden. It was surreal and beautiful and lovely. A perfect reunion. And SO.MUCH.LAUGHTER.

 A few of the girlies.

 Four daughters from three sisters. The Mohr girls really passed down the family resemblance.

And towards the end someone broke out the epic backpacks. My grandparents made all of their girls and more cousins these homemade backpacks for their overnight packing trips. The loaded them up, strapped them on, tied everything they could to them, and made the littles carry everything they could. I'd also like to note my crazy outdoorsy family also backpacked with their own donkey. Whatever it takes. ;)

{catch up} The Lake

We went to Philips Lake The second week in August and we had a blast. The kids lived in the water for 5 days while we got in and out of the boat all day long. We paused to eat, to play a lawn game, back to the water, pause to fish again, and finally fall into our pillows at night.

 Parks was a fish catching maniac.

 Trolling made the fishing easy. At one point while I was getting up on the dock from the boat, I held my pole a little too close to the water and a fish actually jumped out of the water to grab the hook. Makes the fishing easy. :)

 Parker could literally tube ALL DAY LONG. Once this weekend when a little wind picked up and he was in the tube by himself, it flipped completely upside down. Parks held on until it flipped back over to our shock and awe. He told us later he was only "a tiny bit scared...but then I found my strength and decided just to hold on".

 So then we figured he could try kneeboarding!

 And Evie held on with her tiny mighty arms and went around the lake twice with Jer!

 And despite a brief visit to the local hospital, Evie was a total trooper all weekend while she was under the weather.

 This little gal has her own pole and tackle box and can bait, cast and reel all by herself. :)

First Days

Parker and Everly both had their first days this week. And I managed not to cry. In front of them.