Summer '25's Lone Eight Point Excursion

What's up, Internet.

Stopped off at Lake General Store for some supplies before reaching the lake.

This summer's been unique in the sense that we haven't undertaken a single Eight Point Lake trip whatsoever. Everyone's schedules have been insane this year: the Whites are busy as all hell with Jax's baseball season, Chris and Jeff are occupied with their young kids, and we almost always have insanely-packed weekends (as you've seen in previous posts.) Usually by the time we will have all been up to the lakehouse for a couple overnight trips by this point - at least for the go-to Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends - but it just wasn't in the cards this year.

Looks like our neighbors copied our giant, inflatable raft idea. . . .

Finally, today, my folks decided to try and get the whole family up there for at least a day trip. Somehow, the planets aligned and everyone was able to make this Sunday work: while the lake level was still insanely low - lower than it's been for twenty-some years, I was told - the weather was perfect (sunny and high 70s for most of the day.) We got there around lunchtime, same as my brothers and their respective families, and the Whites rolled in an hour or two after us (because Jill runs habitually late, as a general rule.)

(I'm a snappy dresser, what can I say. . .)

We spent most of the day out on the lake, tubing and sandbar'ing, which is ideal. Then, after everyone had eaten dinner, folks packed up and headed home. So yeah, a short trip - we didn't even bother hauling the dogs up with us - but it was great to be able to get some lake in this summer, even if it was brief.

I'll leave you now with a bunch of pics and video that we took throughout the day.

Enjoy. . .

When we rolled in, my brother Chris and his family were already there and his kids were all soon swimming in what's left of the lake (which had receded far back from the sea wall.) My folks got a pic of the girls as they headed down to the water.

As always, the second the Whites rolled in - an hour or so behind us - Brian was forced to immediately report to his boat to start shuttling kids around on the lake in a tube. I offered to help him out with spotting, since misery loves company.

You might not be able to tell, but the water here is far shallower than I've ever seen it. Which is great if you're like four years old and don't know how to swim.

My cousin Rachel came along too so her daughter could try tubing behind Brian's boat, but first we let Jax and Owen get beat up for awhile in order to get it out of their system.

Waiting for Owen to swim back to the tube after he was thrown off. After they had gone fast for a bit we pulled them in so that Rachel's kid could hop on for a spell.

Puttin' along.

Abby was looking for more of a high-intensity thrill ride, more akin to what Jax and Owen had gotten previously, but her turn paired her up with Kinsley and Rachel's kid. . . soooo it was super boring. She was a good sport about it, though.

WEEEEEEEEEEE

Jax (standing), Owen and Levi have a turn on the tube.

Like the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis.

I was hoping Brian would've cranked the wheel hard and thrown him, but he never was able to.

Coming in from the boating venture, it was time for some mid-afternoon snacks - courtesy of Nana - up in the kitchen.

Dips galore.

After folks had grabbed something to eat, we started loading up the boat with supplies for an hours-long stint up at the now-enormous Sandbar (which is even more prolific now that the water level is so damn low.)

So many people were going that Brian had to make a couple trips out there. I was on the first wave with Carissa, Rachel, Abby, Jax, Owen, Kinsley, and Rachel's kid.

Kids explore the newly-revealed shallows around the Sandbar.

A couple years ago I met the guy that made this and complimented him on his work. It's so handy to have a cup-holder up here all year, every year.

The giant-ass Sandbar, bigger and better than ever (except for all the seagull poop that's scattered everywhere now - they've discovered the Sandbar thanks to the receding waters.)

When the second wave of people arrived, Jill brought up a volleyball from the lakehouse and they (sort of) got a game going.

Chris and his boys.

The Cannonball was on music detail this afternoon, streaming one of her playlists to my JBL (hooked on the back of the chair.)

The Cannonball takes a few selfies for her social media presence (I assume.)

Nicole, Kris, Carissa, and Jeff (and someone's kid, I can't tell which one.)

Jax found a turtle over in the lily pads and brought it over for everyone to check out.

You'd think he had just uncovered a gold ingot or something the way everyone stood around gawking at it. It's a turtle, guys - chill out.

Chris and brought out the jet ski so he could give his kids rides if they got bored at the Sandbar (which only holds kids' interest for so long.)

Carissa, Alayna and Kris. 

The Borthers

Oldest to Youngest, as the law dictates.

More volleyball.

Heading back to the lakehouse after a couple sun-soaked hours at the Sandbar.

Alayna and Kris

I need a haircut again, I look like a homeless man.

Coming ashore, just around dinner time. Jill's probably directing me to grab something.

I've had the lime variety of this, but saw this pilsner offering up at the Lake General Store and figured I'd give it a go. It was meh.

Lucy was up visiting - her and my folks hung back at the lakehouse while we were out with all the kids. They were the smart ones.

Scarlett is approaching her teenage phase, if you can't tell.

Kris, Jill, and some of the kids accompanied Brian out on one, final tubing adventure after dinner (I hung back since I don't like riding backwards on a boat after eating, always makes me nauseous.)

Heading out with Bradley and his friend (didn't catch his name) on the chariot tube.

(Abby took this video, I think.)

Back on shore after the tubing venture, folks began to pack up their crap and gather up their kids. We'd been up there for about seven hours, and folks were pooped from a full day in the sun.

Who got out the volleyball?

After saying our goodbyes, one by one the siblings and their families - us included - headed off for home. Abby conked out immediately and slept the entire way back to Midland.

Minutes after we had pulled out of the driveway, my buddy Sara - Trevor's wife - texted me a pic of our cottage as they puttered by in a pontoon (capturing Kinsley heading up the stairs in the process.) Apparently they were up at the lake visiting our mutual friend, Matt Lee, who had just arrived a day before from San Francisco. We had tried to connect while we were up at the Sandbar earlier in the day, but he was in the middle of family crap and couldn't escape. Would've been cool to see all of them while we were up there but we had a good time just hanging out with just the family today. Sucks the lake situation was so crappy this year - we're hoping next summer is a return to form.

- Brian

Labor Daze

Bullshit. Our next holiday is motherf***ing Halloween.

How's it going, Internet.

This Labor Day Weekend - which saw the Houghs scoring a rare four-day weekend - was somewhat different than in previous years. Traditionally, our family stays up at Eight Point for the entire weekend in order to get one last round of boating and sandbar'ing in (not to mention the lake association's annual firework display), but with our kids getting older their desire to just stay up at the lake for a few days has lessened. That, and with Alayna's new job at Taco Bell, our dogs, and other social obligations, it just wasn't possible this year.

Instead, we decided to make it a simple day trip, and Kris, Abby and I ended up leaving for the Lake around 11am (Alayna had to wait to pick up her paycheck before she drove up separately.) We first had to stop off in the Butthole of Michigan (Farwell) first in order to grab some ice and a birthday card and some cash for Bradley and Jax, and finally rolled in to the Lakehouse around noon. Later in the evening, Kris would ride home with Alayna (that south-bound traffic outside of Clare where the highways merge can get a little dicey with traffic), and Abby and I would follow suit about an hour later. 

The next day, we'd all be heading over to the Bos residence for one, last poolside grill-out in their backyard with those families in the Tribe that were around this weekend. Despite it hovering in the mid/high-80's for the foreseeable future, Summer is basically dead now, what with the School Year back in full swing. No more pool parties, no more lake, no more free time, no more nothing.

Now only the Grind remains. Dark, dreary days lie before us.

But before all that bullshit sets in, let's check out Summer's death rattle, shall we. . .

Chris and his fam were already up there at the lake by the time we rolled in, with Jeff's family pulling in about ten minutes behind us. The kids hit the water straight away, with the younger kids playing in the sand (as usual.)

Adults, settling in.

Jeff brought out a set of junior-sized cornhole boards for his kids to play on at one point, so we ended up playing a quick match to appease Owen. These boards were super frustrating, they were too small and it took a few dozen throws to get it dialed in.

Kris checked Life360 at one point in the early afternoon to see where Alayna was, and saw the car icon by her name (indicating that she was driving.) She noticed a difference with this icon, though - there were flames coming out the back of the car, something we haven't seen before. Basically that means Alayna was hauling ass on the highway, going around 90mph. Rest assured, the girl got a solid talking-to when she finally arrived at the Lake.  

Little kids, playing on the Lilly Pad. You can spot Abby off to the left on the dock, wearing a life vest and quasi-patiently waiting for an adult to take her out for tubing or a jet ski ride.

Chris and Nicole face off against Brian and Jax in Hobbit-sized cornhole.

Someone had this life-vest coozie up at the lakehouse, which made this old Upper Hand offering (from Brocation '20) all the more adorable.

Us, The Whites, and Jeff and his fam decided to spend some time up at the Sandbar, seeing how the weather was great and the Michaels clan was already up there. Chris and his family opted not to go, which wasn't all that surprising (they're not big on social gatherings), and took off while we were away.

The boat was pretty loaded with kids and adults, we were definitely exceeding the legal passenger limit. 

Kris, clucking about who knows what, up at the Sandbar.

Sitting on the boat, bronzing and listening to music.

The Eastern side of the Sandbar, as usual, was pretty busy, but it wasn't so slammed that the Western side was filled up with boats.

Brian and I always end up in the water entertaining kids, while wives and kids get to lounge about on the boat. Shit isn't fair.

After a couple hours, we decided to return to the lakehouse for some snacks.

The Cannonball requested a pic of her parents on our way back across the lake. We've taken better pics, for sure.

Back on dry land, Abby, Scarlet and Levi hang out with the parents' new dog. . . whose name I forget.

My parents are big fans of dogs that look like Muppets.

Dad and Cindy (with Brian White's help, I assume), had been smoking a pork shoulder for like twelve hours, thereabouts - we were doing pulled pork for dinner, which I was really looking forward to.

Jeff and Levi

The Cannonball, hanging out with Scarlet and entertaining from her various Spotify playlists.

Scarlet is to the age now where she'd rather hang out with her older, cooler cousins that slum about with the younger boys.

Jax and Owen took turns pitching to one another in the backyard for awhile, seeing how both little doofuses are really into baseball these days.

Yours Truly spent about three hours on the jet ski this afternoon, entertaining my kids, Jeff's kids, everybody's kids. It's not terrible, but after a couple hours of it you're really sick and tired of jet skiing. Like, it'd be awesome for another adult to step in and help out with kid duty. Like, say, any of the three bitches you see sitting around here doing nothing but talking and drinking.

F***ing deliciousness.

Carissa and Kris, hanging out on the dock before dinner.

Food time, at long last.

This was amazing. I particularly like the charred end pieces, that's my jam.

Finishing up grub on the back deck.

While I was out jet skiing more kids about (surprise, surprise), the parents busted out some cupcakes for the September birthdays - Bradley, Jax and Scarlet.

Jax spent some time pulling Jax across the lawn with this giant rope. Kids will resort to some weird, weird shit in order to keep themselves entertained.

Full blown tug-of-war breaks out - always super fun to watch.

Beautiful sunset over the lake (sadly, no cruise to close out the summer, though.) The Whites had left by this point of the evening, and Kris and Alayna were about ready to head out as well.

Shortly this last hang out on the dock, Kris and Alayna rode back to Midland. After collecting all our things - which took a bit, seeing how someone threw one of Alayna's rings into the kitchen trash for some reason - Abby and I headed out as well. No more Eight Point until Memorial Day now.

The next morning, Kris and Courtney took Abby and Ella out dress shopping for Homecoming, which is taking place later this month. They always go to Saginaw to do this, hitting up stores like Macy's and David's Bridal and whatever else. I'm soooo glad Kris tackles this every year instead of me, this is my personal idea of Hell.

(Neither girl ended up getting this dress.)

The girls spent a few hours this morning trying on dresses, with varying degrees of success.

This one looked really good on her, but this is ultimately the one that Ella ended up getting.

Abby instead opted for this black dress, which also looked super cute on her.

While Kris, Courtney and the girls were out dress shopping, Erik and I ran to Kroger in order to pick up some ingredients for the dishes were were contributing to the Bos' Labor Day pool shindig. Mitch requested I make my chipotle beer cheese dip (taken from that book I won in the White Elephant gift exchange at the Sheahan Christmas Party) and told Erik and I to head over to his house and we could make our food there. So, randomly, I spent about a half an hour in Mitch's kitchen making my acclaimed cheese deep. Turned out pretty awesome, I think.

With meat cooking on the grill and most of the sides out, we kinda just hung out around his bar watching TV as folks - like Lonnie Big Balls here - began to trickle in.

Pork belly bites.

Bacon-wrapped awesomeness.

Mitch pulls his meat off the grill.

Kelli brought out some cheese and crackers for us dudes as she kept slaving away in the kitchen.

Bacon-wrapped pork goodness. Like I've said a hundred times before, this tribe of ours knows how to teat.

The Pro

By the time we were pulling stuff off the grill, most of the wives and kids had shown up.

These peanut butter thingies were awesome, but super rich - and not at all healthy.

This was supposed to be a pool party today, but it was like ten degrees cooler than I'd prefer, and it was a little windy out, so no one besides the kids got in (which sucks, because I was really looking forward to swimming and getting some color.)

After grazing on dead animals for awhile, Erik and I faced off against Lonnie and Mitch in a few games of cornhole.

We were pretty well-matched - despite Mitch being one of the better players in our group, Erik and I won the second game and came damn close to winning the third. The third, tie-breaking game was reset to 15 about six or seven times due to both of our two teams repeatedly throwing over 21, but ultimately Mitch and Lonnie prevailed.

As night came on, Mitch started a fire and the remaining adults hung out for a little bit and enjoyed one, last night of 'Summer.'

Now comes the Fall. . .

- Brian