4TH

Where to begin on this day!?!?! For anyone who has had the PLEASURE of spending any quality time with me, you know I am always VERY even tempered and easy to get along with. Today was no exception!! After almost no sleep, it was up and ahem, bright and early!!

The Plan:

1. eat

2.pack

3.get right size hitch ball ( yup Sunday 4th..shopping...because no one thought about it earlier)

4. go to mom and dads and get boat.

That is when it went to H#%% in a hand basket!!

Now I know I am not the smartest tool in the shed but, after 18 years of sitting should trailer lights still work.... or should the wheel bearings be running smoothly?!?!?!

The answers to those questions: UMMM NO!!!!

So Dave re-wired the trailer!!! Nope that didn't help, so we will use hand signals!!

That and it was at this point I realized that I left the new registration 19 miles away at the house...

"Hello Sarah how would you like to go to the house before we pick you up!!!???"

The decision to head to Sarah's in hopes that the bearings would be OK may not have been the best one!!

Has anyone ever tried to find bearing grease in Middleville on Sunday the 4th of July?? It was at this point that I may.......MAY have had a moment!! In order to keep this short and sweet..... Does anyone remember the dells?? If so....nuff said!!

After a trip to Hastings and 2 stores......the grease I found was going to have to work.....the frozen bearings were just gonna have to free themselves as much as they could be and we were off.

DEEP BREATHS........and then what, a call from the kids letting us know that the lake was FULL!!!

Change of plans....Austin Lake.
Lukas and aunt Yaya finally enjoyed playing in the water!

And....finally the culmination of the of the plan.....getting ready to hoist the mast!

With that the boys were ready for the "maiden voyage" of the 474!! Whoooo Hooooo!

She looked good for having been in storage for 18 years and Dave said it is like riding a bike.....you never forget how!

Across the lake on a beautiful day!

While the boys were playing we tried to get Lukas used to his life jacket....as you can see he LOVED it!!

He finally decided that it wasn't that bad and tried to teach Amy how to be a motorboat!! She got pretty good at it!

OK, so this fishy jacket isn't so bad after all!!

It wasn't long and Dave and Jesse came in to let others give it a try!! Lukas gets to set sail for the first time!!
Lets go g-pa!!

Amy's first time sailing also.....I think she really enjoyed it!

Getting some good air and moving right along. As you can see Lukas was helping gpa with the lines!

A natural born sailor....the next A boat champion in the making!!?? Following in gpa's footsteps!

While the rest of the clan was off around the lake....gpa and Lukas hung out in the water!

Talking to gpa about the sailing adventure, can't wait to go again!!

So while mommy, daddy and aunt Yaya went off sailing g-pa and Lukas snacked and watched......Hmmmmmm no family resemblance here?!?!?!

They even make the same facial expressions........He sure does LOVE his gpa! When the boys first put the boat in the water he was playing and when they took off he started to cry and point at the boat and say gumpaaaaaaa!!

Looks like Jesse has figured out how it all works, and his crew were enjoying the ride. From what I heard he did try to take out a goose or 2 on the lake!!

Jesse got a chance to try his solo-sailing skills next......I think he liked it!

All in all it was a great way to spend the 4th of July. Brought back many memories of those sailing days. I think Dave wants one of his own now. We hope that Jesse, Amy and Lukas have hours and hours of fun with it!!

Now, I may or may not owe a few words of apology to a few family members for what may or may not have been some less than perfect behavior and commentary!

Thank you all for a PERFECT DAY!!

SORRY!!!