As you might know, about a month ago we had our whole gang stay with us for a week at our Oyster Haven VRBO house on Lake Champlain. All 18 of our family members were together: my husband and I; our 5 sons and 4 daughters-in-law; our 5 granddaughters and 2 grandsons. (We have decided that for the rest of the year, the house will be open to other folks for vacation rentals; but for one glorious week each summer, it will be all
ours!!)
I've already shared some of the professional pictures we had taken during that week. (If you didn't see that post and are interested, you can
go here and check them out.)
But I also had my iPhone and digital camera at the ready to capture as much of the magic as I could. So here are a few of the photos I took, to give you an idea of how great the week was (and how much I'm already looking forward to the planned 2017 #lakesidepearls reunion!).
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| Papa and his newest granddaughter, Princesa. |
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| Son #4 and wife Braveheart. |
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| Son #4 and Braveheart. |
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| Let the Wiffle Ball games begin! |
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| Cousin love! |
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| Son #3 and his boy, G-Man. |
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| Ginger and her son, Junior. |
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| Imagine a bunch of heart emjois!!! |
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| My bookends, #1 and #5, with two of son #1's girls. |
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| My baby and my granddaughter, Cutie Pie (one of the twins). |
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| Son #3 and his little Princesa. |
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| Preciosa and her G-Man. |
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| Junior. |
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| Cutie Pie and Junior. |
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| My boys!! <3 |
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| Son #2 with his family, Ginger and Junior. |
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| This little guy is a water baby! |
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| Son #3, Preciosa, and G-Man. |
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| Fun on the lake. |
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| Two of our girls, Braveheart and Preciosa. |
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Son #1's wife Regina and their youngest, City Girl.
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| #5 and a couple of his nieces. |
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| Little Gal got very attached to her uncle, #5. |
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| My bookend boys with Little Gal in the middle. |
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When Junior wasn't in the lake with his parents,
he was in the pool with his cousins.
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| G-Man be like, "Hey, what's going on here? What am I missing?" |
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| I could gaze at this view all day. |
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| Son #2 and Junior. Heart-melting. |
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| Son #3 and Princesa. Also heart-melting. |
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| Dads on duty. |
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| Visiting our horse neighbor, Buddy. |
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| The twins and Little Gal all got to ride him. |
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| "See you next summer, Buddy." |
I have so many more good shots, but I'm sure you've had enough by now--if you're even still here.
But if you don't mind...I'll think I'll scroll through these pictures a few more times, and soak up all the sweet memories we made in our house by the lake this summer.
Lovely. Clearly a wonderful week!!
ReplyDeleteYes, it was SO wonderful!
DeleteMy husband and I just left Oyster Haven, where we've done two back-breaking days of deep cleaning after the departure of a family of guests who stayed there for two weeks. Every time we're doing the cleaning and set-up for new renters, it's so exhausting that I ask myself, "Is all the work really worth it?"; but whenever I do that, all I'll have to do is look at these pictures and remember that YES, even if it's only for one week each year, we need to figure out a way to keep this place so that our own family can make memories together every summer. My boys didn't live near any of their cousins--the eight Pearl siblings were spread out from FL to CA and everywhere in between. But every summer, they gathered at my husband's parents' house just down the road from our Oyster Haven, and they formed tight bonds. Our wish for our family is that Oyster Haven can be the same kind of place for us.
I just love all of these!
ReplyDeleteMe, too. <3
DeleteGreat pics, Laura! Nice to reminisce over for the next year and beyond. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope next year I'll have a whole new batch to share. ;)
DeleteWhat an awesome, awesome time for all of you!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was, Rosie!
DeleteAnd who knows? We may be having some holiday reunions in your neck of the woods soon, if we make that move to VA. (And maybe I can attend the next blogging conference you host in your house!)