Lake Kachess

 A couple weekends ago we headed out to Lake Kachess for the day--no camping there for us this year.  We met A & J and their boys at their campsite and enjoyed nature without having to pack up our tent this time around.  We spent most of the time down at the lake.

 I was able to buy a new camera finally--and I'm still playing with it and getting used to it.  It's not a DSLR this time around (so sad) and I'm having a lot of trouble adjusting to the slower shutter time.  Point and shoots have gotten a lot better with their shutter speed--but it's just not the same.  There are tons of bonuses though, such as the fact that it's water proof and weather proof--translating to "purse and diaper bag proof".  And it fits in my purse.  It's not an extra bag to carry with extra lenses to cart around.  In theory, I should get more pictures taken this way.  However, many of the ones from this particular day were quite blurry.  Sorrrrrrry.  I'll keep working on it.
Tadd took our blow up raft with the motor out on the lake with all three kids.  Right off the bat, he put the motor on backwards and as he was swiftly headed for shore in reverse (which he thought was drive) he had to hop out of the boat--and he fell in.  Now, I missed that actual shot, but in this one it appears as though a repeat is about to occur. 

 The kids (and a bunch of us on shore) got a really good laugh out of the event.

 Now, we may not have been camping ourselves, but that's no reason for Nora to stay clean.  Her mouth is a little example of what the rest of her looked like--covered in dirt, dust and mud!

 Paddling his own canoe.

 Yep--we let these two loose on the lake.....ALONE!  Yikes!  They had a lot of fun. 

 Except Nora was under the  impression that paddling was going to be a cinch.  And, of course, it was not.  She eventually started crying when she realized she wasn't making the boat go anywhere.  Which meant that she couldn't make it come back to shore. 

 Thankfully, Daddy could motor over and save them.

 Give a kid sand, dirt, water and buckets and he will stay happy for hours. 

 Eventually fatigue sets in, however.  And then it's time to pack up for home.  It was nice not to have to fold up a tent and roll up sleeping bags before we loaded into the van.  And it was nicer still to go home to a hot shower and a warm bed.

 

The next morning the kids were all ready for Sunday School early.  This is how I found them waiting on the stairs when I came out of my bedroom after finishing getting ready.  In their Sunday-go-ta-meetin' finery, quietly reading.  Made me right happy.