Vacation Part Uno

So we just got back from PK Lake. For those who don't know we try and spend a week every year with Jay's extended family at a lake in Texas. This is a 50 yr tradition dating back to when Jay's mom was a little girl. We don't make it every year but this was the first year Kate was old enough to go so we did! It was a little different this year because we didn't get to go to our same location. The new location was in a totally different part of the lake (not nearly as pretty), the cabins were in really bad shape and there was some underlying tensions. We spent the week tent camping - yep, me. High maintenance Jenn, tent camping for a week. My plan was to drink so much of an evening I would just pass out. Turns out chasing an almost 2 year old around outside all day was enough to make me pass out without a drink! The bathrooms and showers now that was an entirely different story (as a matter of fact, i am not even going to go there - literally!)

There are dozens of cousins, first cousins, 2nd cousins even 3rd cousins. I decided early on rather than trying to remember everyone's name, I just made up my own. Here are some of my new favorite friends/family:



Here is Collin or as i started calling him Connor. I think he actually liked Connor better.


Here is Joey Watermelon (AKA Kevin - i like Joey watermelon much better, he is half italian and was feeding Kate watermelon) and Aunt Jean who, despite what all the little girls said, is NOT married to her brother Uncle Bob!



We spent a lot of time on the boat. There was a lot of throwing in mostly by cousins Jay and Johnny!





Brooke got to drive the boat!


There was plenty of chaos which I guess is to be expected when you put that many people in a tiny space! The weather was good - we had two afternoons of rain which wasn't bad but the wind did come up from time to time forcing us to take down the shade canopies.




Here is a little more cousin action:






Here are some of the littlest cousins - 5 yr old Max is the funniest kid I ever met! His mom says it is because he is growing up in a house of teenagers (he has 5 older brothers and sisters!)



And of course my Kate!



The big news this trip was that both of my girls got on the knee ski! They were both hesitant but loved it! Kate ran back to camp yelling "I skied, I skied!" Here are some pics of both of them! Daddy got up too - so here is my hunk of a man!






Yes, that last pic is my one year old taking a face plant in 40 feet of water. Nice, huh?

Here is Jay - he didn't get up on his knees but definitely put his arms through a workout!


We did take a day and went to Hell's Gate. It is my favorite spot on the lake - well it was.....I will tell you why it no longer is tomorrow. I am tired - time to go to bed. More tomorrow...