Okoboji

We headed to Okoboji with Matt’s family on Saturday, July 23rd.  With everyone coming and going during the week we all had to drive separate.  My parents let us drive their van which allowed us to pack without having to worry about space.  Kenna was excited because it has a DVD player! 

We met up with Matt’s parents in Clear Lake at McDonald’s for lunch.  It was a good break before heading back on the road.  We were hoping McKenna would fall asleep right after lunch but she had other ideas.  Mommy fell asleep soon after pulling out of the McDonald’s parking lot, and Kenna decided she would fall asleep with only a little over a hour left in the trip. 

It was after three by the time we pulled into Crescent Beach.  We were greeted by Lexi and Ava, Matt’s cousins.  They were SUPER excited to see McKenna.  From the second she was out of her carseat they were already wanting to carry her all over the place!

The afternoon was spent unpacking and hanging out.  Every hour or so we added to our large group, totaling 19 this year!  McKenna went down like a rock star.  She was rather tired after having such a short nap!

Sunday morning was absolutely beautiful.  The sun was shinning down on the calm, waveless water.  The first priority of the morning was to get the little pool blown up and ready for the little girls! 

McKenna surprised us and asked to go out in the water with daddy.  She had watched him walk down the dock with his float and get in the water and she wanted to go with him!  After pretty much begging me to go, I decided to go find her life jacket.  I told her in order to go see daddy she was going to have to wear it and to my surprise she was completely fine with it! 

Once we got to the end of the dock I thought she would want to turn around.  Not this girl!  She wanted in the “boat” with daddy!  So that’s what I did, I lowered her into the “boat” with her dad!  I then walked really fast back to our room to grab the camera and video camera!  I was able to catch some great shots of her having a blast in the water!  She was not at all afraid of the water, which was a change from the previous week at my uncle and aunt’s houseboat!

Our group minus just a few!

(Representing Iowa, Arizona, and California!)

The Lindgrens

Couples Shots!

                Sara and Jef                      Barb and George

                Steve and Jamie                Kim and Mike

                                                        Tim and Jeanie

Ava and Lexi LOVED playing with the girls.  They followed them around like shadows!  Since we only get to see them once a year they love spending every waking moment with them! 

Jamie and I decided to take the girls to the park Monday morning since it was pretty cool out.  This is probably the oldest park I’ve ever been to!  I’m actually pretty surprised it is still open and considered SAFE! : ) 

Maddie and Kenna loved the horses.  I remember riding on them when I was a kid!  Kenna also liked the “dinosaur train”.  Every time she sees a train she calls it the dinosaur train!  Kenna’s poopy diaper ended our trip to the park!!  Thanks Ken!

Since the sun wasn’t out we decided to go shopping at the Emporium and join Kim and the girls at Arnold’s Park.  The Emporium has a candy shop with some of the “older” candy from my going up years.  This is seriously the only shop I really care about and have to go to every year!!  The second I walk through the door I make a beeline to the back of the store where the rock candy is hoping that they still carry it!  After picking one of each kind I head to the gummies.  I love gummies!  It doesn’t matter if they are bears, worms, butterflies, letters, or cherries- I love them! 

As we were shopping the sun decided to come out and it became HOT fast!  We decided to eat lunch at a little restaurant, Bob’s on the Lake, overlooking the water at Arnold’s Park.  We sat outside, sweating, while eating some good ol’ greasy food!  Then we headed back so McKenna could take a nap while mommy and daddy enjoyed some time in the sun!

Late Monday afternoon we made a last minute decision to head to Tom’s (Matt’s uncle) dad’s cabin at Spirit Lake so we could go for a boat ride.  It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon on the water with the sun shinning right down on us! 

Matt decided to go tubing while I chose to take pictures!  Call me a sally, but I’m over having my arms feel jelly for days after tubing!  Lexi decided she wanted to go with Matt and eventually decided she would go on her own.  What we thought was laughter was actually her bawling- wanting us to stop!  After getting her back in the boat we found out it was because we were going to fast!  (Little did she know we couldn’t go any SLOWER! Ha!)

Monday night, after it cooled off a bit, we headed back to Arnold’s Park so that the little girls could ride the rides.  We decided to not buy Kenna a wristband, as we were unsure if she would like the rides or not.  This didn’t last long!  As we watched Lexi and Ava on the merry-go-round (their first ride) McKenna begged to ride with them!!  I scooped Kenna up and we pretty much ran to the ticket booth to get her a wristband! 

Matt and I were both super surprised at how well she liked the rides!  The second we got off one, the girls would run to the next ride.  McKenna wanted so badly to ride on the swings and didn’t understand when we tried to explain she was too little!

If I had to pick, I would say she liked the merry-go-round the best since we rode horseys more than once.  The first time we rode a horse named Ella!

After rides we headed to the ice cream shop for some ice cream.  Mommy decided to get a caramel apple too since they are sooo tasty!  (For the record- I saved it until Tuesday!)

Tuesday morning was a pretty quite morning down at the sand.  I wasn’t sure how well McKenna would like playing in it.  The only time she cried was when a small wave came in and got her toes wet!  (Top right picture.)  She had a ton of fun digging in the sand with the shovels.  Grandma Jeanie taught her how to make sand castles!

While we played in the sand, Matt enjoyed playing a round of golf with the guys.  As soon as he got back we ate a quick lunch, packed the van, and headed for home.  This time McKenna feel asleep right away and of course her mom did too!

Thanks Papa and Mamma for another amazing time at the lake with beautiful weather and fun with family.  We are already looking forward to next year!