Bear Lake 2011

One of the highlights of summer each year is the days spent at beautiful Bear Lake. This year the girls officially learned to swim. Malorie is quite the little fish and Kaylee wants to be but isn't as fearless as Malorie which frustrates Kaylee-- as the first born she believes she must be the first and the best at everything...(yes, I know how she feels) but it makes me happy for Mal because she's become a pro and has something that she can do that Kaylee cannot. The boys on the other hand are content sitting on the steps of the pool just watching all the action. They are so fun to watch together- they are such cute little pals. It's also nice to not have to manage 4 kids in the pool, with the girls enjoying their independence, I'm enjoying a little less panic in the pool worrying that four kids are going to drown.



Another freedom the kids enjoy at Bear Lake is to ride their bikes all they want and Carson especially liked that. He loved that I didn't have to be by his side every moment but could go explore with the girls. All the kids wanted to go to the playground too- they wanted to spin on that 'make your stomach sick' ride- yuck- but they of course never got tired of it and never got a stomach ache either. (I did though, just from watching that thing spin in circles!)



And finally, boating! The girls had their first experience of falling out of the tube... thankfully (for my own nerves sake) I was with them in the tube when it happened. I've dreaded the day they'd have the first time falling out but it was the perfect learning experience for them. The tube filled competely with water and Malorie was buried under the waterfall coming in the tube and was sliding out the front and Kaylee went out the back. (Aunt Mindy so kindly accompanied Kaylee out and calmed her nerves) and Malorie was a cute half-drowned mouse who survived as well. To top it off, Lincoln was in my arms the whole time this was all happening and was just fine as he was completely drenched and wide eyed with the excitement. All in all the girls did great and still wanted to tube some more- so I'd say tubing was a success. Lincoln had a super long nap in the boat on top of a pile of towels and life jackets- all the kids have had a nap in the same spot when they were his age. Carson even got out on the tube with Dad as his buddy, they didn't go fast but he tried it atleast... I was proud of him and took a ton of pictures of his little nervous face.