Deep Creek Lake 2011

In mid-August, we loaded up our minivan and went to Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland for the first week of our two-week vacation.

We were invited to spend the week with our friends, Don and Chickie, who have a lake house right on Deep Creek Lake. When Chickie first extended the invitation to us and told me that they'd love to have our family come spend the week with them, I hung up the phone and cried. Because there are SIX of us - four of whom are wild and crazy little boys - and to receive such a warm and open invitation to bring our whole family to their lake house overwhelmed both me and my husband.

It was one of the most memorable weeks we have spent as a family.

Before I show you the video, here are some things about our trip:

1. The boys got to experience their very first boat ride. Needless to say, they woke up every day itching to get out on the boat. Jack, also known as Captain Jack, reveled in his role. You'll see how much fun they had boating in the photos.

2. The boat rides sometimes included a stop at the Lakeside Creamery - to get ice cream! The boys thought that was the coolest thing EVER!

3. Don and Chickie's granddaughter, Emma, stayed with us for the week. She was a.ma.zing with the boys. She jumped on the water trampoline with them, took them for walks, cuddled them, played Legos with them. She was simply wonderful and the boys still talk about how much they LOVE Emma.

4. Chickie's sister, Barbie - (who not-so-coincidentally was my sister Anna's Pioneer Girl pal when we were younger) and her husband have a lake house right next door, and the boys became great friends with their grandson, Terry. You'll see him in some of the photos with the boys. It was a great surprise for the boys to have a new friend to play with all week.

5. One of the mornings, Don asked the boys to help him make homemade donuts for everyone! They were so delicious and the boys loved cutting them out and icing them.

And, lastly, we feel so blessed that God continues to bring people into our lives to bless us and encourage us. In a year when we were planning short weekend-like family trips, it was a great blessing for our family to be able to enjoy such a wonderfully full and fun vacation.

And, to Don and Chickie - How can we ever thank you enough? Thank you for loving us and our boys and for making the week so special for us. Thank you for pouring yourselves into our whole family all week long. We love you.

Here is our week in pictures - to the tune of the boys favorite song, Happy Day, by Tim Hughes.

What a week. We'll never forget it!