I don't know how many years we've been going to "Papa's Big Lake" at the ranch each summer, but it's been a lot. I know I have pictures with all the cousins and Mary Margaret is too little to be there so it's been at least 14 years. In the past we've all gone out for the 4th of July and taken the boat out for several days. We load up the boat with ice-chests, snacks, towels, and life-jackets and head out early and stay late. Some years we've skied and tubed and ridden on the big banana boat. Some years we've just tubed and ridden the Sea Doos. When the cousins were all younger we pulled everyone a little slower. As the kids got older, the Sea Doo went a little faster and the challenge was to see who could hold on to the tube. And of course there was always the tradition of jumping off the top of the boat while papa yelled, "Incoming." In recent years we've not all been able to come. Last year I was too close to my due date to go so only Lincoln and Lillie made the trip. This year Lincoln was in Europe over the 4th and cousin James had baseball games so we postponed the boating for a few weeks. And of course, it will never, ever be the same without
Tyler. Here are some pictures of our past years as well as some pictures from this year.
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| Incoming! |
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| Papa and his girls |
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| The traditional 4th of July picture on the steps. This was July 2002. |
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| Lincoln skiing, 2002. |
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| The cousins. |
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| Lincoln and Tyler |
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| Cuties! |
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Gracie in control of the Sea Doo.
2012 |
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| Some of the cousins from this year. |
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| Lincoln and Lillie |
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| Mary, Mary Margaret, and Lillie |
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| This is one of my favorite pictures! This is Mary and Lillie, then . . . |
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| and now. |
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| Mary Margaret, then . . . |
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| a few years later . . . |
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| and now. |
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| Lincoln and James, this year. |
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| Trying not to fall off |
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| Still holding on |
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| The girls . . . |
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| also trying to hold on. |
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| Jack Henry a few years ago . . . |
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| and now. |
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| Jack Henry taking his turn at tubing. |
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| Mary Margaret, Mary, and Lincoln |
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| James and Jack Henry |
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| Papa pulling the cousins. |
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| This year the cousins tried double tubing for the first time. |
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| Six cousins, two tubes |
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| They managed to hold on for quite a while! |
