On the Lake

I just went through my past posts that were categorized under boating and I got all sorts of nostalgic. Each of our boys made their maiden voyage as a baby and have continued to make memories on the boat year after year. They have never known a summer without lifejackets, buoys, a cooler full of snacks and endless wakesurfers crashing into the water.

Now that we can't jump on the boat on any given summer weekend, I appreciate it in greater ways.

The boat has always been a source of fun and sport, but more than that, it has been a gathering place. There's just something about being trapped in a small vicinity with family and friends without any distractions. Being surrounded by nothing but water and sky. Dancing to our favorite songs blaring over the speakers. Having hours of good conversations. Cheering each other on as we pop up out of the water on skis and boards. Snuggling under towels on cold days and seeking shade on hot days. Taking hundreds of pictures in attempt to freeze time.

On this particular trip, the skies were gloomy on our allotted boating day. We were only in Utah for five days, so we made a go for it anyway. Storm clouds were threatening, but somehow just being together and carrying out the tradition was all that mattered. 

We got a good laugh over the occasional sprinkles and rapid wind that forced water over the side of the boat.

Crew was uncertain about being out on the wide lake from the get go. He had a iron clad grip on his seat and wouldn't move for anything.

It's a good thing his older brother swept in as the master distractor. 

Blake was the only one who could pull a smile out of Crew.

He even convinced him to leave his cozy spot on the bench to take a turn at the wheel.

I love the way the boat encourages different seating combinations. It seems like we are constantly shifting around to accommodate kids and pull things out from under benches. That makes it so one minute you are bonding with your uncle and grandpa and the next minute you're having a dance party on the bow. 

There is simply a level of connection that occurs in the close quarters of a boat that doesn't happen in any other place.

We made it home just in time to watch a huge thunderstorm roll in over the lake, but our thirst for boating wasn't completely quenched with our brief voyage. The stars aligned a few days later on the evening before we planned to go home. The skies were clear so we headed out to the lake once more.

Crew decided he liked the boat after all.

Nash had a super wiggly tooth the entire time we were there and we joked with him that he couldn't leave the state of Utah until that tooth came out. Sure enough, it popped out right while we were boating.

Nash seems to have a knack for losing teeth in bodies of water since he lost his first tooth in a pool. And our tooth fairy seems to have a knack for forgetting to visit three days in a row...

We passed some hills with hundreds of roaming sheep. It was like a scene out of a movie.

The water was still too cold and choppy to pull out the surfboards, so we made do with the tube.

It also made a good slide.

Finn is obsessed with all things jumping, so he was thrilled when his dad agreed to catch him over and over. I love the conversation that was simultaneously happening with Nash and grandma in the back of the boat.

Finn is also obsessed with his uncle. We were so happy he could meet us on the dock after work.

Blake and Nash would've tubed all night if we let them.

One of my favorite parts about being on the boat is the extra snuggles that come from being exhausted in the fresh mountain air.

We let Finn and Crew take the wheel once we were loaded onto the boat trailer on dry ground.

The sun sank behind the mountain and we said goodbye to another round of memories in one of our all time favorite places. We're so grateful we were able to make it out onto the boat not once but twice during our short stay.