This past weekend we got to go to Lake Martin with my family! We stayed at a beautiful condo in Stillwaters called Stoneview (same exact condo we stayed in last year), and it was still as beautiful as I'd remembered! It also had a large, gorgeous pool with a slide, plus a walk-in shallow area that was a perfect place for Jack to play. Daddy Mer and Mama Becky had also rented a pontoon boat, plus bought floats to pull behind the boat, so that made the trip even more fun!
We got there Thursday afternoon, got unpacked, then waited on Jim, Deena, Blakely, and Abby to get there. They got there just in time to go to supper at Niffer's on the Lake, so we all piled up in 2 cars and headed that way. I hadn't seen Abby since she was born 5 weeks prior, so I really enjoyed getting to see her and hold her so she could really get to know her aunt Meg better! She's so gorgeous and so sweet! Jack especially loved her, too! Here are a few pictures I was able to get of her throughout the weekend:
We definitely enjoyed our dinner at Niffer's, then Jack had a little more fun outside the restaurant in the play area.
Back at the condo after dinner and before getting ready for bed, Jack had some silly time with hats from Daddy Mer and Mama Becky!
Daddy was finally able to make it to the condo just before putting Jack down for bed, so we got to read a bedtime book as a family.
Friday came and it was time to take the boat out! It was a beautiful day and we all couldn't wait to go for a ride! Jack did much better wearing his lifejacket this year than he did last year! We were so glad for that, too, because last year he hated it and cried most of the time he rode on the boat!
Daddy was brave enough to try out the float first. He seemed to have a pretty good time!
After the little ones went down for a nap, we were waiting for Jeff, Amy, Jake, and Brooke to finally get there. Jake had school Friday, and Jeff needed to work a half day, but when they finally got there, we all went out to the pool for some fun.
Friday night everyone requested to go out to eat at Oskar's. It is such a delicious seafood restaurant very close to where we were staying (just a couple minutes down the road from Stillwaters), so we got cleaned up and got ready to head out. Since it doesn't take Jack very long to get ready, he passed the time by coloring, eating an appetizer of chips, and helping take care of Brooke's baby Lacey.
We finally made it to the restaurant, and since there were 13 of us, we had to wait a little bit. The 4 oldest cousins didn't seem to mind and just played and reassured us how much they love each other!
Everyone enjoyed Oskar's so much! It's always so delicious whenever we go there. My favorite by far has to be the fried pickles and their delicious ranch to dip them in! Jack even loved them, too! He must get that from me! :-)
When we got back to the condo it was bedtime, but just before books and brushing teeth, we caught a glimpse of the 2 boy cousins just hanging out! Too sweet!
Saturday morning! Yes, the kiddos were up bright and early, but no time is too early to start being silly! They loved playing out on the balcony together and laughing!
After getting dressed and getting on the boat, we all headed over to Chuck's Marina for lunch! They have such delicious pizza and we all loved it so much last year that we had to come back! We had a great time even though it was so hot, and the kids even cooled off after lunch with orange push pops!
After lunch we headed back to the condo for nap time. After everyone (even the adults) got some rest, we of course had to head back out on the boat! Daddy and Jake wanted to ride the float behind the boat, and after they got the hang of it again, they let Jack ride with them! He loved every minute of it, especially the big bumps! :-)
After a long ride, we headed back to the condo to get cleaned up for supper. While riding on the boat, Jack loved just walking around and playing with his cousins, and he especially loved helping drive the boat!
Sunday was our last full day there, so we made sure to do as much as possible! We went to the pool that morning since Jack loved it so much. He did so well with his floaties/swimmies, and we loved teaching him how to kick and swim and float on his own! He especially loved going down the slide with Daddy, playing football, plus playing with his water Elmo!
After we'd had enough time in the pool for right then, we decided to go for one last boat ride! We even stopped at one point to all get in the lake to go swimming! Even though I can't stand to swim in murky lake water (yuck!), Jack loved it so I did it out of love for him! :-)
After nap time, we decided we had a little time before dinner, so we went back out to the pool.
For dinner that night, Daddy Mer grilled hamburgers and they were so good! We had a great time just staying in and visiting, plus it's sometimes easier to do that with 5 kids! Daddy Mer also bought cupcakes and ice cream for everyone!
After dinner we all got dressed up in our white, purple, and khaki and headed out by the lake for family pictures! We waited until right after the sun went down so we could get the perfect lighting. I think they turned out great and we all looked so nice!
Here is a video with highlights from the trip:
Thanks so much to Daddy Mer and Mama Becky for such a fun trip to the lake! We had so much fun just being with our family, plus we appreciate the nice condo, boat, and all the meals you provided! We are so grateful to y'all for all you do for us and we love you very much!
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