A Simple Life: 8/1/21

August 21, 2021

Beaver Lake- 2

Dad, you hit it out of the park on the rentals this year. We really enjoyed this house on the lake! Also enjoyed the extra breakfast bowls that aunt Beth bought.

There's no better way to spend the summer than days on the lake.

Ben and I were excited to find that we can still ski! We each got up on our own and then took a run together!

Ben skiing:

Alison worked on learning to ski. She did such a great job!

Ben helped Maggie learn to ski and then I took Rose out for her first time tubing. She even stood up!

He may be 9, but he'll always be my baby.

Grandpa spoiled the kids at the marina and several of the cousins got matching shirts.

Colin and Jonathan:

The Morrissey's left early, but here are all Yoder grandkids before we left.

Our family took a little detour on the way home, to drive through Oklahoma. Alison is working on a map and coloring all the states that she's been to. When she found out we were only 30 minutes from a state she hasn't checked off, she asked if we could possibly change our route. We stopped at Mickey Mantel's statue and drove by his childhood home to document our time in Oklahoma.

Back in Kansas, I met up with Lydia for dinner and Ben took the boys to Allen field house

This picture pretty much sums up our boys right now...Eli is saying, "Why are we here???" and Colin is saying, "This is AWESOME!!!"

It was a fantastic trip and even better to have time with family!

Beaver lake!

It's been almost exactly 10 years since we've been to Beaver lake.

My dad took just our family out on the boat. When we talked about the trip, the kids seemed a little unsure of being on the boat and swimming in the lake, so it was nice to just ease into it. They all did way better than I thought (last time Colin was in a canoe, he screamed the whole time).

I think driving the boat, was a highlight of the trip for Eli.

We took some rides on the tube:

Then we picked up the cousins to have some more fun.

Eating pudding on the dock:

Grandma and Grandpa took Charlie out on the boat and he fell asleep. Boat naps are the best and he was just so cute!

Back up at the house, we all played 'Heads Up'

Alison found 'Floof' and the girls had fun playing with it.

I was bummed to not a get a big group picture this trip, but my cousin Lindsay and her family also came to the lake. Her kids, Anna, Sally and Luke fit right into our bunch and made the whole trip extra fun.

Alison and Maggie building a snowman:

Probably my most favorite part of the trip was getting to hang out with Charlie. He had a favorite 'Wild Kratts' game on my moms phone and he would often ask for help beating it. I didn't mind snagging a few snuggles with him as we played the game.

I also found some coloring books at the house and for a long time, he would sign to me the color he wanted me to use and point to where he wanted me to color. Eventually he joined me...but it was fun to learn all the signs for the colors.

Kansas, part 2

Check out this custom chair my dad had made during quarantine! It makes Ben look so small!

Not pictured...sorry...

We had lunch with Elizabeth and Kent. It was so good to see them too! Then we went swimming at my sister's pool, before going back to my parents house for Alison's birthday celebration.

The boys played a little basketball

And the girls played dolls

My sister agreed to make kiekle for Alison's birthday and my mom cooked up some sausage and made cupcakes for dessert. I just stirred the sauce, but it was fun to be in the kitchen together.