Cold weather, colder water

This was Lucy and Emma Jane playing down inside the Catalina 30 that Davis was getting ready to buy.

Right after this we decided to head up to the cabin and get some dinner at the marina restaurant.  The girls donned their life jackets and went up to the cockpit.  Lucy was told to stay in the cockpit.  She did not.

She exited the starboard side of the boat and right into the 48 degree water.  From down below I heard Emma Jane scream "Daddy!"  We all ran up top and saw little Lucy crying and dog-paddling away from the boat to open water.  I think she was either disoriented or afraid of being squished between the dock and the boat.  Mike talked her into swimming back toward him and reaching for his hands.  He scooped up a very wet, very cold little girl into his arms and handed her over to Davis.  The air temp was somewhere around the same as the water so as I started to strip Lucy's clothes off her she began to shiver hard.  Once her soaking wet clothes and life jacket were off, we whisked her down below and Davis took off toward the cabins in search of towels.  The boat comes equipped with a heater so it was turned on high.  I wrapped myself around Lucy (maybe a little too tightly) and rocked her back and forth in front of the vent.

This is Lucy about 15 minutes after going for a swim.

She is wearing her daddy's shirt.  She is happy.  She is laughing at her sister. We are talking about how much trouble I am going to be in when Grandpa (my dad) finds out about this.  You can read about my dad here.

This is the front bench outside our cabin.  It was no secret to anyone walking by what had happened to Cabin 9.  Who has an entire set of clothes laid out to dry in 50 degree weather?

Since I only packed one life jacket and one pair of shoes, and because Lucy was in need of dry ones, Mike went to the nearest Wal Mart and bought her new shoes and a new life jacket.

Her new life jacket has Hello Kitty on it.  So do her new shoes.

I was worried the next day that she might have some lasting phobia about boats or docks.  My fears were quickly put to rest.

She wanted to go back and feed Nelly and Gertrude.

Gertrude is white and, according to Lucy and Emma Jane, is a boy.
 

Nelly is a beautiful mix of white, black and grey and is a bit of show off when it comes to catching food in her mouth.

It seemed everyone wanted to hold Lucy's hand the next day...
 

Lucy was ready to take the boat out for a test sail.  Kick the tires.

That's my hunky husband on the bow.

 The skipper and his first mate at the helm.

See my new life jacket daddy got me just because I fell in the lake?

Here we are out for the inaugural sail on Lake Texoma.

Here is the proud new boat owner.  Doesn't he look good?

New Lake - Old Friends

This is Dakota.

Dakota and Emma Jane have gone to school together since they were 4 years old.

This is Dakota's dad, John.

Dakota's dad invited us out to his lake house and that is where Emma Jane learned to water ski.  I don't have pictures (I KNOW) of her water skiing for the very first time.  I feel terrible.

This is Dakota's uncle Danny.

And his daughter Camryn.  Danny and I went to NSU together and he took the first job that I ever wanted.  I wanted to be a college recruiter for NSU and we both applied for the same job.  He got it.  I didn't.  I'm still a tad bit bitter about it.  But I digress.

This is Dakota's brother Brooks. 

And he likes to pester Lucy.  But she kind of enjoys it just a little.

We went tubing.  And by we, I mean everyone but me...I was too busy taking pictures. (actually, I am a sissy)

 John tried to throw the big kids off the tube.

I think my eldest wants a motor boat now.  She had so much fun she may never want to go back to our lake and our boat.

I love this picture of Mike.  I can hear him laughing now...

 We rode around in golf carts and rangers and watched fireworks and played on a beach and had burgers and ate on the sofa (gasp) and the kids have never had so much fun.  

So in addition to Emma learning to water ski, there was another turning point in our life. A point from which all things will be measured.  Everything before today will be "before Lucy discovered Funyuns".  And everything from here out will be the after...  Thanks John.

And those of you who complain that I need to have someone else take the camera and snap a picture  or two, this is why I do not let others take pictures of me.  Because then the truth will get out.  I really just stand around chugging beer while making macaroni and cheese.

Thanks Danny.  

We had a blast at the lake with Dakota and his family.  I am not sure who these guys are but they seem like they belong in the kitchen with me.

Adios!

 

Fourth of July

We had such a fun day on the Fourth!  We went to the lake late in the afternoon.  Lucy was all set.

We brought our sweet Allye with us to the boat.

We ran into our friend Daniel on his trimaran.

We dropped our anchor and went swimming.  Daniel dropped his hook nearby and swam over.

We cooked out on the grill and ate cheeseburgers in paradise.  We watched the fireworks and the moon rise on the lake.  It was a great day. 

Happy Fourth of July!