Lake of the Ozarks

I've visited Missouri a million times yet I had never been to the Lake of the Ozarks. So, I was really excited when we all decided to pitch in and share a condo on the lake for our summer trip to MO this year.

Driving to MO from Colorado is not the most fun drive ever seeing as how we have to cross through Kansas. The only interesting part about that drive is the billboard advertizing a detour to Dorothy's House from the Wizard of Oz's and the creepy painting of Jesus peering out at you through a wheat field. So we were happy to have finally arrived to our condo on Thursday with enough time to go swimming.

We were the first ones there upon arrival. We were expecting Brent's parents, Tommy and Janice, his brother Bryce, his wife Carrie and their daughter Ruby and his other brother Ben with his friend Stacie. But mostly we were looking forward to seeing our little niece Ruby. Doesn't she have cute cheeks???

After gorging ourselves on pizza we all decided to go for a late night swim. This is Bridget with her Uncle Brycie.

We spent a lot of time lying in the sun and swimming in the pool that over looked the lake.

Here is a picture of Bridget making cake balls with her Uncle Ben.

Brent lounging with his girls before we went to rent our jet skis.

We also took Bridget to a beach where Brent told her that turtles would grab her by her toes and pull her to the bottom. She insisted on wearing her life jacket even when she was wading through water that barely covered her feet. It was funny when we actually did see a turtle popping its head out of the water.

(What is it with dad's torturing their daughters. My dad used to pull stunts like that on me all of the time. Up until I was 20 I thought Briskit was some wierd kind of bird... shut up.)

Bridget with her Grandma and Grandpa.

Tommy and his not so mini-me.

After we went swimming we drove to see the view from the dam.

Back at the condo we spent every morning and evening on the balcony that over looked the pool and the lake. It was the perfect place to watch the sun set.

Bridget and Ruby got to spend some quality time together. This is Bridget changing her first diaper.

When Brent was little he had a sock monkey a lot like this one so we had to by it for Ruby when we saw it sitting at the Cracker Barrell on the drive there.

After a few days we headed back to Grenville IL where Brent's parents live. Of course Bridget had to catch fire flies the first night we were there. (We don't have them in CO.)

Brent and I left on Tuesday while Bridget stayed to spend more time with her grand parents. She went to Vacation Bible School at Tommy's church and got to stay and have the princess treatment.

Brent and I drove back to Colorado and celebrated our five year wedding anniversary a month early. Basically we got to hang out with out having to tend to our parental duties. It was a nice change but it didn't take long for us to want Bridget to come back home.