Pre-Wedding Family Day at the Beach

The Thursday before my brother Josh's wedding, the siblings all gathered for a family day at the beach at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. This was Josh's request that we spend the day together, and it was a super idea! (There was also a brothers' camping trip that occurred the night before, but someone else will have to share those stories and photos!)

It was HOT that day, as a lot of June 2012 was. In fact, as we made the long trek out to the beach from the parking lot, this pregnant momma didn't think I'd make it through the day! But the water was refreshing and we found a picnic area on the edge of the beach with a small tree for shade. So it ended up being a fun and relaxing day after all.

We spend a lot of time in the water that day. The little kiddos - Micah and cousin Calla - played in the water, threw sand (Micah's favorite), and ran along the beach. They had a ball!

My brother Andy also brought his boat along and gave tubing rides. The first boat tour was the slow kiddie ride, which included both grandkids and both pregnant ladies (Josh's groomsman Chris and his wife Ashley joined us from Texas that day - Ashley is expecting their first child this fall).

Micah wasn't too sure about the boat at first. Perhaps he was recalling the nightmare of wearing a life jacket last summer (he hated it!). But being bigger and more mobile this year, he eventually realized that he could have fun on a boat, even if he had to wear the dreaded life jacket.

Calla toured the lake with her mom Heather.

And I got to ride with both of my sons on board! Micah told me repeatedly that he didn't want to go, but I made him anyway and he ended up thinking it was ok.

After the fast boat tour, in which Micah's uncles got a more spirited tube ride, we broke for dinner - Dad's homemade hamburgers. What a treat! We had forgotten the condiments to go with the hamburgers, but that was ok because they have enough good flavor on their own!

We're thankful that Josh had such a great idea to get everyone together - all five of us siblings, plus spouses, significant others, kids, and Mom & Dad. A special family day and a great memory for all of us!