Family Time On Lake Charlevoix Part 3

                                                                     August 9, 2017

We continued to have beautiful weather with sun, calm waters, and temperatures in the 70"s. I was grateful for this weather, but just wish it had been in low 80's making the water more appealing!

That evening Joe and I took the family out for dinner to the Tap Room. We gave the adult kids  menu's from all the area restaurants, and they voted for this place.

It is very hard to get mom to smile for pictures, so I am glad I got at least a look without her covering up her mouth, like she usually does. She doesn't like her smile either. (Or her knees as I posted in the previous blog).

I bought everyone their first drink and horderves. Alisha and Jamie. (our oldest daughter and her husband).

Tiffany and Blake (our youngest daughter and her husband Blake).

Our oldest granddaughter Hayleah Grace.

Our oldest grandson Noah James. (He is another one that is hard to get a picture of without making a funny face. It's best to just take one of him, when he doesn't know it).

Our youngest grandson Lennox James and granddaughter Madalena June.

Grandpa Joe splurged and bought everyone their meals. (Which if you know Joe, is a big deal. He is very conservative with his money with himself and others). Thanks Joe and papa for sharing with us all. We appreciate it! (Papa Joe with his grandson Lennox).

The next day I treated our grand kids (Noah, Lennox, Hayleah, and Madalena) to the inside water park that is located 10 miles from our home in Boyne Falls.

Tiffany took this picture with the name of the water park on the picture so I threw it in. (I am not as tech savvy as she is)!

Of course everyone need a hug from Fritz the Avalanche Bay mascot.

Tiffany and Blake also went with the kids and the rest of us sat and watched.

There are 6 big water slides at the indoor park including the newest one with a trap door that opens and  drops you at a 10 degree angle down a 30 foot vertical slide at speeds of 25mph called "The Big Couloir". I believe Blake was the only brave one to do that water slide. Here Lennox and Noah just came out of the Vertico Toilet Bowl.

Noah and Lennox coming down 2 of the slides at the same time.

Hayleah went down most slides with Madalena, being a sweet big sister she is!

Of course there are kiddie pools with a lot of water guns, bucket drops and little water slides. Noah being the character he is, stood in front of the bucket drop and almost lost his trunks a few times. On purpose of course!

All the kids and Tiff and Blake did the racing slide. The bigger you are, the faster you go and the winning lane is announced electronically.  Naturally Blake won the race in the adult category! Below are 4 video's of times at the park. The first one was very short with Lennox on the Flow Ride. The second video is of Blake on the Flow Ride. The idea is too be able to stay on the surf. This only comes from practice.This was both Lennox and Blake's first try. I should have videoed a practiced rider. I saw one video of a man completely losing his trunks. The lifeguard had to retrieve them and hold a board up in front of him to get redressed. Then the next is with Maddie. The last is of the little ones on the Race Slide.

There is also a video arcade, snack bar, and adult beverage bar.

 That evening the kids wanted to go to the Red Mesa, a very popular restaurant in Boyne City, before they left. (They had been there in previous years and they were leaving the next morning). Mom, Joe and I stayed home and ate left overs.

The family got up around 3 or 4AM and left for Gulf Shores, AL., while we were sleeping. We woke up to pictures that Hayleah had taken with her polaroid camera and this note she directed the younger ones to write:

Of course my eyes welled up with tears as I read this note and had to laugh at Lennox's last remark. 

Noah had got in trouble earlier for not eating any of his dinner, so I guess he finally ate enough to get cake during picture time.

I didn't know that the chocolate cake was such a big hit with Lennox, until I read it in the above note. So glad for the note so next time we can make sure we have another chocolate cake!

I think maybe Madalena took the picture of Hayleah below as she has a interest in taking pictures lately.

Thank you Hayleah for being the thoughtful and beautiful granddaughter that you are. I guess you learned that from your Great grandmother June. (She writes thank you notes for everything)! We were so "Blessed" when God chose us as your grandparents. Joe and I have very fond memories with our grand parents at their lake homes in our younger years. We enjoy seeing our grandchildren getting to live what was so special to us, hoping they too will have life long memories of family time at the "Lake Nest" on Lake Charlevoix!

Family Time On Lake Charlevoix Part 2

                                                                  August 8, 2017

I left you in the last blog, with our family (on my side), arrived from Gulf Shores, AL and Iowa for a week of summer fun on Lake Charlevoix.

Some pictures that Alisha took above and below. I like to put symbols by our guests name. I am not an artist, so my symbols are very rudimentary. Jamie works for an airline manufacture in Mobile, AL. and Alisha loves the ocean, hence waves.

June Bug mom, Blake a realtor, and Tiffany my sunshine!

The mudroom wall I finally got done a week or so before the family arrived. Our grand kids- Hayleah (20), Noah (9), Lennox (8), and Madalena (6).

When the family was not on the water, the kids (Madalena in this picture) were building forts in their bunk beds. (One of my favorite things to do too, at my grandmother Freeman's home on Clear Lake in Iowa as a kid.

Our neighbor Mindy had two of her grandsons up and they were playing with our kids. This is Colton who is 4. (Colton is a big 4 year old and Maddie is a small 6 year old, so the played well together).

The next day it was lake time again.  This is the first time in my life to see my mom in a swimsuit, even though she had capri's on. She has always hated her knees. She say's they are too big. I think she is finally coming out of her shell at 90! Good for you mom.

Blake and Tiffany enjoying the kayaks again.

Blake left Tiffany behind. Alisha and Tiffany went out once too.

Jamie and Hayleah going for a spin on the wave runner. Alisha drove it on her own with Maddie behind her, and Blake took Tiff behind him.

Mom got hot and decided to venture into the water. She never would have got in, if I didn't have the staircase.

Once she got to the bottom of the stairs and felt how cold it was (it is a shocker at first) and how rocky the bottom of shoreline was, she decide she had cooled off enough and was ready to get back out.

That evening after dinner, it was time for the annual game of croquet.

Mom is in second to last place, just ahead of Maddie. Both are good sports about being in last place. After all, someone has to be last, and it's not who wins or loses but having fun. Right!

Jacob and Colton (my neighbors grandsons) came over when the game was half over and watched. I think they were thinking, "I wish I could play"

And of course we have Noah doing his annual melt down because he didn't win, even though he came in second behind Blake! He is quite competitive.

The kids enjoyed the red neck tether ball Joe made for the kids. A tether ball floated up on our shore, so Joe went out and bought a PCV pipe and rigged  up a pole.

Blake is our fisherman. The first year he came, he took out our row boat and tried his hand at fishing. This year Joe bought a trolling motor for the row boat. Tiff and Blake took it out, while Blake fished and Tiff took pictures.

Tiffany and Blake after their row boat trolling fishing excursion.

Almost every night you could find Blake out on the patio dock fishing.

He did catch a few whoppers! But being the big fisherman that he is, he let them go. 
To be continued: