We bought a boat!

We bought a boat!!! After days and weeks of looking (following years of speculating), we found the boat we were looking for. When we got to the marina, there was another interested buyer. We all went out on the Ohio river, drove the boat around, and ended up outbidding the other buyer. And suddenly, we owned a boat! As we drove it home, we looked at each other, thinking, "oh man... did we really just do that?"

Backing into the driveway was a bit of a trick, but Jared managed to get it in. The kids were thrilled! 

We decided to take it out to East Fork for a ride the next day. Backing it into the water was a little stressful, but we were successful.

It was awesome to be behind the wheel on the boat.

After cruising around the lake for a while, we got out the cheap little water wing tube. The kids took turns on it and had a great time.

Jacob and Dani both took turns skiing as well. It was a bit of a learning experience, but Jared did pretty well bringing the boat around and picking up skiers and getting skiers up. 

Loading the boat was a little tricky, but we got it successful loaded and back to the storage unit - which is a story in and of itself that left Jared on an adrenaline rush for \ 3 hours following getting it parked!

Family time

We packed up the entire family and went for a hike on the Little Turtle trail in Shawnee Lookout State park. It was a big group!

There was a pretty overlook of the Ohio River valley. We took turns walking alongside Papa. It was a good, aggressive distance for him, about 2 miles total.

There were a couple good hills, and it was warm and muggy, but it was a fun hike!

 

Matt and Jared played 9 holes of golf. Apparently there were good shots hit... but not all of them! If you swing the club enough, sometimes it will go well.

As always, the most time together is spent in the pool, often just making up games

or just lounging and chatting.

Jared decided to start lifting people out of the pool. The girls loved it.

The big challenge... getting both teenage boys out of the water!

6

Another quarantine circle birthday - We picked up Duck Donuts to start the day out right.

Torin was excited to be with all of his cousins.

Claire made him a little candy robot.

 

Liam made him some homemade binoculars.

Cake by the pool!

 

More socially distanced activities

We have been so happy to have our backyard, and we keep adding to it. We now have a pair of hammocks out there.

The kids can often be found deep in books, sprawled inside or out.

Uh... that turned out to not be a snake!

Claire completed her paint by number and it turned out beautifully!

We found our way out to the Loveland bike trail with regularity

Jacob was able to provide some service, mowing Dottie Morrison's yard.

Dottie had trap set up that had a very unhappy opossum in it!

After swimming, the kids all get ear drops. No swimmers ear here!

Playing Pandemic... in a pandemic. How meta.

Backing into trouble

Torin and a friend were playing basketball and left the basketball hoop down. Dani didn't notice it and backed right into it, and the glass SHATTERED! For the second time in 2 weeks, Safelite was helping (last week she had a star on her window fixed).

 

For the next few months, on occasion, we would find a chunk of glass in the grass or mulch!