Lake Days with Family Are the Best Days...

We had YET ANOTHER day of fun times together as a family! We had so much fun on the lake!! After a little bit of trouble starting the boat, we were able to enjoy surfing, laughing, eating and visiting! Ben was the first in the water, which was SUPER COLD!! (It only got up to 87 today, so the water temps were freezing!) He did great and picked up surfing super fast! He's been around boats a lot, so it was nice to have him back the trailer later!! I wish we'd thought to let him drive-- I know he was excited about that... We took a pic nic lunch and just enjoyed the beautiful, cool, sunny day! Brooke is a rockstar at surfing and I'm trying to remember how to do it! By the end of the summer last year, I was doing it, but it took a bit today to remember... PLUS, I got hit in the face with my board, so that didn't feel too great-- especially since the water was really uncomfortably cold... I guess I didn't enjoy it as much as I usually do! But it was super fun to share my drink with Luke-- hahaha!! (He loves to share, when it's yours and not his!!!) We all just had so much fun and Luke and Logan have really just taken Ben in and consider him as part of our family now! (I even caught Luke calling him Uncle Ben!!!) Ben definitely passed the "lake test" with flying colors-- A++! And Lukey got to say hi to the donkey's again... they were looking for some food! When we got home, we cleaned up the boat (Ben was especially helpful with this!) and then we jumped in the pool (well maybe not jumped but eased slowly in), and then got in the hot tub and just relaxed and visited! I got to visit for quite a while with Ben when just he and I were in the pool. It was really nice and I learned a lot more about him and his family-- he's very open and also got me talking about my family and upbringing, as well. He really loves to talk and get to know you! We had another AMAZING dinner tonight! We grilled burgers with all the fixings, Todd made his famous homemade french fries and fry sauce and we had our first watermelon of the season! Everything tasted extremely yummy after being on the lake all day! When it got dark, we watched a movie outside with the big projector and screen. Luke has been looking forward to this all week! (Megan put Logan to sleep downstairs.) We watched Emperor's New Groove and Princess Bride. The whole time Brooke and Ben were behind the ramada by the pickleball court just talking... well, we found out later that they were talking about their future and when they want to get married!!! They joined us after the movie for s'mores, but we didn't know at the time that's what they were talking about! (I asked Brooke the next day...) Exciting things coming ahead for our family, for sure!! They are thinking probably an early November wedding! The s'mores were yummy and we all enjoyed visiting around the fire! Todd and Luke fell asleep after the s'mores on the hammock! Hahaha! We are all going to need a vacation from our vacation! After we got Megan and Todd all packed up and on their way, I was sooo tired, but ended up visiting with Brooke and Ben for a bit afterward. He thanked me for the fun few days we've had and took a long time to say goodbye... I guess his family has long goodbye's. I told him I'd see them in the morning before they headed out. They have to leave here by 4am to catch their 6am flight back to Provo. Bill will take them to the airport, and I get to go back to BED!!! It really has been a dream-- a very tiring but FUN dream! We've gotten to know Ben so well and I really think they are such a good match! Ben really does adore our Brookie and treats her like a queen! I noticed that all week as I watched them interact. I look forward to spending more time with him and love that he fits so perfectly into our family!