One of my favorite summer memories was going to the lake in SC, to the lakehouse my grandparents bought in 1970. My dad's parents had a house on the same lake, almost directly across from it, and when they were teenagers my dad would swim across the lake to see my Mom, sometimes staying for dinner. My dad's family had a really cool A-frame lakehouse that unfortunately was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Growing up we would come and stay for a week at a time, swimming, riding bikes on the dirt road, eating Grandma's salmon patties and grits for dinner. The furniture that came with the house (in 1970!), a lot of yellow and orange stuff, was a permanent fixture until last year when my dad started fixing it up. This is still what it looks like from the outside.
The inside, however, has been drastically updated and looks great.
Daddy is always looking out for me, and the night we were coming he decided that Mary Jo and I would need an a/c window unit to sleep. As a kid I don't think I even realized that we didn't have air conditioning, but as a nursing mama with kids needing naps the cool, quiet room was great. I think there was a baby sleeping in that room 19 hours a day, including David's and Mary Jo's naps.
They have since paved the road, but we still made many loops around on bikes or on foot.
Thankfully one thing that hasn't changed much is the porch swing. David caught on quickly.
Sadie and Eli spent hours each day in the lake, so naturally he got braver and braver. The neighbors have 14 grandchildren and a great rope swing that also drops in the lake, so we spent a lot of time with them. Sadie called them her friends.
Once the boats and waves slowed down David was a much bigger fan of the lake. He does pretty well in his puddle jumper (the green thing), and, like with other things, is way too confident in his abilities.
Steven had to leave Saturday evening, he was preaching in Charlotte on Sunday then heading back home to work. I gave the kids their only bath in 5 days in preparation for church the next morning, then we were offered a pontoon ride with my Dad's cousin who lives on the lake. Hence the pajamas under the life jackets.
We didn't see many fireworks on the 4th, but did get to see some that night. The kids were in awe.
I LOVE summertime, in case you can't tell.
We still have this old fold up cot at the lake that my brother ALWAYS got to sleep on growing up. I remember coveting it but I guess I just gave up on in it and always slept on the pullout couch. It just seemed fair (and safe) that our oldest should get the cot, I'm not sure she appreciated it as much as Byron.
Eli got the pallet on the floor next to Sadie, and David is clearly excited about the day he graduates from a crib. Mama's just not ready for that quite yet.
The kids and I spent five full days, and we weren't ready to leave. Our cell phones got terrible reception so I could legitimately ignore my emails, not pay any bills, and just enjoy my little family and my parents. One time I caught myself looking for cute guys on a boat that passed by our dock...one of my favorite past times as a teenager. I quickly reminded myself of my age, my skirt bathing suit, marital status, and 4 children swimming around me. It's funny how places can truly take you back! It was a sweet time then, and a sweet time now. Sadie quickly figured out that, unlike the pool, she could relieve herself while swimming. Once she exclaimed, "I just peed in the lake, that's the best part!" I think I'll end on that. Thanks Mom and Dad for all the work you've put in so we could revive the old lake house and enjoy it, a generation later! Looking forward to many more trips.
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