Saturday at the lake...

Since my in-laws live in Spring Valley Lake, we have a guest pass to the lake and parks which I use during the week a lot with the kids. But this morning I thought it would be a fun thing for us to take the kids over and BBQ on one of the pits they have there and play! So we got all our chores done this morning, kids took a good nap and then about 4:00pm we headed over to the park/beach area at the lake. Ricky's parents came, it was nice to visit with them and as always they played lots with the boys!

Getting the grill going in that wind was such an adventure! We had brought the coal, which was match light, but not any lighter fluid since you are not suppose to need any! Well with the wind going the matches would just blow out before Ricky could get the coal's going. Not sure how, but we ended up talking to a guy who was just finishing grilling at another pit about our troubles and he offered us his fuel! So in an attempt not to move all our picnic stuff, I downed a Pepsi, Ricky cut off the top of the can, loaded it up with HOT coal's from the other pit and walked them across the park to ours. I think he did this like 4our 5 times until we had enough hot coal's burning and it eventually got the grill going... such an adventure and my thrifty and creative hubby was the hero of dinner!

Jake had his first hot dog on a BUN, with mustard and ketchup which he only ate about half of, thank goodness for my little garage pit Carter, he came right in behind him and finished it off! Jake got to play paddle ball with Ricky and Grandpa, and also go and put his feet in the water down on the beach. I had forgotten his suit so just feet today!

Carter decided he wanted to teach himself how to climb up onto the picnic table... and by the end of the afternoon he had done it! I think I felt actually sick to my stomach knowing he could get up on that and still he does not have good balance even on his feet! He is a climber though... in the past week he has really decided that is the favorite thing to do so he is climbing up onto the couch, standing on chairs, walking across the ottoman... its really scary for me! Carter also played in the sand which mostly ended up in his blonde little hair but he had a good time. I don't think he has ever been more dirty that he was when we got home! Carter also learned a new word today... He can clearly say "Bubble" which was fun to hear over and over and over!

Noah did good considering the wind. Between me and Grandma Jean he ate good and slept most of the time. We even got a little free time when we were able to come up with a tent like spot for him to lay down on the blanket and be blocked from the wind while he slept for about 30 min. He is cat napper not a real napper so 30 was good!

All in all it was a fun time! Good time with the kids, good time with Ricky's parents and a great time with my hubby! Something so cute about his standing over a fire pit BBQing...

Oh did I mention that Ricky and I played a form of paddle ball too... but this was the parent version. Dodging Jake with his paddle and Ricky holding Carter in one arm... it was so fun!

I really want to do more things like this with our boys! I want to create memories for them of times that we took them places and hung out. Taught them new things, ate new things, talked about new thing. It is something that I think about a lot... wanting to make sure that we are creating memories with our kids that will last them a lifetime! I can't wait until the babies are just a little older and outings are not as much work for us and more fun for them! I think the Zoo is next. Jake loves the animals and Carter has not been since he was a little guy so it should be fun!

What are some of your favorite things to do with your family?