Lemonade from Lemons, Pt. I

What's up, Internet.

Well, it's that time of year again:  time for our series of posts centered around the Hough family's annual stint up at Eight Point Lake.  Our extended family vacation, our heart of our summer, filled with boating and tubing, fishing, cornholing, boozing and otherwise not working.

This year, sure enough, had all of these things, but a sudden and unexpected tragedy that befell the White family (which, with respect to those affected, I obviously won't delve into) cast a shadow over the week, and Brian and Jill had to head home.  Coupled with several siblings unable to come out, and much of our extended family staying down in Detroit and Grand Rapids for various reasons, we ended up having a very, very quiet week at the lake.  The majority of the time it was just us, the nephews, Dad and Cindy, and the Waites.

A different feel this year, to be sure, but we all had a good time, and were able to make the most from an otherwise horrible situation.  That being said, I'll hereby kick off the Hough Family's 2016 Eight Point Lake Vacation.

Enjoy.

Tuesday

July 19th

"The Drop"

This year, Kris and I had to drop the girls off at the cottage before we ourselves could make it up there.  We both had to work, and Mom - who usually watches the kids during these summer weeks - wasn't available to do so.  Dad and Cindy were (thank God), so after work I loaded up the van and drove the girls out to Eight Point Lake.  Seeing how it had been a year since I'd been there last - and, more importantly, that Kris is always the one to drive us there - I didn't know where I was going, so I relied on GPS instead.  And Google, for whatever reason, drove me through the frickin' boonies to get there (shown here, in the middle of BFE.)

The Cottage.  Finally.

We got there around 6pm, and I set to work setting up the room that my family has taken over in recent years (we and the Whites always get the other two bedrooms, seeing how we have kids and all.)

(I'm a snappy dresser.)

The legendary SS Cagafuego. 

After I left, Cindy broke out these Melissa & Doug fashion sticker thingies.  Both girls enjoyed them, but Abby was obviously waaaaaay more into the fashionista aspect of the activity. . .

I think these were just blank heads, and you put stickers on their blank faces (eyes, earrings, mouths, etc.)  Whatever it takes to keep the kids from killing each other, really.

Some of the finished products (there'd end up being about three times as many by the end of the week, and any adult that stepped into the cottage would at one point in time or another be subjected to 'judging' them ("which one do you think is the prettiest," etc.)  Good times.

These poses.  Again. 

Abby and Papa thumb wrestle (Abby's unnaturally good at this.)

Fawning over Bailey.

After they had thrown on their pajamas, Cindy snapped a few pictures of the girls out on the swing to send to us.  As you can see, they were as cooperative as always. 

Glamour posin'

Moon over Eight Point, courtesy of Dad

Wednesday

July 20th

"Sans Dad"

Clear skies, late in the morning (Kris and I were at work, not enjoying any of this at all.)

Coming back in after taking nieces and nephews out on the lake. . .

The girls.  Still unable to swim.

Out on the swimming platform

Lunch

Diving with cousin Jax

I don't want to know what they found in the lake. . . it can't be anything good.

Fishing with cousin Blake

Jax and his fish

Jill, Dad and Jax

There's no stopping this joke train

Sunset cruise over Eight Point Lake.  By this time, Kris had show up to the cottage, and was officially on vacation.  This is evident in the lack of pictures taken between the time of the previous picture and this one:  I'm the only person in this family that takes pictures.  Seriously.

Another moon rise over the lake. . .

Thursday

July 21st

"Wherein Yours Truly Gets to Finally Enjoy the Cottage"

A dreary morning on Eight Point Lake, as Brian, Kris and Jill prepare to take the boys tubing.  In case you were curious, Yours Truly is still at work.  While everyone else is enjoying the lake like assholes.

Meanwhile, Dad had take our girls out on a putting cruise in the Sea Doo boat. . .

Cindy, evidently, was therefore left at the cottage by herself, on Jax duty. . . which is a lot harder than it sounds.

Abby, striking a pose.

Later in the day, preparing for another cruise around the lake

These kids can't be pried off this frickin' tube. . .

I showed up around 5:00pm, and quickly resumed my photo-taking responsibilities.  My kids responded about the same as always.

(Jax has a thing for dinosaurs.)

Dad, Bradley and I took the ranger out to Bev's Party Store for some booze, ice, candy, and snacks.  I know I've talked about this place before, but it's an Eight Point Lake staple.

Dad drives this thing whenever he gets the chance.  It's a golf cart on steroids.

Sadly, Bev is selling her party store, as she's getting up there in age and no longer wants to run the joint, which has become an institution on the lake, and is really the only place one can buy supplies while up there.  Someone hopefully takes up the torch.

We should just go ahead and rename Jax 'Kong.'

Brian wrangles his chimp son

Preparing for a sunset cruise, I went to get some mosquito repellent (the lake can be brutal), only to find that we had temporarily exhausted our supplies.  Turning to the cottage's wares, I found this. . . which clearly is as old as my parents.  (Needless to say we didn't use it.)

Blake was a pretty good sport at keeping the girls entertained.  In hindsight, I probably should have slipped him a $5 at some point.

Girls, clucking.

My first campfire at the Cottage. . .

Around this time, Brian and Jill were forced to return home for the previously mentioned family emergency, taking Jax with them.  The boys ended up staying the next few days at the cottage with us.

Towards the end of the night, I used my Showbox app (one of those movie/TV phone apps that beam your phone's video files to a TV) to show the boys the second Planet of the Apes movie (I forget what it's called.)  Beats the crap out of the movies you can find on Netflix. . .

- Brian