Cottage

Grandma and Grandpa with their 11 grandkids...ages 2-9

Sticky. Hot. Sweaty.  Bring on summer!  We spent the past week at Jerry's parent's cottage on Lake Erie in Ontario.  Really we couldn't have picked a better week for cottage weather.  The kids spent all day every day swimming and catching frogs.  That pretty much sums up the entire week for the kids.  Thursday evening Jerry's sisters, mom, and I went out to the theatre (sounds sophisticated, doesn't it?) to hear a band and see a one-act play written and acted out by a friend of Jerry's sister Kim.  Friday morning we woke up to rain so Claire and I decided to drive to Ikea.  Now that I'm done painting her room I'm ready to accessorize, but we didn't have a whole lot of luck there.  I got a few things to surprise her with...she thinks the only purchase for her was a pack of markers.  Saturday afternoon Jerry's cousin Sonya had a family get together in the late afternoon.  They have a beautiful, brand new pool and the kids had loads of fun swimming and playing.  We spent Saturday night at Jerry's parent's house in glorious air conditioning.    Jerry, Ben, and I took off for home early Sunday morning.  Claire and Erin are staying for the week in Canada and going with their cousins to VBS.  I know they'll be having loads of fun, but I'm already missing them.    

Master frog hunters Jordan and Reuben

Roasting giant marshmallows

 

Jerry took the kids out in the rowboat on a particularly calm evening.

Swim lesson paid off!  Ben loved jumping off the diving board.

This dolphin got a LOT of use.  Notice Ben in the top left of the picture with the water gun...the same gun that got him in trouble with his fully clothed dad about 10 minutes later.

Sonya, Kim, Sylvia, Lisa...sisters and cousins

Is it my nephew Justin or Aquaman?  I'm not sure because this kid was in the water ALL day long!