An amazing weekend...

This has truly been an amazing weekend. First, I offer you a pictoral view of our trip. We arrived late Friday night at this place, "Monkey Hill" and left late Monday afternoon. Below the photos I have typed out what I wrote to leave in the guest book at Susan's request.

We fished, boated, the children (including my older two boys!) played in the water, played pool, foosball and air hockey. We ate amazing food, talked for hours and found great friendships. All in all, one of the very best weekends I've had in a very long time. I'm so grateful, so blessed by my friends and family. I thank God for these awesome people with whom I've spent the last few days. What a great weekend.....


Day One - Saturday
Words of the day - swimming; throwing; floating; laughing; birthday

Ready Momma! (Sweet Mary Ann)

The Boys

Taylor

Susan and Whitney

Reaves


Funny Isabelle


Ha! Take That!

All three of my boys...

Water Play!









The Girls

Susan

The Birthday Party (The only picture in which I appear, proof positive that I really did go on vacation!)

The Pinata and the birthday girl...

Dalton tries his hand at the pinata too...



Day Two
Words of the day - boating; tubing; laughing; fishing

Susan, Margaret and Albert

Loverboy (yes, that's really this sweet little Miki's name!)

Look what we got while you were gone Mom!

The Whole Gang


Breathe Fishies, Breathe!
(no, they didn't make it... )



Say Hi!

Sleepy Whitney


I'm a Beauty Queen!

James and Izzy Tubin'

Carl and Dalton Tubin'




Carl Tubin'

A peaceful end to the day...

Playing Pool

Air Hockey

Funny Girls!

By the way, I think - no scratch that - I KNOW I'm hilarious!

A Little Chocolate Monster (isn't she the cutest little monster you've ever seen?)

Reaves, Taylor and Dalton

Good Friends in the Evening;
Margaret, Albert, Susan and Lisa

Margaret, Albert and Loverboy


Day three - Memorial Day Morning
words of the day - fishing; friendship; departure; hugs;

One Fish...

A Few Fish...

A Whole Lot More!

I REALLY just wanna stay and fish. Mom!

Big Honkin' Mussel!

James

Dance With Me

Miss Fashion Plate in her birthday clothes

Looking Forward

Relaxed at Last...


As we say goodbye, one last look...
My Room

Litte Kids Bedroom (yes, they all slept in here!)

Big Boys Bedroom (Reaves and Taylor)

Main Living Room

Monkey Hill (rear view)

Monkey Hill (Front View)



Dalton looking oh so happy



Ode to Monkey Hill

Having not been on vacation in 10 years, I was blessed beyond measure when Susan and Kevin invited us to accompany them to this amazing place named "Monkey Hill". Being shy, despite feeling as though Susan is one of my dearest and closest freiends, I was hesitant to accept their offer. After much discussion, Susan and her family (including her wonderful parents) and other terrific friends, The Packers, embarked on a Memorial Weekend Adventure.

Monkey Hill is a true treasure! Being nestled in a beautiful cove, we marveled and "aahh-ed" at the house, it's beauty and the view. Between great friendship, beautiful children and the luxury of time, we found ourselves basking in the sun, having long wonderful conversations amidst our children's laughter, sipping lemonade and relishing this new found comraderie. We boated about Lake Gaston. The children had such grand fun tubing, fishing and swimming. We celebrated an eighth birthday and became quite relaxed. Between foosball, pool and air hockey (and a movie or two)the rain that arrived late Sunday gave us just the small break from the sun needed to get ready for our journey home the following day. Early Memorial Day morning saw the children up and ready for clamming, fishing and collecting sea treasures. What a grand trip this has been. Monkey Hill, you've helped us rejuvenate, revitalize and resucitate ourselves.

To you I say, you have deepened relationships, helped children find purpose and joy in the simple gifts of the sea and given us countless smiles on the faces of our children. We are all so grateful. We have all most definitely been blessed.