Last Lake Weekend

Last weekend was the last weekend at the lake for me.  It is always really sad to close up, and you start to get thinking about the next time you go the boys will be 8 months older - and all the changes that will happen between now and then.  It is sad.  But then as you pull away you start to remember how nice it will be to bot be lugging food back and forth, to spend some time at home and to organize, and all the fun things ahead like Halloween, apple picking, Disney and the holidays!  Yay!

We lived it up and did a bunch of things we had yet to do all summer.  Each summer has its own favorite activity and this summer, no doubt was two things: animal finding and torturing (though the kids did not mean to torture them, but they did find frogs, put them in buckets, lug caterpillars around, all that sort of fun stuff) - and swimming.  The boys loved swimming in their life jackets and Joel Andrew started the summer barely wanting to jump off the dock, to jumping off and swimming all by himself to the float dock, our dock, back to Nana and Pa's dock and more.  James started not wanting to go in the water past his ankles, and ended with trucking around with his life vest on, in deep water.  At first I played a game with him to get him to go up to his chest.  I would sit in the water, and beg him to walk to me, he would and when he got to me he would squeal in delight and give me a big bear hug.  I hope I never forget that face or feeling.  After a while we would swim him out to the float dock, in which he would clamp on terrified - I lost many a piece of jewelry, thanks Uncle Jeremy and Daddy for fishing them out from the bottom of the lake.  By the end he would go in deep water, standing straight up, moving his legs like a bicycle.  This is his version of swimming and it actually works quite well.  Such a cutie.

We did go on some boat rides, but not that many walks.  Joel Andrew has decided next summer will be the summer of tubing.  We hardly ate out at all, and this past weekend we made up for it by going to Frye Island cafe.  Empty, good fall beers on tap and delicious, the boys played in the trees and Daddy and I relaxed.  I also took Joel Andrew for a walk around too - which we did far too little this summer.  Sometimes that is all he and I need, just 20 minutes of quiet time.  

As I write this, because I am behind in my blogging, I am so sad and miss the guys terribly.  This weekend is their last weekend at the lake and I am stuck here in NH working.  I have worked 8-12 hour days each day since Tuesday, with having a work engagement each evening.  Today will be no different, and tomorrow - SUNDAY - too!  I am so upset.  On Monday I am off to visit a friend in Worcester while the kids go to school so they get be there for picture day - and Tuesday another 10 hour day for a school program.  This is not 20 hours a week this week, and I know I just need to push through.  Things will settle a bit once this is all over, but I miss my guys.  I can't wait until next Wednesday when I will be taking them on an adventure.  I am thinking zoo...