imagine

 This is a picture of me, taken the day we closed on the cabin, four days before Julia was born.

 This was a couple weeks later, Julia in my arms, Kari beside.

This was taken a few days ago, the grandkids at the lake:

 The little trio of little sisters:

 If anyone would have told me twelve years ago as I sat on that dock across the yard in the sunshine, that there would be NINE children born, TEN if you included that one tucked under my shirt--I would have just put back my head and laughed.

Yes, NINE kids have arrived into this family in the last twelve years.

I do love you guys.

Love, Grandma

being uncles and aunties

 They complain about how loud these little people are.

True, they're very loud.  Back in the day, the aunties and uncles weren't necessarily all that quiet either.

 When I was a little child, my mom's sisters and brother were young teenagers, and it was a lot of fun being the niece in that situation.

One of my aunts and uncle had cabins rented at the resort next door this weekend. Her kids and grandkids were all around and I do love my cousins so very dearly. They were all the little babies when I was a kid and they were funny and loud and disruptive and obnoxious.  I adored them.

 It's still fun being her niece, even though neither of us are kids anymore.

Anyway, it's all unfolding, unrolling in all kinds of directions. Life is good.

love, MOM, aka GRANDMA

jet ski rides

 The boat never got put in--too much rain.

But the thrill-seekers were not disappointed.

 Dan's oldest kid LOVED being raced around the lake with John, urged him to go faster, cut tighter corners.

love, Mom

down home

 My parents came to hang out with us for the afternoon on Saturday.

It was lovely having them with us, good food, crazy kids, lots of energy.

My mom's sister and her family were staying at the resort next door, so we walked over and spent an hour with them on lawn chairs perched on the edge of the lake in front of their cabin.

 At some point in this day and this cabin FULL OF PEOPLES, my mom mentioned the cartoon she used to enjoy as a kid, called Down Home.  I've never seen it, but apparently it's an elaborate drawing of all the people, all doing their own thing, all over a complicated drawing.

 She said the cabin on Saturday reminded her of this cartoon, and I'm not even one bit surprised.

 t.c. and Julia.  They were once babies together, but look at them now:

 Kari, aka Lydia, showing her nephews a big nightcrawler:

Anyway, nothing but love.

Love, Val, aka MOM, aka GRANDMA

busy people

 There was a lot of energy at the lake this weekend.

Tons of it.

The rectangle pool was full of hot water--that was the hot tub.  The little round pool had only a little water in it for the babies. The other pool was for cooling off in after sitting in the hot tub.

Whatever makes them happy.

 Here they're lined up for a big running splash.

 Eating outside in pajamas:

It was a great weekend, nice and loud.

love, Grandma

tooth fairy house, 2016

 We got popsicles and walked over to the Tooth Fairy House on Sunday night.

It's at the resort next door.

 There it is!

 They all peeked in the door and speculated things about teeth and where the fairy might be.

 Then we walked back home again, or ran.  I guess they actually ran.

Love you guys, Grandma