2nd Summer Trip to Priest Lake

The kids and I just returned from our second trip to Priest Lake this summer.  Although Ron had to work this time, Lia was able to join us.  Sadly, we were not blessed with the best weather while we were there.  We had forest fire smoke on the first day and then a bad storm came in that lasted two days.  By the time the storm cleared, the lake temperature had dropped to 68 degrees.  So although we tried to make the most of our time there, I felt bad the entire week that Lia had missed the glorious week that we spent at the lake in July with warm weather and more family there.  We tried to do some different activities outside that didn't involve time in the water, played lots of games in the cabin, and Ella and Emmett enjoyed playing with the neighbor's grandchildren who were visiting from California.  So, overall, we had a good time and enjoyed spending time with Lia before she leaves for college next week.

We were blessed to overlap with Eric, Rebecca, and Vivian for two nights and one day at the cabin.  As a result, grandma hosted her scavenger hunt for Lia and Vivian who both missed it last month.  Emmett and Ella ran around with the girls as they found their clues.

Lia and Vivi holding up their loot after finishing their hunt.

Although it was smoky and cooler our one day with Eric's family, the kids still enjoyed some time in the water with Vivian.

On the second day of the storm, we decided to drive to the other side of the lake and go for a walk in the woods where the cedar trees are over one hundred years old.  Here are the kids posing with grandma and the tall trees.

The kids and me.

By the end of our week, the weather warmed up into the low 70s, so the kids enjoyed some time playing in the water.  Here is Emmett paddling along with one of the neighbor's grandchildren.

The neighbor's grandchildren playing on the beach.

Ella paddling Vivian, Titus, and James.

Logan, Ella, and Emmett on the paddle boards.

I took the kids to the nearby river to build cairns.

Logan showing off his cairn built with all flat rocks.

Ella and her cairn built over the water. 

An awesome picture I took of Emmett walking in the river.

We were joined by Brent's family the last 1.5 days that we were at the cabin.  Ella and Emmett loved being able to play with Emileigh.  Here is Ella and Kelsey playing on the beach with her.

Ella, Emileigh, Logan, Emmett, Kelsey, and Lia enjoying dinner together on Sunday evening.

Ella and Emmett playing with Emileigh on the stairs leading down to our bedroom.  They had so much fun with her and were so sad to leave on Monday morning.

The one picture I had taken with my kids and me at the cabin the morning that we left.