I have PVNS: 02/01/2013

The rest of vacation week was a lot of fun... tiring, but fun. Again, I am reminded how much energy parents need to be able to stay engaged with their kids. There are A LOT of pictures here, I apologize to Aunt Donna, knowing your computer takes a long time to load pics... (I did not get any pictures at Aunt Donna's house where we stopped for a visit on our way to the lake. Kicking myself for that!)

Ok.. so I had posted pics from the first couple of days... these pictures pick up after the other post. The boys enjoy sewing, both using a machine and using a needle and thread. I was impressed at how much time they spent working on little projects. Last year Betty had to walk them through each step and this year the boys were able to take more of the lead, especially Ben. He really got into it and became the helper for the brothers.

Davin loves stuffed animals. He wanted to make another sock monkey and a sock elephant.

Tuesday night we had gotten lots of rain.. I think it was Tuesday... and the lake was quite slushy... and we thought it would be an inside day...

Ben, in typical teenage fashion, slept late, but eventually joined the party...

Even if he wasn't completely awake! Sorry bud, HAD to post this!

As we were all settling in for the day Jack asked if he could fly a kite. Looking at the wet lake I told him he could try, but that he wasn't going to be able to do it. I told him that the lake would be too wet and slippery for him to be able to run to get the kite up. Despite my warnings and Dad's warnings, Jack decided he was going to do it anyway... and sloshed out onto the lake.

I went out on the front patio to take some pics, thinking he would return quickly.

I was wrong. That little stinker walked out onto the wet ice without falling and got the kite up. Wonder how many other things I have told him he can't do...

Eventually I walked down to the shore to watch him and get some pics...

And before long Dad joined the party, deciding that Jack could use some help. I was worried Dad would fall on the ice, but he managed to also stay upright.

The weather was interesting... mild temps, but windy making it cold at times, but the blue sky kept breaking through.

Grampie and Jack... Jack still reminds me a lot of Dad... and while I didn't know my dad when he was a boy, I have a feeling that he may have had some of the same characteristics that Jack does... Jack prefers to be outside doing things. When he can't be active outside he retreats to using technology... he just isn't as interested in sit down activities as his brothers...

While Jack was flying a kite, Betty and Davin were mixing up some ice cream... yes, the homemade kind...

Ben, who had been inside sewing, was forced to come out to help make ice cream... being told that if he didn't help make it he couldn't help eat it... he was outside long enough to take this picture, then headed back inside.

Jack and Gramp kept flying the kite...

Betty decided a second kite may be a good idea, so while I cranked on the ice cream maker Davin joined and Jack on the ice... Betty helped me churn the ice cream for a while, then she also headed onto the ice, with another kite...

This lasted for a long time and then as my arm was about to fall off, Betty and Dad came to check how hard the ice cream machine was getting to turn and decided it was ready. So Dad and I headed inside to put it in the freezer... (And maybe sneak a taste!)

The sky was really pretty... strange lighting but pretty.... I feel really lucky to be able to spend time at the lake. It is an amazing place.

Eventually we all went inside to warm up... except Jack. He stayed outside. And eventually Dad, wanting to keep an eye on him, perhaps making sure he didn't fly away, went back outside, but stayed on shore.

Inside... Ben was using Betty's second sewing machine... the one she takes camping with her... and uses it when Dad plugs in the generator. He really got into sewing... he's such a detail kid...

Davin was working on mastering hand sewing. He has a lot of patience.

He is so sweet and innocent...

Until he becomes possessed!

Ben's sock elephant/ He pretty much did this on his own. Pretty cool!

When we got up the next day it was snowing and Jack again wanted to fly a kite and got the brothers to join him. Davin became Jack's retriever... when the kite would crash, Davin would go get it.

Ben, to my surprise, joined the outside party...

Jack was content, again, to be outside... love this picture of him.

Davin, whose snow pants and coat always manage to somehow get soaked... decided to flail on the ice and do some kind of dancing thing...

"Ben, what are you doing?" I asked. "Trying to stay warm," he answered. Hmm... interesting method, bud.

There really wasn't any wind.. even Jack gave up on the kite flying...

Davin continued 'ice dancing'...

I showed him these pictures and he smiled, saying he was just being him. Love that kid!

The sun was trying to come out during the snowstorm, but didn't quite make it.

We moved inside.. and started working on pillowcases... Betty found this fabric to use for our example... and thought it was dad's color scheme... Isn't he cute?

Jack getting in on the pillowcase action, ironing the fabric...

Davin's turn on the machine...

Jack's finished product... complete with him pretending to sleep...

Davin's is done!

And last but not least... Ben's!

I tried to get a picture of all the finished products, but got 'photobombed' by Ben... apparently photo-bombing is jumping in the picture last minute...you learn something new every day.

After pillow case making, Jack decided to continue working on his sock animal... originally was going to be an elephant... but Jack decided to be more original and make a... creature...Love it!

Dav... sewing by hand... again.. (Notice, he is wearing the fleece pants made last year!)

Davin needed some help... Betty and I were busy cooking so... Dad stepped in to help... Davin was pretty surprised that Gramp could sew!

The evening project was bracelet making... Betty had found directions on how to make them using paratrooper cord... which is very popular right now... who knew?

Jack's favorite part? Having to burn the ends to prevent fraying...

Look at that concentration!

Last day of the trip... Friday... the sun was shining and there was very little wind... we started outside early...well... 9 ish...

Jack and Davin head out for some ice flailing... maybe the fish flop dance?

Davin is our snow eater... he has always loved to eat snow...

Gramp decided to put out some more traps... Davin decided to help...

Love to see everyone outside!

We decided to let the boys drive the four wheeler this year. I have to say they did great. They listened to directions and were very safety conscious. Davin was nervous driving over ice, afraid that it was less solid than the snow covered ice.. he also hums as he drives. Cute kid!

Jack's turn... he told me all about how he knows how to drive since he has driven a friend's snowmobile. He would love to go fast, but he followed the rules.

Being the passenger gave me a chance to take some pictures... it really is beautiful!

At one point Dad needed to go check on an ice shack for one of Betty's friends. So he and Jack took off, with Dad driving. They were gone for a while, but eventually returned, with Jack driving. They had gotten stuck in some slush that was below a big snow drift... Jack had to drive while Dad pushed and pulled... Jack later told me that he wasn't worried about getting stuck, because he knew how to get out because he was with Gramp and helped him get it out, so I shouldn't be worried.

Ben... is also a good driver... very safe, very deliberate... he really enjoyed it, but think he liked the inside activities more...

Really wanted a family picutre... but the boys complained about the sun being too bright... still cute...

The boys wanted more time on the four wheeler... but my face was cold from the wind, so Betty took a turn... She is such a good sport!

When it was time to pick up, Jack helped bring in the traps... he ended up getting this one pretty tangled... and dad had to spend quite a bit of time fixing it... as he was fixing it he said, I guess that's what grandfather's are for... Yep... grandfathers are there to help us learn new things, and to not kill us when we add more work to their plate! Jack, I think, could stay outside all day.