(One Last, Probably) Visit to Elkhart Lake

It's Indian summer this week! 

After such a cool August (which we loved!), it's been fun to enjoy what is likely one last hurrah of summer weather for 2019.

Yesterday we dropped everything and ran over to the beach...we couldn't resist once the temp hit 80!

It was a special time, so quiet, no one else there except us.

The water still and clear and cool.

The kids enjoyed finding fish, little and big!!, driftwood branches, rocks, seaweed, and crayfish...

things they usually don't find when the beach is full of people and the water is swirled up.

Joel and Jenny's Wedding

Shawn's brother Joel got married this weekend!

It was a lovely day. And were SOOOOO happy to welcome sweet sweet Jenny into our family.

Jenny walking down the aisle with her 2 darling children, Landon and Brielle

Eli and Theo with their favorite uncles ;)

the sisters-in-law :)

The five siblings :)

and one shot at the reception, Theo was completely enamored with the bride - it was so cute!!

Church Picnic

We enjoyed some fellowship time on the banks of Long Lake on an especially lovely day.

men cooking the meats

kids games

mens games

frisbee football

tug of war

Commercial Fishing

I love impromptu field trips!

We happened (does anything just happen?) to take a little (impromptu) time to enjoy the boardwalk along the riverfront last week. 

The commercial fisherman were just getting off their boat and processing their catch.

They hailed the kids into their little fish shanty and proceeded to talk about their living, fishing, types of fish, economics, etc. 

The kids were enamored!

What a treat.

feeding the ducks nearby

walking next to the fish tug, right before getting called in for a learning session

explaining fish scales

showing how whitefish eat

Lovely Lakeshore

We are so blessed to live so close to this gem.

These are Miles' pictures when the kids visited with Grandma recently.

Lately

Eli loves the success he had with growing mammoth sunflowers this summer

Shawn's photo - Miles had floss stuck in his braces and Celene carefully untangling him ;)

Theo practicing archery one sunny morning

Celene's picture of salt crystals under her microscope

Enjoying the puppies at Derksen's

Pearl needs to have her hooves trimmed every 6-8 weeks

Butterfly keeping Hannah company doing school