Bring on the family vacation!  After too many years of going without one, we were able to pull us all together for a week long extravaganza back at Lake of the Ozarks with the kids returning to California afterwards.  As is the standard meeting spot, we all met up after Steven and I were picked up at the airport at Ozarkland, land of ridiculous tourist chotchkes which meant the kids loved it. 

And I mean all of the kids...

A little more time on the road and then we're there.

First order of business when we arrived at the house was to unpack Vacation Pig.  Poor Vacation Pig suffered a broken arm on the trip down this year but no fret for those of you who follow Pig's travels for she can be glued back together.

Next on the list, pull out the koozies compliments of Auntie Jewelz.

Then, finally, to water.

 Plenty of hot air there.

Ashlyn exploring the wading area while Nonnie looks on.

 Even Bobbie enjoyed the water.

The kids enjoyed the ducks.  Swimming after them, chasing after them, feeding them, and everything else you can do with them.

 

 

A few adult beverages were leisurely enjoyed.

Whether you were on a boat or on a dock, there was always room for jumps and being thrown.

 

 

 

Throw in a boat and a tube and a little speed.

 

 

Nights running around catching fire flies, and evening filled with ice cream, and watching the sun go down with the family.

 

Followed with more days of crazy sunburn lines, breakfast by the water in our man-repelling caftkans, water shooting bugs on the side of the dock, and more relaxing.

 

With more days spent on the boat and finding good locations to swim and eat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We even had Taco Tuesday while there with the fresh fish of the day.

 

 

Reghan and Poppie filleted the fish so we could cook them up for dinner and it didn't take long before Reghan discovered that she could chase Auntie Jen Jen down with the fish guts, which she did, multiple time.

Anthony certainly impressed with him and Reghan's move to catch a fish with their hands, small net, and a lot of patience.

Reghan and Poppie did quite a bit of fishing and even the best of them have to stop for a breakfast break.  These are some serious fishers.

The kids brought Steven's Father's day gifts for him to unwrap since they were in Illinois for the holiday.  They've now become his favorite mugs and poster.

 

Exploring in the yard prepared them for a night of glow stick dancing and mini glow stick hide and seek outside in the yard.

As we wrapped up the week the kids discovered you're never too old to play, they could swim up to the dock and be fed, just like a fish, that Bobbie really liked to swim, and that we know that the kids will be talking about the house with the lake in the backyard for a very very long time.