Zander is so funny....when we get on the boat, he sits by me until Daddy gets it going...then he always goes up by daddy to *drive* the boat.

Drinking & tubing?? Is that allowed!??! Oh, ok, it's a water!!

No, the boat didn't pull us....we just threw out the tubes & floated around today. It was pretty hot & we needed to cool off!!

Zander LOVED sitting in the tube. He didn't like it though when daddy threw a bowl of water on us.....TWICE!! It felt good cause it was so hot but he prefers the little splashes & not big bowls thrown on him!!

She'd rather sit in the boat than float.....I think it's a bit scary for her yet.

Practicing floating with lifejackets on. Nick got the courage to swim today....in the deep water! He swam from the tube to the boat & did great!

Phil & Nick floating on the lake!

POKER CHAMPION!!!

Friday night, Phil, Mitch, & myself played in a 65 player Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament. I had 10 people on my table (Mitch played on my table) & I made it to the last 5 on the table. I did beat my brother! I took a hard loss losing a FULL HOUSE to a FOUR OF A KIND!!

Phil somehow managed to WIN THE TOURNAMENT!!! Yep, he took FIRST PLACE!!! He won a $100 gift certificate to a local sporting goods store. Also a T-shirt & an entry fee for another poker tournament....except that tournament is like 6 hours north of here so I don't think he'll be using that!

So I'm sure the next time you see him, you'll hear about it....as the best part of winning is the prestige to be called the POKER CHAMP!!

Great job Phil!! (My goal was to get further than him that night....I was FAR from it!!!)

Yes there is that HAIR again....just sticking straight up!!!!

Fish do bite at sunset!! The biggest keeper of the weekend....it's a crappie and we had it for lunch today...mmmmmm

She was getting mad that I was taking pictures of everyone else driving but her. See how happy she is now?!?!

Now that's a better picture!

Mr. Cool

Captain Z........He loves to drive!

This little guy came with on one of the boat rides! He seemed to enjoy it. It beats sitting in the cabin crying/howling for us I guess!!!

Captain Phil taking the boat out for the first time!

Unloading the boat for it's first time out on the lake!!

Do they have licenses to drive this thing?!!?

Nick getting a front view!

Lexi's First Boat Ride!!! Does she look like she is enjoying herself?!?!?!

Grandpa learning all the controls on the boat!

Zander's First Boat Ride! (I woke him from his nap & he was a bit unhappy when I took this picture!)

Nick driving the boat!

Nick tubing for the first time!!

HERITAGEFEST 2005!!!!!! It was HOT but all had a good time!! Lexi was so brave & went out & danced with the Narren!!!

Zander dancing it up at the Fest!

Nana whoppin' it up at Heritagefest!! Yep, she's drinking two of those cool, refreshing SCHELL'S beer!! Straight from the just tapped keg!!

Nana & Princess Lexi enjoying Heritagefest!

Nick with the Narren!

You put your right hand in..........do the hokey pokey!

4th of July isn't complete without seeing a parade! And we saw TWO of them on Monday! First one was in St. Peter & lasted about an hour and 1/2 & the second one was in Elysian & was about an hour long. We are up to five parades that we have seen thus far this summer!!

Zander loved the freeze pops at the parade!

I took Eric, Lexi, & Nick to an afternoon parade in Elysian. Nana, Grandpa, Phil, & Zander stayed at the cabin & took a little nap!

One of the fireworks over the lake. This would have been a South Dakota firework as the Minnesota ones didn't leave the ground!! The fireworks started Friday night & continued until Monday night!!! The biggest night was Sunday & for people firing their own stuff, it was quite the show!

We put the firepit on the dock Sunday night & enjoyed the fireworks over the lake. Here's Tammi, Fred, Nick, Barb, & Lexi.

Nice shot of Tammi & Lexi!!

Ring around the boys!

Saturday afternoon, Nick, Eric, Mitch, Lexi, Grandma, & Tammi enjoyed some sunshine & cool beverages!

Lexi & Grandma catching some sun!

Here's Nick hiding from his friend Dalton.

Lexi on her way down to the dock!

Grandma, Tammi, & Eric enjoying the beautiful day!

Mitch, Eric, Tammi, Dalton, Lexi & Grandma sitting on the dock.

Bad picture (taken through the screen), but if you noticed these two guys were missing from the other pictures....they were so tired from doing what I'm not sure, that they had to get a nap in! (Phil on one couch, Grandpa on the other!)