Independence Day Weekend

It was Independence Day Weekend (in case you've been living under a rock or something), so we went camping. We were on Pin Oak Lake at Natchez Trace (near Lexington, TN).

 

Ummmmm.....it was a Wednesday night - Sunday kind of thing & this is me.....so here's your warning: picture overload!

 

Wednesday

The girls were very excited about loading up to go camping!

We got the camper all loaded & hooked up.....

....& the boat too.

 

And we headed out.

Gree & Poppie

Jamie & Daddy

Me & the girls

We made a pit stop at the Old Country Store in Jackson for dinner. ONE TIME, I am going to see to it that I'm not eating there as a pit stop (or at least in not such a rush to get somewhere) so I can enjoy the Ice Cream Parlor too!

We all enjoyed our dinners.

Jamie said she HAD to have her picture made with the Indian....so I let her.

We finally arrived......This place was beautiful!

All lined up in our home for the next 5 days.

It did not take the girls long at all to get their toys out & playing.

And then they were excited cause camping means sleep-togethers!

 

Thursday

 

It's Independence Day!!!!! Happy 4th of July!!!!!

Notice the Band-Aid on Jamie's knee....poor kid got my clumsiness & fell & scrapped her knee that morning.

We had forgot to set out the stuff to thaw to make breakfast, so we headed to Lexington for some McDonald's. Jamie was not feeling 100% (very congested & coughing a lot), so she took a little rest on the way.

Kayla was just ready to get the fun started.

 

July 4th also happens to be Poppie's Birthday!!!!

 

Kayla & Poppie

Jamie & Poppie

After we got back from breakfast, I went for my walk/run. There were some beautiful views around the camp!!!! I also decided that since my workout when I walk/run is more like 3-4 minute runs with only 1-2 minute brisk walking repeated, I should switch my Endomondo app to say that I'm running.

 

 

 

When I got back, the girls were enjoying blowing bubbles: 

 

Poppie was chillaxin'

And Daddy was chillaxing' too

Jamie decided to sit in her chair & say "cheese"

Kayla is all about playing with her Barbies! And since she loves being in the water & watching Soul Surfer (true story about Bethany Hamilton), her Barbies are usually swimming or surfing.

Poppie & Gree chillaxing'

 

 

More playing with her Barbies:

Jamie decided to ride her tricycle some while we were there.

This girl loves posing for pictures, especially when I let her hold some of her toys.

Do you remember me saying that Jamie got my clumsy gene....well, poor kid hit her head on the picnic table. She had to get some lovin from Gree. While we were there, she also fell over in her chair.

 

 

But it didn't take her long to get back to playing.

 

 

 

Given that it was Independence Day, we got a little festive:

Jamie had to go fishing under the camper for her ball.

Enjoying playing outside with their toys!

We had lunch & then it was nap time.

 

 

After nap, these two were ready to play some more!

Oh how I love that child!

Oh how I love that child!

Enjoying a little riding.

So we weren't the only ones on this camping trip!!! Jessica & a lot of her family & some friends joined in too!!!!!

 

 

While the girls played at the camp in the afternoon, some of us went out in Larry & Tonya's Ski Boat. Their family loves the water & they all either wake board, tub, or wake surf.

Candace wake surfing

Pam, Whitney (who is 8 weeks pregnant & Pam is worried about her on the back of the boat), Tonya, Candace (wake surfing), Greg, & Kolby

Larry is an excellent driver

Candace wake surfing

Candace wake surfing without the rope.

Haylee controlling music, Jessica, & Kolby

Whitney wake surfing....now before anyone freaks out remember that she's 8 weeks pregnant, the boat only goes 9-11 miles an hour. When you fall in the water, it's at about the same speed you hit when you jump into a pool; especially if you're good at this like they all are.

Ride that wake, Whitney!

Tonya wake surfing

Look....no rope!

Haylee prefers to tub & wake board, but she got out their & tried wake surfing too.

She even tried getting up on it like a knee board....

....which didn't work out so well, but looked fun!

 

 

 

So she switched to wake boarding:

The girls enjoyed some more riding, we all enjoyed dinner, & then it was off to watch fireworks.

Kolby & Kayla waiting on fireworks

Jamie waiting on fireworks

Sweet Jamie got sleepy so she "rested" on Mommy for a bit....she just still wasn't feeling 100%.

 

Friday

I got up & got my run/walk in....took a different route & it was still just as pretty! It provided more hills so my pace was slower.

Then we had breakfast outside.

 

 

We had told everyone how much Kayla & Jamie LOVED watching Soul Surfer & had wanted to learn how to surf one day. They offered not only to take them out on the boat so they would watch wake surfing, but also let them try it with Candace.

Jamie went first, cause she watched Candace & had no hesitation about wanting to try it out!

She even helped hold the rope.

 

A little video of Jamie (please excuse my voice!!!!)

Look Mom, no rope!!!!

 

A little video of Jamie with no rope (please excuse my voice!!!!)

Then it was Kayla's turn. She's a little more timid, but still had a blast!

She had a death grip on that rope!

She eventually relaxed

And really got into it!

 

Video of Kayla on the 1st day (again....sorry about my voice)

Even letting go of the rope!!!!

Then it was nap time & I enjoyed some time with my Kindle

Oh they are just too precious! They napped a while & I ended up waking them up. Wake surfing wore them out!

 

Haylee found some left-over sparklers & shared them with the girls!

Jamie enjoyed her sparkler.

Kayla enjoyed it too!!!!

A lot of the folks with this group are Square Dancers....so they provided for our evening entertainment. Yes....I want to take lessons & learn!!!!

 

Saturday

It was an overcast morning, but it still provided for a nice workout view. It was a cross-training (any non-running activity) day, so I walked.

The girls were excited to get to go swimming & played in the water for hours. I forgot my camera charger & my waterproof camera was dead.

 

After several hours in the water, Jamie decided to take a little rest. She was starting to feel better, but knew she needed rest before going out to wake surf again!

Jamie was quick to remind us that it was her turn since Kayla went last!

 

Jamie video with the rope

She got comfortable quick this time & they let go of the rope pretty early.

Riding the wakes

Candace even got Jamie up on her shoulders! Kayla quickly informed us that she did not want to do this!

 

Jamie's on the shoulder video

But Kayla was very excited for it to be her turn!!!!

 

Kayla video with the rope.

And she also got comfortable quickly so they let go of the rope.

 

Kayla video with no rope.

I was even able to get her to look up at me for a picture.

Look Mom, no hands!!!!

Kayla would crack us up holding her breath whenever Candace would tell they were done. Candace did awesome!!!! When they were going down, she would hold the girls up by their lifejackets & not even let their head go under.

 

Daddy decided to give it a try, but wasn't able to stay up long enough for me to get a picture.

I decided to try.....

.....I even got up a couple of times......

....but I didn't stay up for long. LOL!!!! It was fun & I DO want to do it again....ASAP!!!!

Those that didn't make it out in the boat either hung out at their camp cooking, on the bank of the lake, or floating in the lake.

 

 

After the fun adventure of wake surfing, the girls went down for a late nap:

I had the hardest time waking them up so they were soooooo worn out.

We ate dinner with everyone. We cooked 4 boston butts, baked beans, slaw, & homemade cookies & cream ice cream. Everyone else fixed sides & other flavors of homemade ice cream. The girls were asking to go to bed before we even finished eating dinner....they were a little cranky so I was absorbed with entertaining them & did not get a picture of our whole group (man I am kicking myself for that now!).

The adults all either went night fishing, were square dancing, or watching the square dancing. They told me other people who were camping in the area & not with our group even joined in the fun. But the girls were so worn out, we went & took our shower in the bath house (the girls LOVED doing this!); & then we laid in the bed & watched a movie.

 

Sunday

We loaded everything up & headed home.....

.....making a pit stop at Five Guys in Jackson for lunch.

 

When we got back, it was time to unload, unpack, relax, work on laundry, & read. We were also greeted with some ripe tomatoes, so we had BLTs & a salad for dinner.

 



 

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So how was your Independence Day Weekend????



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This post is part of a link up with:



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Have a Sunshiny Day,
~Tasha Sunshine
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