Happy Anniversary!

Dad and Mom celebrated 34 years of marriage while we were at the cabin.

Jacob enjoys the chocolate sign from on top of the cake

Ellie loves cake

Andy wants another piece

Sweet Emmy

Matching Shirts

My parents bought the kids "Cowan Lake" shirts from the commissary.

Mommy and her kiddos

World's Greatest Kids

Jacob

Gabrielle

Emmaline

Afternoon at the Beach

Although the lake was too cold to swim in, the weather was perfect for building sandcastles. The kids had fun filling their buckets and wading in the lake. Unfortunately, the sand was really rocky and didn't pack well, but we had a good time anyway.

Gabrielle

Jacob

Ellie didn't realize she sat in the water and got her pants wet

Cheese

Our Sandcastle

Deer in the Headlights

Andy had to go to drill this weekend in Blue Ash. He left the cabin early this morning (after a breakfast of yummy buckwheat pancakes) and met a deer on the way. Andy escaped unscathed, unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the deer.

So Many Playgrounds, So Little Time

Jacob in a tunnel

Aunt Katie texting while she swings

Mommy and Jacob

Ellie - our future gymnast

Mommy and Emmaline

Uncle Andy gives Jacob an "Underdog"
When I saw Andy do this for the first time, I told him that he almost gave me a heartattack. From that point on, Jacob referred to these as "Heartattacks".

Ellie slides with Papaw

Love that smile!

Papaw and Mimi enjoy the swings

Riding Bikes

We spent lots of time riding our bikes around the park. There was a small circle in front of the cabin that Jacob and Ellie liked to ride around. They also discovered a grassy hill nearby and rode up and down so many times that I lost track. On longer rides, I rode my bike and pulled the girls in the trailer...it was a good work-out!

Emmaline does NOT like to wear socks, no matter how cold it is!

Papaw and Jacob walk their bikes up the BIG hill

Gabrielle on her tricycle

Jacob

The Boys
Nathan, Jacob, and Andy

Mom does some off-roading

A Hiking We Will Go

The weather was perfect for walking and taking hikes, so we spent lots of time outside. It was amazing to see the huge trees that were splintered apart due to Hurricane Ike. Rarely (especially if Jacob was with us), we even saw some wildlife.

Ellie and her walking stick

Nathan in a tree

Jacob found a hollow log just his size

Ready to hike the trail

Daddy and Jacob

Emmy and Papaw

Andy and all his paraphenalia
(The stick was Jacob's idea)

Stopping for a drink

Boys and their toys

Hitching a ride on Uncle Andy

All bundled up for an early morning walk with Mimi

Family Photo

On the trail

Never fails, when I walk with Emmaline in the sling, she falls fast asleep.