Another glorious week at Bear Lake. We had 18 of us there…(missing Markus, who was in California, continuing to move to a new apartment.) We had amazing weather– perfect boating days- and only two afternoons with 4:00 wind. We actually had dinner on the beach two different nights, because it was so perfect. It was a laid-back, chill week. We are all unique and we belong to each other and I’m so grateful that we all get along and love each other. Our boat was running well this year, and Wayne spent an amazing amount of time out on it. He is burned. All of the kids wanted to go out of the wake this year on the tube for a more bumpy, thrill-seeking ride– and I was so proud of them. It makes for a more fun time when I’m on the tube with them as well. Andrew even got on the tube this year– he got out of his comfort zone. This is a big step.
As each group of kids/grand would get on the boat I would make the same speech, “ Look at this blue lake, look at this glorious day, we are on a boat, having a great time with family who we love and we are so blessed! Not everyone gets to do this, but we do… We are so lucky” I said it so much that by the last boating day I said– “okay what am I going to say now?” and they all repeated it back to me. I love taking my speakers and playing really loud music while on the boat. It brings me so much joy.
We let the kids ride in the back of the truck to and from the marina…we were raised this way, but now it only happens in a lake town…they love it. They also love feeding the carp at the marina. And Sophia lets them suck on her toes. Addison told Tayla he would pay her 20 bucks if she did it. She did! I got the video. Wayne got up every morning at 6 and went down to the beach and set up our canopies so we would have our spot! He’s amazing.A weird thing happened…. A grown male deer came barreling out of blue water beach- right by our beach set up..and bounded into the water and swam out to the buoy and away. It was crazy!
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Cousin Julie Cole Jenkins boat that we helped tow in |
Another wild- but we feel heaven-sent thing happened.. We had a cool experience on the boat Saturday. We had just picked up our second group of boaters and headed around the point to find smoother water. There were a ton of boats as is usual for a Saturday. As we were passing one of the boats in the distance Wayne thought he saw someone waving from the front of their boat. He told me he thought they either need help or were having a dance party 😂. As we got closer and asked if they were OK, they said they needed a tow. They had a dead battery. We got closer and Melinda said “Hey I’m related to you!” It was my cousin Julie Cole Jenkins, and her husband and some of their family. They said they had been out there floating for a couple of hours. The Ranger boat had stopped about an hour earlier and said, “ sorry we can’t tow you. You should be OK out here because it’s a pretty nice day. Hopefully you can convince another boater to take you in.” I am sure that my dad and my uncle Jay T. were in heaven orchestrating this rescue.








Monson scooted around on his knee scooter for 2 days– and it was hard– he was stranded many times at the top or bottom of the stairwell– and figuring out potty stuff was tricky. Wayne felt sorry for him and had an i-walk peg leg system sent in for Monson to master and be able to walk around with. Monson is very athletic ( hence why his ankle is messed up in the first place) and he figured it all out quickly, which made the beach and the condo much more accessible. He was even able to get on a tube and float in the water for a bit. He looked like a pirate with a peg leg.
Laila and Tru made it up to the lake by Wednesday night– and the littles were thrilled! I was too. Laila said she had her most relaxed lake time in many years. Tru had friends, Sal and Matt come up on Saturday to finish out the weekend with him.
We played a ton of games. I took up Dominoes- one of my parents' favorite games, that we haven’t played in years and I taught Mexican Train to all my grandchildren. They loved it. We also played a good amount of Canasta and 10-2-8-Oh crap!. We had our glow stick dance party- which the kids all love.
We celebrated Landon’s birthday. Landon wore a crown and pageant banner across his chest all day and enjoyed the added attention…including pizza, pie, homemade cards from his nieces and nephews and a trivia game about 1988..his birth year. Alex did a good job helping him feel loved.
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Monson hopped to the water and folded himself into a giant swan floaty... |
Addison is the boondoggle king! He brought all of his stuff and taught so many of us his tricky weaving patterns– we did a lot of intricate boondoggle! He was so patient having to start everyone’s doggle. It’s a good thing to do at the beach, instead of being on phones, we look up and see the kids all playing in the sand and water and talk to each other more.
We took our electric scooters up there and the kids had a riot zooming all over Sweetwater. It’s the perfect place to ride them. Landon set up a hair salon out on the grass and did 6 haircuts and a buzz and bleach... He's a good sport.
I feel really close to my parents and sister Marcie and nephew Preston Brown while at Bear Lake. It is a sacred space for me. At every turn, there’s a memory. This is what happens after doing almost the same things over and over again for the past 53 summers. I shed many grateful tears.
TOP THREE FAVES:
Andrew: Boondoggling, Going tubing 3 times in one day, playing games at night with the cousins.
Melinda: Family tree picture, Andrew getting out of his comfort zone and going on the tube, All the littles going in and out of the wake
Lady: Playing with Poppy, Going out of the wake, Playing games
Landon: Poppa's boat!, Sitting by the lake all together, 4 different shake places for raspberry shakes
Alex: That the kids and Landon love love love their week there, Card games with he fam, Crepes and Coffee
Alfie: Making sand sculptures, Getting a buzz and bleach, Scooters
Poppy: Going tubing, Going outta the wake crazy, The pool
Wayne: Boating, Shakes, Being the first on the beach each morning
Addison: being on the boat, Building a sand dragon sculpture, starting hundreds of boondoggles
Tayla: Going on the boat and the tube, Being with family, Zips food
Elsie: Going on the boat, mommy-daughter date at bear lake, Being with cousins and Laila
Sophia: Tubing, Learning new boondoggling, Hanging out with family and cousins
Lexi: All the help at Bear Lake with Money's peg leg, Tubing-especially a scared Andrew overcoming his fears, Playing dominoes
Monson: My new leg, Being able to get in the water, All the kindness and help from everyone.
Bre: Sunset walke, Late night Disney trivia, Belting "Let it Go" on the tube
Laila: Being with my siblings and parents, Boat rides, Playdough ice cream