Living My Memories

My Dad's side of the family has owned a camp on Indian Lake in upstate New York for about 100 years.  It started as a hunting cabin.  Not exactly sure when it became the family residence during the summer but I know that's how it was for my Dad growing up.  I was lucky enough to get to go for a vacation most years growing up...though never for an entire summer.  I LOVED my time on the lake.  "Camp", as we have always called it, holds fond memories for me...all happy ones. 

Here is Camp as it was in 1988:

Time stood still on vacation. My brother and I played from the time we woke up to the time we were sent to bed. We played in the woods, swam, canoed, water skied, caught frogs, worked on puzzles, visited at neighboring camps, cards & board games, read in the hammock, fed the chipmunks....so simple but unforgettable.

Me with our dog Charlie out for a canoe ride:

Me water skiing for the first time at age 11....still "got it" many years later as an adult:

My last visit to Camp as a child was at age 14.  My parents divorced and we never went again.  That is until I was married with kids of my own.  1988 was when we had a small family reunion at Camp with my Dad, Edie and my brothers family.   I was thrilled to introduce my kids to what was my favorite place on earth.

Here they enjoy canoeing (same canoe) with their grandparents:

We were able to take them back to Camp two more times after that trip.   Flying across the country was much harder to accomplish than a drive.   Who knows if my grand kids will ever get to go.  I hope so.

For now, hubby and I rent a house on Lake Cavanaugh here in WA and invite our family to come spend time at the lake.  The area is different, the "cabin" is a huge modern home, the lake is more crowded....but the lake is still a lake.  Our grand kids might not get to experience canoe riding on the same lake as their ancestors have but they CAN experience it.   And I get to live my memories all over again.  

A few pics from this years lake visit.

Jenn, Faith and David learning the fine art of summer relaxation:

David and Liam playing with dominoes:

Puzzles...gotta complete a puzzle:

Thank you Lord, for happy memories past, present and future.   :)

30 Years

Then:

Now:

Happy Anniversary to us!!!

Young Lovers

I was re-organizing some stuff yesterday and found this photo booth pic of hubby and I from high school.  Pretty sure it was taken in our senior year....so late 1978 or first half of 1979.    Too cute, huh?

Christmas Past

Tomorrow's the big day! I'm so excited to have the family here and especially excited for the grand kids. Kids and Christmas just go hand in hand. Since tomorrow's pictures will most likely be all Liam and David (duh!), I thought I'd share some pics of Christmas past.

This is me at 7 years old. Such a haul of gifts! Notice the easy bake oven...I soooo loved that toy!

Here is hubby at 10 years old....opening his beloved bow that he still has...it hangs proudly on our bedroom wall!

And here we both are at 17 years old in southern California. We are in our senior year of high school and traveled with my folks to Disneyland for Christmas. Notice our matching sweatshirts. Aren't we cute....and oh so skinny! :)

That was our first Christmas together. And tomorrow will be our 30th. My best present.

Then and Now

THEN: Tired Mommy with first baby in cozy red recliner rocker with feline friend!



NOW: Tired Nana with first grandchild in a different but still red cozy recliner rocker with another feline friend!

THEN: Proud parents of first child, happy and excited, young and energetic!

NOW: Proud grandparents, happy and excited, not so young and not so energetic!