If you know me, you know that I have a healthy but some say “unfounded” fear of lakes.  I think that my logic is sound and foolproof naturally.  Here are the following reasons that I am leery of the #lakelife:

1. Flesh eating bacteria…we all know it’s in there but don’t google it…it’s so gross and you can’t unsee it.

2. Gigantic helicopter eating alligators…we all saw Lake Placid 1-4 am I right ladies!?

3. All of the dead bodies.

4. And finally, the fear of touching the disgusting bottom of the lake.

I mean truer words have never been spoken if I do say so myself which obvi I do.  Whenever a “Lake Person” asks me why I avoid the lake and I answer with the above list, after their obligatory eye rolling and several proclamations of me being “ridiculous”, they tell me it’s all about the boat and day drinking.  To which I respond, I have the living worst motion sickness and I’m sober fool!  With all of these super reasons not to got to the lake I literally haven’t since childhood summer camp!  My buddy Nikki owns a place to which she has so sweetly invited me several times to which I adorably respond Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!  And then I shudder for days thinking of all the showers I would need to be clean again.  But, this year at the Bobbies, one of my amazing and thoughtful gifts from my bosses was a weekend getaway to their gorgeous house on Lake Gaston.

With my mom’s birthday coming up , it seemed like the perfect place to be together.  So I swallowed my pride and fear and we took the hour journey to the da da daaaaaaaa….LAKE!  I rode with my parents whom I love.  How lucky can you be to find a real relationship with your folks beyond the parent/child one.  My parents are hilarious and adorable and so much fun to be around.  We left Thursday night.  And drove the dark and scary ghost trail that is the Virginia pathway back to North Carolina! Hahaha oh geography you silly goose.  We arrived and pulled up to the most beautiful home.  We ran through the house like kids on Christmas, oohing and ahhhhing over every room and the beautiful decorations.  This is the picture I sent Jack and Joelle to let them know that we had arrived!

I mean..how cute are they!?

Then after walking out to the dock and taking useless night time pics,

we set up shop on the screened in back porch!

It was so quiet and I think I finally understand the word “serene”.  Eventually it got too chilly and we moved into the gorgeous living room.  Dad need to acclimate himself, which I think means, snoop!

Then it was off to bed.  We all slept like champs bc the beds were sooooo comfy! We all spent the morning doing what we love, puzzles, blogging, pinteresting!

 

I brought Grandma Apple with us…I felt her and my grandpa there the whole time, but especially on the porch. #oldspice

We got dressed and headed out to Tammy’s Place for breakfast…yum!  It was super overcast so we did a little drive/exploring around are area and then went home and napped like champs.  Talk about relaxing!  Then Kelly and the kids arrived and the relaxation was over but the fun began big time.

The kids were so cute running around the house and falling in love with every room!

This is how excited they were!!!   They quickly found their bunk beds!

And my sister the sun worshipper had us all in our bathing suits in under 10 minutes…the sun finally busted through those clouds and just in time!

We explored the two story dock, kayaked, polar plunged and squirt gunned it up!

 

Wyatt was so brave out there with PawPaw and Chase kept us all cool with his water gun!  Jumping into that water was the living coldest…on to the top deck for snuggling, swinging and sunning…look at this view!

And at this home!!!

Chase wanted to warm up in the tub and my pale skin had seen enough sun for the day…Wyatt quickly followed!

These boys sure know how to relax 😉

That night we had pizza and went to bed early, but not before cutting into Nana’s carrot cake!  Needless to say this was a very unpaleo weekend, but what’s new?!

Happy birthday Nanney!!!  It was so good!  The next morning started with my favorite out of town ritual with the kids.  They help me get ready.  We all put on deodorant, I teach them how to fix their hair, they use product, we all exfoliated our lips, moisturized and then they wanted makeovers….my dream!!!  And these are my little beauties…don’t miss Wyatt’s bow! #dreamsdocometrue

They both were so intrigued with blush…ugh I love them!  Then we got into bathing suits and did it up!  Kelly took on kayaking today! Look at  her go #againdreamsdocometrue #iwantaboat #bester #hikelly #roastedyoufuckers #suckabutt

Mom found her permanent home in the swing!

 

Then we sort of got dressed and headed to a place called The Pointe…

Where we heard there were BIG fish to feed here and much needed lunch.  It happened to be a huge music festival/oyster roast!  The place was packed!

 

Chase serenaded us with Uptown Funk You Up and it was hilarious! We cheersed to Mom’s birthday, Grandpa Apples birthday and my sister said some amazing things about my win of the weekend getaway.  I am so thankful that my family wants to and enjoys time together!

We had a lunch and fed the biggest catfish ever!!!

Later we went to dinner and then back home for family game night which consisted of Yahtzee!!!  Auntie Katie, you would have been proud…I taught them how to sing YAaaaaahtzeeeee every time they dropped the dice and the kids picked it up like champs!

Mom looked at paint swatches…they are having the outside of their house painted!

And just like that, everyone was in bed and it was our very last night at the lake.  The next morning we gave Nanney her gifts!

And after a rousing game of basketball and frisbee and a game called the Lobster Claw…

We cleaned and packed and this tired kid was ready to go!

 

I was ohhhh so wrong about the lake.  What an amazing gift my bosses gave us.  You know how I feel about time and this was the best getaway to spend time doing fun activities and taking in nature with my sweet little family.  Happy birthday mom and Jack and Joelle…thank you so much from all the Beards!  It was heaven and the most magical place.  I can see why you love spending time with your family here. XOXOXO.