The other day I got an email inviting the family to come swim at a local lake with some friends. The invite was last minute (the way I like them), so I told her we would try.

I gathered the children together and made a big announcement that we could go swimming at the lake if they got their chores done.

So you know what my children did?

They worked hard and got their chores done.

Right?…

Wrong.

They dilly dallied and bickered and putzed around, to the point that I threatened them that we would not be going if they didn’t get their acts together.

So of course they straightened up and got right to work.

Right?…

Wrong.

But I had an ace up my sleeve.  I had a radio interview from 4:00 to 4:25, and if they wanted to go, they all needed to be dressed, with a cooler full of food packed, and the house clean by 3:55.

So they got it all done.

Right?…

Right!!

Now, my children haven’t been to a lake to swim in probably 6 or 7 years, so the older ones didn’t remember lake swimming and the younger ones were completely clueless.  But, they were excited and so they all climbed into the Hulk and we headed out.

None of us had never been to this lake, so we didn’t know if it was clean or yucky or what to expect.

You can imagine our shock when we saw this:

Yes, that water world playground was the lake.  I thought the boys were going to jump out of their skins they were so excited.

There was a trapeze and a zip line and a trampoline and a blob thing (that launched people into the air) and a huge inflatable slide and kayaks and canoes and peddle boats.

It was amazing.  And the water was even warm!

Now, I’d like to say that I captured the whole thing on film, but I can’t. Because I was too busy playing in the water:

But fortunately, another mom took some photos for me.

Brett had so much fun.  At one point she had to peddle the peddle boat all by herself while carrying four little girls with her (that she says weighed over 120 pounds). Despite the fatigue in her legs, she still enjoyed it:

I think this is Fletcher on the trapeze (or it’s Greyden, or maybe even Emery):

Brett and Hewitt getting ready to attack the zip line:

And Brett is off!:

Indigo was very independent in the water:

Jade preferred to stay close to me, Jim or Brett:

Jim and Hewitt are so blurry in this photo because Jim is paddling the kayak so fast…

I’m getting ready to attack the zip line:

We had an absolutely amazing time.  We were so impressed with the lake. It was clean and the people were super.  I’m not sure I want to share it, but I suppose I should. 😉 It is the Country Lake Christian Retreat and the children can’t wait to go back again!