Flathead Revised

Sorry for the lack of pictures.  There are some, on Grandma's camera but I don't have them so you will just have to imagine the trip.

This is the revised version because someone told me that the first sounded like there were frustrations- opps- I truley loved the trip and had a great time- so I guess I need to change some of the words so that it is easier to see that. lol I always find it hard to read the emotion in emails, texts, blogs, etc and maybe I am also bad at expressing emotions in these forms.  So here it is, folks, the Robison vacation- which we really did love in case you were worried! :)

Scott's parents rented a cabin in Flathead that was big enough for all of their kids and grandkids in Canada.  (Flathead is the major lake by Kalispell and is pretty big)  The only stipulation was for each family to provide food for the entire group for two days- three families- six days... What a great idea and a way to cut down on costs for everyone involved!
The only setback of the place was that there was a no pet policy, so Huck stayed with his friend Rocco for the week and it sounds like they had a blast- he actually woke up the first morning back and wanted to play at 6am.  I think he was disappointed that there was no dog to play with.  He had such a great time while we were gone and I was glad that we knew he would be fine with Rocco.  (This was his first week away from family. lol- I sound like a mom but I'm just a big baby and I worry about everyone. lol)
Scott and I decided to stop at the Temple on the way down and bumped into the Harker's from Lacombe, whose second youngest daughter was getting married that day.  They all looked great!  It was so great to get to the Temple- we had been the week before and I am so excited that we will soon have a temple in Calgary and we can go as much as we want!
Once we got to Kaispell, the week consisted of vegging on the dock or tube thingy, boating, reading, eating, playing games, boating, and shopping.
The tube thingy was a blowup thing that could hold ten or so people and just floats in the water so you can dip your toes in or some spots were mesh and you could sit in the water.  The cabin also had a gazebo  fire-pit and a replica of the statue of liberty (she was helpful when we first got the boat there and were trying to figure out which house we were going to).  There was lots of room on the deck for sunbathing, and playing.
Shopping in Kalispell was pretty sparse and Linda said she had never seen the shelves so bare- back to school shopping for all the Canadian's- I guess those who go down for the long weekend are going to be disappointed.  I was able to get some great stuff for me and, of course, my fav candies so I was happy with what shopping was there.
Scott and I each got a few things and got food for the group for two days- which turned into three because Dave and Leslie weren't able to make it.  Jen had brought two of her sister's teenage kids and I was surprised at the amount of money we spent on food for that many people.  (We lent them our van for their vacation so they would have enough room for the extra kids- they also went out to Vancouver the week before- lots of driving with five kids)  We spent as much on three days as we normally do for half a month with Scott and I.  It was crazy to think of what will change when we are the ones with teenagers around the house.  I will be one of those old people telling my kids, "Before you were born/back in my day, we spent less than $400 a month on groceries." lol.  In the end, we did a good job at eating most of what was there.  The boys said that they were taking back or chucking a ton of food at Christina so it's nice to know we utilized what we got. :)  And the meals were great!  Jen made a lasagna casserole which I think I could do.  I have never made lasagna because it is too time consuming in my mind- this was a great substitute and it tasted perfect!

Boating was great.  I looked up a few clips on youtube on how to teach your little kids how to wakesurf... this guy had four year olds behind the boat... but I used the tips for me and got up and stayed up this week.  There were a lot of people wanting to boat, especially the cousins who hadn't really been out before and of course the young kids, so I wasn't on the boat too much but the two times I tried surfing, I was up and gliding!! This was the first time for me to actually stand fully on the board and it was great!  I have to say that the gliding is still a little unnerving because you are not using the boat/rope at all, even if it is in your hand- it's slack when you glide, which is an odd feeling.  I am sad that this was really the last time we will be boating this year because it was great fun and I'd love to get better at surfing... hopefully next year. :)  I also went on a small tube ride- I am not a fan of the big turns/buck you off tube rides and Grandpa gave me a nice leisurely one, just for me (and Abbi and Scott)!  The waves were a lot of whitecaps at that times, so we got pretty wet which was great as the sun is pretty hot when you are behind the boat.  We were pretty blessed boating because we were in a smaller cove hidden somewhat from the wind by Wild Horse Island.
Jen bought Apples to Apples and Linda bought Uno, so there were some games going on, which was also a nice way to spend the time when we weren't on the boat.
Linda and I had a few times were we babysat Cade (and Addi at times) on the dock while the teenagers and Gage got boating time.  Cade, Jim's youngest, loved to throw rocks in the water and he would giggle and giggle once he got splashed.  His laugh is so contagious, I would sit there laughing because we threw a rock in the water. (I think grandma was laughing as well)  It was great fun!  He didn't understand the danger of the water though and was always about to fall in- good thing for lifejackets! :)  We also sat on the big tube thingy and dunked the kids in the water up to their chests.  Addi was a little scared, which she has been about everything water since she fell in at Little Bow (in a lifejacket-and her mom got her quickly-she was fine-just screamed a lot) but she let me dunk her a few times- what a brave little girl.  Cade shakes his head "no" for "No" and "Yes" so it was confusing when I would ask him if he wanted me to dunk him again.  He would shake his head no and I wouldn't do it, then he would whine and point at the water so I would ask him again and he would shake his head no and point at the water. LOL -Glad we figured that one out- so cute!
I even got to back the trailer up to pick up the boat- I did at waterton a few times last year but it's been a year and I over-think the backing up but it was smooth- with Grandpa's guidance. ;)  Gage got to drive the boat to the ramp to be loaded!  He loved that!
It was such a great week and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  We were really happy to have the week off before Scott starts school and teaching and before I go back to work, possibly to a job where I will be working five days a week soon- If I get the job I've applied for.  I've been spoiled lately to work only four days a week.  And I am so blessed to have had that time while Scott was out of school.
For those who don't know, Scott got a contract position with the engineering dept at the U of C teaching their statistic's class.  It is only taught in the Fall semester and sometimes in the Summer for those who fail it the first time.  If they like him, maybe this will be his in to teaching at the University!  He likes the idea of not being a prof (PhD) because they have to do research and that isn't his forte- he's much better at teaching and his students from his TA classes have said that he is better at helping them understand the info than the profs teaching the class.  I'm pretty pumped for him!
NEwho... We really enjoyed the trip and it was great to be able to have time with family.  We don't know what next summer will look like for us after Scott graduates so it was nice to have a little vaca with both sides of the family this summer!
Fall here we come! :)  (My fav's are spring and fall so I am excited for the colours and smells and tempuratures.)