Lake Fun In The New Boat

We spent a fun evening at the lake one day in June with Popee, Nanee, and Uncle Matt.  My parents have a big new boat and we couldn't wait to spend some time out on it this summer with them!

All three of our kids love to swim around in the lake water.  Silas likes to tell Popee to throw the "sinker" (anchor) out, then jump in the water.

They each took a turn on the tube.  There was no crying from Phoebe this time.

Sarah loves riding in the tube and telling Popee, with a thumbs up, to go faster.

Silas was a bit of a daredevil today....riding with no hands hanging on, jumping up and down on the tube and getting in different sitting positions throughout his ride.

Matt rode in the tube last.  He also moved all around on the tube, showing Silas more things to try the next time he gets to tube.

Matt had to leave us a bit early that evening, so we took him back to the dock then we all headed back out on the lake for some Zip Sledding fun.

Matt captured these two cool pictures of us in the new boat, from the land, as we drove away.

The Zip Sled is a fun, pull-behind the boat, water toy that Dad has had since I was little.  Matt, Lindsee and I use to ride it and do tricks on it.  Matt was fearless in the water then.  I remember him trying all kinds of tricks on the Zip Sled and on Skis.  One particular time I remember him even doing a summersault off the Zip Sled as it was being pulled along at a fast speed behind the boat...on purpose.

Sarah quickly got the hang of riding on it on her belly, worked her way up to her knees and then stood up.

Once on your knees or standing you can use your weight to make the Zip Sled move around behind the boat between the boat wakes, and even getting it outside the boat wake.

Silas seemed to like the Zip Sled too.

Being little, may make it easier to stand, because he stood up on the Sled very quickly.

No fear, only fun!

Phoebe was excited for her chance to try out the Zip Sled too.

She wasn't as quick to stand as the others, and was a bit more cautious.

She gave us a few little half smiles, like she was having fun.

All three kids got to help drive the new boat too.

Thanks for a great time at the lake Dad and Mom!  What a fun time we always have on the boat with family and friends.  We were blessed growing up to always have a ski boat.  We got to spend a lot of time at the lake every summer.  Dad had my siblings and I all water skiing by the time we were 5 years old, and it is something I still love to do.

We got to have more fun at the lake in August...  This time my cousin, Johannah, got to go with us.

We started out by swimming.  Silas and Phoebe like jumping in off the edge of the boat.

Then we got right to some more Zip sledding.  Silas went first this time.

Sarah was next.

Then Phoebe, and lastly Johannah.

The kids ate snacks in the front of the boat with Nanee.

I skied (no pictures of myself), then Sarah, Phoebe, Silas, and Johannah all gave it a try.  I really thought Sarah would get the hang of it quickly, and I didn't know how it would go for Phoebe and Silas.  Phoebe and Silas both gave it good tries but couldn't get up this time. 

Once Phoebe started to cry, I got in the water with each one of them to help them get their skis on, get straight with the boat, get the rope, and give them some more advice.  After Phoebe and Silas tried Sarah got in, and with me back there to help her, it didn't take long for her to pop up out of the water!

I was smiling from ear to ear as I watched her ski away from me!  I knew she could do it!  And, she liked it!

The picture below was right before she fell, as she pulled back on the rope.  Notice her big smile too.

Silas liked being wrapped up in the two big sunflower towels...

As we headed back in to the boat dock for the evening all the kids had one more opportunity to Zip Sled.