We may have celebrated the fourth of July ten days ago... but EVERYBODY loves to read a SUPER delayed holiday wrap up.

Right?  Right.

We were lucky to spend our fourth at my parents lake house in Stockton, Missouri.  We left the Thursday before the fourth to embark on the 8 hour drive that ended up being almost 9 by the time we rolled in.  Grace puked, Brooke had a blow out, lots of diaper changes and nursing sessions later, we pulled in.  THANK GOD!

I had pretty much decided we would not be making the return trip to Tennessee at that point.  Oye vey.  Traveling with kids is always so much fun.

My parents and sister got there late Thursday evening in time for bed.

Friday after the wake up committee woke up everyone used to sleeping past 8 on their days off... we headed off to get lunch in town (where a stick on mustache provided us way too much entertainment) and get groceries.  Then Rob stayed at the house with Brooke and Diesel while I took Grace out on the boat with my family.

Where two things happened.
1. We don't trust life jackets to float... or really enjoy swimming all that much.
2. Regular diapers do NOT work for swimming.  And when they get too full they ooze this weird crap out of the top and all over everything.

Now you know..

After dinner we went to the marina to listen to some music while the girls snoozed and the sun set.  The perfect way to end a night at the lake.


Saturday morning we had visitors!  One of my best friends from high school and her boyfriend came down from Kansas City and were followed a few hours (after getting lost!) later by one of my best friends from college, who was in town from California, her boyfriend and sweet baby girl.  Kara, Mike, Bree, Joe and Brylee joined Grace, Rob, my parents and I on the boat.  (Thanks Aunt Erin for watching Brookie!!)  Where we still didn't trust our life jacket, but had tons of fun water blasting people and floating.  And the adults drank.  Obviously.  Followed by tubing where my husband enticed his father-in-law to try and get him off the oversized-next-to-impossible-hard-to-flip tube.  The other men were innocent victims.


Kara brought down some fireworks for Grace and Brylee to enjoy so while dinner cooked, they sparkled and popped some sparklers and poppers.  Finally after eating a gourmet meal of hamburgers and hotdogs we headed back out on the boat for the Stockton firework show.  Which was sort of a blip.  We were far enough away we couldn't even hear the booms... but did get to see several different shows from the middle of the lake.


By the time we got back to the house we were down two kids and a fire.  The wood was just wet enough to ruin any chances of s'mores.. but Rob and Mike lit the sky up for us before we all called it a night.

Sunday it rained.  Of course.  So my friends headed out after brunch and the rest of the day was spent watching movies and hanging out.


Monday rolled around and after one last outing on the boat to feed the fish at the marina and let the baby sweat it out we decided to try a nighttime drive back to Tennessee.  While not as adventurous as the first trip... this one had a few whining sessions but not as many bodily fluids.  Pray for me, as the next road trip is alone with two kids.


The puke smell didn't linger, the clothes are all washed and Rob's leave is now officially over... but I'm reminded of just how much fun we had every time I drive my bug gut plastered truck anywhere.  Thanks mom and dad for hosting all of us!  I am SO very glad we got to see all those that we did.  It without a doubt does not go unappreciated.


always,
amanda