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

Regionals, Nephews, and Lions

Hey gang.

Teams begin to assemble in the Heritage High School gym for Regionals.

Well, today was busy as all hell. Now that we're kicking off Competition Season with Abby and her Midland High JV Pom Team, pretty much every weekend for the next few weeks is filled with pom performances. This morning saw us heading out to Heritage High School in Saginaw Township for Regionals, the determining factor as to whether or not teams advance to the epic State Championships down at Eastern Michigan University in a few weeks.

Abby rode with the Johnsons to Saginaw this morning. 

We made sure to get there early this morning in order to be some of the first people through the doors when they opened up admission to the general public (pommers had to be there a half an hour before.) Abby had her sights set on a Regionals exclusive hooded sweatshirt (to the tune of $50 - ouch), and they always sell out of the popular sizes. I had to crack the whip a bit with my roommates to make sure we were there early enough to pounce on the merch table when they first opened up. Due to my valiant efforts, we were able to get Abby the desired hoodie in her size, and the day was saved.

Did anybody acknowledge my efforts? Hell no, of course not.

Abby nearly lost her AirPods, but I found 'em.

Anyway, Midland JV did awesome, as we knew they would - Abby and her team are a lot tighter than they were during their years at Northeast. They advanced on to States, so keep an eye out for a future post about our trip downstate in a few weeks. Following the Regionals showcase, we headed out to Timbers for some lunch with the Johnsons (like we usually do), then eventually ended up at the Bos residence for the kick-in-the-f***ing-nuts game that was the Lions vs. Commanders.

From start to finish, another jam-packed Saturday for the Houghs.

Check it out . . .

When we first got into the gym, we were some of the first people there. Kris stepped out to check out some of the local pom vendors, so Alayna and I were tasked with saving seats for the Johnsons and my dad (who were all still in line.) We had to spread out with our coats, hats, phones, etc., and at some point Alayna thought it'd be hilarious to take a pic of me looking like some kinda weirdo in the stands.

Midland High JV, right before their performance (Abby fifth from the bottom.)

Now that they're performing at the JV level, we had to sit through like a dozen middle school teams before getting to see Abby and her team perform.

(They did some kinda 'fire'-themed routine this year.)

This is the 'official' video that was shared by. . .  whoever the hell recorded this.

Following the conclusion of the morning performances, there was an hour break during which time the teams all mingled on the gym floor, some folks left, people got snacks, and teams posed for pictures.

Abby and some chick.

I have a lot of current and former students at these things, and they usually find me while everyone's out on the floor. This kid posted a set of pics to one of their socials (that Abby follows) featuring Yours Truly.

Abby always gets lots of team pics at these things. . .

After an hour or so, they started naming off the teams that qualified for States next month.

The Gruesome Twosome

. . . and one with her Fam.

Alayna took this one of Abby and some of her teammates, hanging around in the bleachers across the gym during the afternoon Varsity performances. Because Abby is on the JV team this year, she had to wait until after the Varsity team performed (it's some kinda pom tradition where schools' various teams have to sit court side and show support for their sister teams.)

They threw in a free t-shirt when I purchased Abby's hoodie in the morning (you spend over $50, they throw in a randomly-sized shirt from some random pom competition in years past, but whatever - it's free.) Abby got some Large shirt from a 2022 competition, and to prove how big it was I wore it over my hooded sweatshirt (I'm a Medium) and it wasn't even tight.

We didn't stick around for the Varsity award showcase, because we wanted to be able to get a table at Timbers, a restaurant about a mile from the school. None of us had eaten much in the morning, and so by 2:30pm - when we finally got seated - we were famished.

(Alayna got some pics of the other side of the table.)

Abby and Ella taking bathroom selfies at Timbers (featuring Abby's new, over-priced hoodie.)

The food at this place is awesome, but I ordered a gyro and it wasn't my favorite - wouldn't order it again, it was pretty plain.

Second bathroom selfie in an hour. Not sure that's an ideal background for a pic, but whatever - I'm not a teenager, I don't know what's 'cool' these days.

Kris and the girls were pooped from an entire morning and afternoon being out of the house doing pom shit, but Yours Truly had a few more things on my daily calendar. My nieces and nephews have been wanting me to come hang out with them at my brother Jeff's house for awhile, but due to split custody he gets them every other weekend. I was able to squeeze a three-hour visit in with them over at Jeff and Carissa's house from like 4 - 7pm-ish, during which time I played Foosball, ping-pong, Twister, and pool with various kids, took about two-dozen darts to the nuts during a Nerf war, checked out all their new Christmas presents from the Holidays, and - as you can see here - enjoyed a few Old Fashioneds. These mixes my brother had lying around were pretty awesome.

We played a few board games and card games at the kitchen table once the kids had wrapped up dinner. Levi dominated this game.

 Meanwhile, across town, Alayna and her friends spent the night at Amelia's house to celebrate the kid's birthday (I got this one from Alayna's phone.)

Around 7:30pm, I said farewell to my brother and his fam and headed over to the Bos residence, where Mitch was hosting a low-key watch party for the first NLF Playoffs. Wish the day would have ended on a better note - with the Lions beating the Commanders and advancing on in the Division Playoffs - buuuuuut God hates Detroit. Maybe next year will finally be our year. . .

- Brian