Kuhlman Family Fun and a Big Surprise

The Kuhlman family gathered up at "The Lake" on Sunday. We tried very hard to get all the "Greats" with their Great Grandparents - what a fiasco - this is the best picture that I got. There were a few other cameras clicking - maybe they got a better pic than this!!!! It's a time for family bonding - Matt with his three year old, Xavier.

This is the best picture of the weekend!!!!!!!!!! With the best kids, of course!!!

Eddie took Alexander fishing - he loves doing things like that. Eddie is so patient and good with him. They did catch a couple bluegills, but it was catch and release. That's ok - dinner was already planned!!

Thanks, Eddie

Matt drove the speedboat so the kids could go tubing.

First came the lesson in hand signals - thumbs up for faster, down for slower, hand out for stop, etc.

Andrew and I were the spotters in the boat.

Off they went..........

Matt had no idea what it's like to do this with a seven year old drama queen -

STOP - I have to wipe the water out of my eyes!

STOP - My legs are sore!

STOP - I have to adjust my bathing suit, it's cutting my butt!

STOP - I have to go to the bathroom! Matt told her to "Let it rip" - she didn't know what that meant, but Alexander told her to just go in the tube - so she did!!!

STOP - My stomach hurts - oh it's better now, we can go!

STOP! - I think I've had enough!!!!

I don't know if Matt has ever had riders like that one!!!!

She told me later that she did not like going pee right in the tube - it was wierd!!!

They really did have a great ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andrew got in with them very near the cottage for a short ride in the tube - he is quite the adventurer!!!

Back on land, I had a hose fight with Xavier - we both got wet!!!!

I had a suit on, tho!!!!

Alexander loves his big cousins - this is Brett who goes to college at some university east of here.

Allison loves babies - this is cousin Reagan who is 4 months old. She is obviously discovering her tongue.

Andrew had a great time - riding a little 4-wheeler and playing with toys from Xavier and Lawson.

There are 2 kid swings in a tree - and he LOVED those.

He loved the tube, too.

After going behind the boat he spent quite awhile at the waters' edge playing in the tube. I would push him out and pull him in - with lots of laughter from him.

He enjoyed the water - jumping off a raft into waist deep water - many times!! No swimmies!!!

Grandpa got into the act pushing Andrew in the swing before dinner.

That repetitive motion put a tired boy to sleep. He slept right thru dinner!!!

After dinner came the big surprise!!!!!

We walked into the porch to everyone blowing bubbles from little plastic jars.

Ashley had planned a little party to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary coming up early in September. Aunt Chris baked 2 Kuhlman family banana cakes and a bride and groom were on top!!!! They looked just like us - a blonde bride and a dark haired groom!!!!

Ashley had made a scrap book with pictures from the last 40 years - it even included the wedding invitation and newspsper articles from 1968!!!!!!!

She took pics from here and got other family members to share pics, then scanned them and put them in the book.

I finally stopped crying and could look at it and pose for a picture.

It is really a scrapbook of memories - thank you sooooo much my darling Ashley.

The day ended with a fire on the beach. Uncle Larry is a good fire builder and the kids enjoy it - and it's all about the kids.

I know the adults have a good time visiting, too.