Summer Time Fun

I feel like we have been so busy this summer playing and having fun.  That's a good thing.  Last month we were invited by our neighbors the Ristos to go out on Deer Creek for a Saturday afternoon.  It was so fun to get out on the water with them.  We have been saying for a few years that we were going to buy a boat.  We were actually planning on pulling the trigger last year, but those plans quickly changed with Lisa's tumor.  The way things are looking now we should be able to buy one next spring.
Living within 10 minutes of two great lakes is a great reason to have a boat.  Boating is such a great family activity.  Our kids really enjoyed being with the Risto kids.  The sun was shining, but the wind was blowing, so we decided to do the tube with the kids while the water was choppy.
Here are a few photos of tubing fun

Once the water started to calm down a little bit, Lisa tried her hand at wake surfing.  Here is Riley coaching Lisa on what to do.

She got up really easily.

But when she tried to let go of the rope she lost her momentum.  I love her reaction in this photo.

After Lisa it was my turn.

It's still new for me, so it takes some getting used to, but I was able to successfully surf for a little bit.

Me holding the Risto twins.  They were Valentines Day babies last year.

Blake was all smiles.  He did get in the water for a tube ride with me and loved it.

Cole decided to give surfing a try, so Riley was kind enough to take him out with him.

Cole really enjoyed it as you can see from his grin.

Then Aubrey wanted a try.

Riley makes the wake surfing look super easy and was a great sport for taking the kids on the surf board.

It was a really fun day on the lake with our neighbors.  We are already dreaming of next year with our own boat tagging along with the Ristos.

Most of the summer the kids are outside playing in the fields, running around, or riding their bikes.  We live in a great place for the kids to grow up.

Tucker played coach pitch baseball this summer.  We spent many evenings at the baseball field cheering him on.  He is honing in his skills and getting better.

We also had a barbecue with the Ropers at our house.  They were in town from Arizona so we invited them over for a fun evening.  Jen and Lisa have been battling a brain tumor and have grown very close.  Their kids are hilarious and are just as crazy as ours.

The cancer warriors.

Then we had another chance to go out on Deer Creek, this time with our friends the Smiths (Becky is my hygienist).  The temperatures were around 100 degrees in our valley so the water felt divine on that hot day.
Here is Becky with her baby Cru.  Notice all the little kids at the front of the boat enjoying the afternoon.

The captain of the boat, Jason.

I didn't take nearly enough pictures, but Lisa got up on the slalom ski.

After her I took a lap on the slalom ski. It felt so good to carve it up on smooth water. I gave the passengers in the boat quite the show when I crashed really hard at the end of my run.  They said I did a few summer saults and skidded on the water for a while.  Good times.  It's been a fun summer so far.