It's winter.
I live in Texas.
I want there to be snow - but there is never snow where I live.
Usually, we try to get away around Christmas or Spring Break to go skiing - then I get to see the snow and it makes me very happy.
This year we didn't go on our regular ski trip at Christmas time and I think we are going to the beach during Spring Break (blah!).
This weekend - this is where I am:
Yes - during even the winter months - we go to the lake.
Now, it is chilly here this weekend (54 or so), but it is still beautiful.
We have a house on this lake - a townhouse. We spend a lot of time in the summer up here and some weekends during the winter. It's nice to come here to just relax and get away from home.
We don't do much when we come here in the winter.
We eat out a lot.
We go to movies.
We go to Walmart.
We rent movies.
We watch TV.
We sometimes play games.
We take walks.
We ride around in our golf cart.
We visit with friends.
We fish.
We feed the ducks.
We take naps.
We do all these same things in the summer - only add in:
Lots of swimming.
Lots of boating.
Water skiing.
Wake boarding.
Jet Skiing.
Picnics.
Eating outdoors.
Long evenings out on the decks.
On Friday I asked my kids, "Do you want to go to the lake?" and they all screamed, "Yes, Yes, Yes!"
So, we came.
This is what the kids are mostly doing:
Playing Guitar Hero. They think they are on vacation and they aren't much help, when help is needed. That's okay, this weekend - they too, deserve a break.
Here is a little tour of our place:
This is our bedroom. Notice my laptop on the bed - never go anywhere without my laptop.
This is the "bunk room" where the older girls sleep and hang out with their friends. They made a complete mess of it before I had a chance to take a good picture.
This blurry picture is of my mom's room. We call it her room because she is often here with us all summer long - she's here almost as much as we are. This also serves as our guest bedroom.
This is Little Billy's bedroom. We made this little room for him in the attic space above the garage. It's a very comfortable and cute little room. He has his toys and TV - it couldn't be more perfect for a little boy.
This is Alexis' room. We made her a little room in a closet - yes, a closet. Since the master bedroom has this really large closet with built in cabinets and all, we decided when she was just a baby to stick her crib in there - give her her own little space. As she has grown, we changed out the crib for a toddler bed and decorated it with her toys and pictures. She is due for a bigger bed and we plan to give her a new one this summer - if it will fit in the closet. Don't tell her it is a closet - she doesn't know - she just calls it "her little room". It is precious and just right for her.
Our house has officially 3 bedrooms and 4 baths. But ... people tease me all the time that if any space is large enough, I'll find a way to make a bedroom out of it and stick a bed in there for some kid to sleep on - and it is true. There is not on foot of unused space in the house - not one inch. Since it is a lake house and we didn't need the closet space (we only ever wear swimsuits and shorts) - the closet was perfect for her and - she has her own bathroom to boot.
This is not her bathroom, this is my mothers.
This is my bathroom.
This is our little kitchen (note all the slushie cups along the wall - we make lots of slushies and smoothies at the lake).
This is our dining room.
This is the living room - before the kids took it over for Guitar Hero.
This is the upper deck. We spend lots of time up here in the summer - sunbathing and looking at stars.
This is the lower deck. We spend lots of evenings out here - fishing and visiting with friends. This is also where the kids swim and the boat (to the right - can't see it) is right here for us to go out whenever we wish. The Jet Ski is kept here also.
This is a view of the lower deck from the other direction.
God has been so good to me and my family. We are lucky to have this beautiful retreat and I just wanted to share it with you.
Wouldn't it be fun to have a ladies weekend here - sit around, the bunch of us - talk about our kids (because they wouldn't be with us - BTW) - share our stories - drink a few Margaritas or iced tea - listen to some music. I wish we could do that!
We love this place.
Thanks for letting me share it with you.
Now .... I'm going to go back to what I've been doing most of the weekend.
I don't know about you, but I've been needing this relaxing weekend. I hope you are having a relaxing weekend too!