Family Weekend 2.0

For our second annual family weekend getaway, we headed south to Patoka Lake. We weren't actually right on the water and we didn't have a boat, but we still enjoyed the beautiful scenery and relaxing atmosphere. Unfortunately, Jacob couldn't make it down and we missed Thomas, of course. 

The first night, we all got there at different times so we took it easy. Nalon and Holden played Twister while trying not to lose their balance due to the monster baby crawling all over.

Saturday we spent time exploring. We went on a hike through the woods and drove down to the lake. We played games and made food. My favorite activity was putting Adelina to sleep. A few different times she let me just walk with her and she fell asleep right on my shoulder. Super snuggly and super sweet. I can't get enough of that squishy baby.

The lake was beautiful and I wish we'd gotten a boat to enjoy it more. We had fun just hanging out by the water for a few hours, though.

Dominika's little brother Azaan, who's three, came with us and definitely kept things lively. At the lake he was cracking us all up because he was afraid of the muddy sludge at the water's edge and wouldn't let Dominika put him into the water. It was hilarious to watch him raise his feet as high as he could as she lowered him towards the water.

As you may notice from the above pictures, Holden and Nalon were not afraid of the mud at all. :) They got down and dirty and pretended to be alligators - crawling slowly out of the water up through the mud and brush.

Saturday night we roasted marshmallows on the fire and made s'mores before heading to bed. On Sunday, we went to church in nearby English, Indiana where our family nearly doubled the size of their tiny congregation. Afterwards, we relaxed. Mom and Dad took most of the kids back to the lake while a few of us napped.

Monday morning, we packed everything up and headed over to Marengo Cave. Before we started the tour, my stomach started hurting and it got worse as we went through the cave. It started getting really bad, and I really think it was exacerbated by anxiety of being down in a cave with nowhere to go or even sit down if I got sick. I finally went back out the way we came in and hung out at the visitor's center while everyone else finished the tour. I was bummed to miss half the cave.

Afterwards, we all headed home. I had Nalon with me and we stopped at Sam's Club on the way home so I could get a blender. I became dependent on Tessa's Blendtec blender while I lived with her, and after only a week without one I couldn't take it anymore. My green smoothies have become such an integral part of my diet that it made the hefty price tag worth it. It didn't make it any easier to swallow, but it was worth it. I use it all the time and I love my smoothies.