Washington Part 2

So Erik go ta huge scrape on his fave just before Lindsay came to join us unexectedly on this trip.....and it was all my fault! I was pulling him on that fun scooter and he face planted as I was trying to pull him up over the lip of the curb, whoops. Poor kid-I gave him a bloody nose and all. 

Good thing Grandpa Pooper has cool things like BB guns to distract from owies. 

 Erik loved loved loved that he was able to shoot a real gun and took all of the advice very seriously. He did pretty well at safety too. We had to remind a couple of times of different things but he was so excited to be shooting targets in the back yard!

 Getting great advice from Grandpa about how to aim. Love these pics. I grew up with guns in the house. My dad was very serious about talking about safety of them, and where they were, what purpose they served, how they were put together. He let us touch them and handle them while they were taken apart for cleaning and we were very much aware of the courtesies of talking about them. It was great to start passing that on to Erik. WHile in Australia (where guns are illegal) we cant help him learn those types of things so this was a big thing for our entire family.

 We shot the lid of a plastic take away container. That small thing on the first tier of the garden bed.

 And I had to take a crack at it. I tell you. I am ok with a pistol but I am horrible aiming with a big gun. I just dont get the whole aiming mechanics. I am sure Erik will be better than me by the time he is 10.

 WHile spending time with my parents we took a weekend and went camping and it was so so sooooooo amazing to be back at the lake, on my parents boat, and just back to where I was familiar being in the summer time.  I love the ocean and the beach but I think my heart belongs to lakes. It was the first time I had been to the lake and boat since before Erik was born since we normally have travelled home in the winter for the holidays. It was lovely!

 Once we got to the campground, we immediately went to the lake beach and Erik and Grandpa went exploring.

 My parents brought up some canoes and so that was a fun activity to do.

 And we met up with other people who camped in a site with their RV and brought this amazingly nice and sweet dog that Erik was obsessed with.

 Their little girl cuddle with me one morning while she was waking up and it was fun. She let me do her hair as well which was super fun!

 We fed ducks off the boat..

 did some fishing

 And acted like super cool cats..

....It was such a nice weekend. A perfect rejuvenation from or typical day to day lives and since the lake has been such a part of my life since I can remember it fed my soul. It really just gave me a good push and helped fill my cup. Its amazing how small things like that can do it. Just basking in such a familiar and beautiful place, watching the sun set, my senses were not overstimulated by newness they were revived by tradition. I do think it feel great to get out and explore new things, take risks, and get newness around you but I love having that home base. And I am so glad that Lin was there to share it with!