From the Lake- Part 1/Week 1

It’s hard to believe, but we are already half way through our Big Sand 2015.  The first week has been spent with the Bleeker’s and the second week will be with the Franken’s.  We have had a beautiful week of weather.  Mostly in the low to mid 80’s with sun and little wind.  Today was windy and they predict some rain overnight and in the morning.  Overall, we have been blessed with another week of health, safety and so, so many wonderful memories. 

Brooke tweeted on Monday, “When you family is big enough to have a soccer league”.  Cory and Kester organized a week long soccer tournament that we have all been having fun with.  The (Bryan) Bleeker family is the only Bleeker family that is not familiar (or good at) soccer, so it has been a steep learning curve for us, but so much fun.  The other morning Bryan was yelling at Miah, “cut to the basket, Miah.”  We all had a good chuckle about it, but Greg assured Bryan the concept is pretty much the same in soccer as in basketball.  Cutting to the basket/goal is always a great idea.  Lynn and Cory took a friend from Haiti along on vacation this year, Zachery.  Zachery is an amazing soccer player and we are pretty sure he goes back to his cabin each morning laughing at how silly we all looked, and we have some pretty darn good soccer players in this family!  

Working on the yearly sand castle.  This year they planned and constructed Target Field. 

With such a large group, 39 to be exact, the beach seems to be the place where we all congregate and are able to enjoy each other’s company and catch-up. 

Plenty of time is also spent behind the boat tubing and skiing.  At 9 o’clock last night, Bryan was still pulling groups of little girls tubing.  It was such a beautiful evening, and Uncle Bubbs can’t say “no”, so why not? 

Romee’s big accomplishment was getting up on the jr. ski’s.  She is so little, I didn’t think there was any way she was going to be strong enough to keep those ski’s together.  She got up her first try and has skied a couple times since then.  She just pops right out of that water.  I missed her first attempt, so this is her first attempt on the second day. 

Amirah surprised us by getting behind the boat as well.  Caden and Miah helped her in the water, while I help the rope.  She wasn’t 100% sure about being behind the boat and you could see it on her face as soon as the boat started to pull her out of the water.  She fell backwards and swam as fast as she could to Cade and made sure knew she was done.  She says she is going to try again later…we will see.

Many fishing trips took place, including the annual pontoon fishing excursion.  We took pontoons this year, which essentially ended up being the Bryan Bleeker family and Nicolas.  We took it as our opportunity to make it into a friendly competition as to who could catch the most fish.  I think we were the only pontoon that knew of the competition.  We did catch several fish, and a couple of keepers.  Amirah’s bluegill was one of the keepers. 

A new addition to Evergreen Lodge is a Pickle ball.  I remember playing (and loving) pickle ball in high school PE class.  It was one of my favorite units of the year.  My love for pickle ball has been rekindled!  We have played lots of it this week.  In fact, one of the times I went into the lodge to ask for the balls and rackets, Kaye said to me,  “You Bleeker’s are becoming pickle ball addicts.”  

I will end this post with a few more pictures of our first week at Big Sand Lake.  I love this place.