Pictures from the Cottage

I will apologize up front to those of you who like to look quickly and move on to other blogs, because this is a long post full of pictures! It will mean the most to those who know us personally. If you are not one of those, feel free to move on now. :-) Also, in fairness to my children (who check my blog regularly) I have to post a picture of each of the children doing the very same thing. So....with those disclaimers out of the way......

On either end of our camping trip we tacked on some days at the cottage. Here are some of the highlights:

The little ferry we take to get to the cottage

Daughter G and son L tubing together

Uncle Brian graciously letting everyone take turns driving his boat! Daughter G and son G especially are turning into quite the accomplished boat drivers.

My hubby, already an accomplished skiier, trying knee boarding for the very first time.

Getting his knees into the knee wells....

.....oh man, that pesky velcro strap!

Ah! Now I have it.

Admiring their daddy.

We timed our last full day at the cottage to coincide with their annual small town celebration and parade. Our children love to participate in this parade! Their great uncle is very involved in the "river trail" project, making a paved trail for many miles right along the river. Each year he has a float in the parade to raise awareness for this project, and our children always ride on it or walk beside it with him. Daughter G is on the far left side, holding a sign. Son G is in the red shorts, hubby is walking at the back of the float. Uncle Dick is in the hat. Little Man and son L were sitting on the float, waving to their adoring public. Son C decided not to be in the parade this year, instead he sat and watched with me and caught all the candy thrown to him by some of the parade participants!

At the local park after the parade.

Back at the cottage, we had demonstrations for Little Man on how to jump off the dock. Here is G's demonstration.

Son C

Son L



Little Man finally decided he was brave enough to jump off the lower dock (closer to the water)


And finally got up enough nerve to jump off the high dock, first with daddy.....

......and then all by himself!

More tubing, this time sons G and C

And last but not least, daddy and Little Man! (this picture captures the happy moment at the end, after the perilous moment and the freak out moment mommy had).