'Boji 2017!

Here we go!  A 10 day trip to Lake Okoboji with the Webers!   Ronnie had to be out watching baseball for 2 weeks straight, so it was just me and the kids.  We booked a condo on the lake almost a year prior - so that aniticpation and excitement for this tip was high!

This is the second time we have done Boji in June and it's due to dad's involvement with the 4-H Foundation and organizing the fund raising golf tournament.   We had such a great time 3 years ago that we decided to extent the trip from 6 days to 10.  WOOHOO!

Side note -- about 5 days from leaving Wendy called and said the two girls she had lined up to babysit on Friday during the golf tournament weren't able to make it... so I called our girl Ali and she was in!  We booked her flight and it might just rank was one of the top 10 best decisions i have ever made as a mother with toddlers ;-)  She was AMAZING on this trip!


So... off we went!  Or so we thought..........................................

We had our own row - musical chairs throughout the flight.  Reese of course being the most "challenging"

Landed in Chicago (long story... but original destination was St. Louis).  And 9 (no, not a typo) hours later we left Chicago for Minneapolis!!!!!!!!!!!!

We landed in Chicago at about 5:30 and our connection was supposed to leave at 7pm.  Just enough time to grab some dinner, right?!  uh -- the board said our flight was canceled.  There were bad summer thunderstorms in the area and the next flight wasn't until 10pm... then delayed to 11:30, then 12:30.. then 1!  We actually flew out and landed in MN at 3:30 AM!!!!

Wendy slept at home for like 1 hour and then drove to pick us up in the middle of the night!!!!  It was absolutely crazy!  She is such an amazing sister and stories like this go to show just how far family (and friends) go for each other.  She wasn't about to let us stay in a hotel when she was that close to getting us.

Just the beginning....

Getting sleepy......

Not EVER getting sleepy.......

Still at it... 

11pm... OUT.

#2 out.

We were finally able to move Drew to the airport chairs to "get more comfy"... thank goodness we had their BLANKIES!!!

We landed in Mankato at 5am...managed to get the kids to "sleep" from 5-9, then off to BOJI!

Refreshed and ready to rock!

I"m ready for the lake, mom.  Are we there yet?

Straight to the pool!

Lukey LOVES Reese and was so sweet to her the entire trip.  They are very much alike in many way.... which is funny... yet scary ;-)

Then the first night we were there dad of course has some social plans for us girls!  After a pre-golf tourney dinner, we ended up at a Barefoot Bar  - great way to kick off this trip!

Dad and his girls

Damon Dotson!  He played at our wedding reception in Iowa - another treat to kick this off!

In the morning, the boys were off to the pool and water park at Bridge Bay - lazy river!

We went up to the tournament at noon to grab lunch, then back to the pool in the afternoon.  That evening, Ali watched the kids and Wendy and I went up to the auction and dinner.

Ronnie donated 4 NY Yankees vs. MN Twins tickets and we donated some gear to the auction.  By best friend from growing up and college -- Becky (Brandt) Thomas' dad bought that package at the auction!  So.... guess, what, another trip was going in to the books to watch a Yankees / Twins game with Becks, her hubs, her parents Greg and Janna and Ronnie!  (more to come on that trip later)

It was one of the highest selling items and raised some great money for 4-H!

Out celebrating at Beer Can Alley with dad and Connie

Sister pic!

The next day's events were definitely in the kid's Top 3 Memories of the summer!  We went out on the lake!  I was super excited because some of my best memories as a kid were out doing water sports on the lake.  I couldn't wait for the kids to experience tubing, the Lilly pad and just hanging out on the water.

Wendy and Brad's friends the Jhonke's have a boat an offered to take us all out!  It was SO nice and we were gone from about 10am-6pm!  The weather wasn't the best... but it wasn't raining so that was all that counted!

Nothing better than napping on the boat!

BIGGEST WATER GUN EVER

Tubin'!!!!  These kids were laughing for days!

Ali was such a trooper - always up for the next adventure!  Like jumping in the tube with Reese :-)

DOCUMENTING THIS:  ME @ 37yrs old still able to water ski :-) 

Love this pic!  Can we please have a place on the lake???!!!!

"hmmm...I need to think about this one."

We had a great time at the condo... fun meals at the counter - or course with Reese wanting to be a big kid and sit up there too. 

Grandpa Butcher also took a few days off of work and spent lots of time with the kids!  It was awesome to just relax together.

Off to Arnold's Park!  These three are quite the combo......

Drew's frist real ice cream cone (not soft serve) - RAINBOW!  YUMMMM!!!!

Roller coaster with E!

Smile everyone.... PLEASE.  Ok, fine. 

Drew of course love the "games"... Connie was in on it too!

Of of my all time faves of the trip.  Reesie driving the little boat. 

One thing I thought was funny was that Reese was a little spooked on the rides!  She is always so brave with thing... but not with mechanical rides and amusement park stuff.  She clings to mommy like a monkey. 

Beautiful sunset ... #everysummerplease

Night out with dad and Connie

Double rainbows!

Our little "O-JA-BOOOOWWWW-JI babe

We also did the drive in movie! Cars 3! Boys thought it was so cool.  Reese stayed home with Grandpa Butcher and Connie.

All fun and games until the thunder and lightning came! 

We had such a wonderful time at the lake... I feel like our photos didn't even come close to capturing all the great memories and moments we had.

We ended the trip up on Mankato and spend our last night at Ethan's baseball game!  Reesie was a big fan :-) She looooves her some Ethan!

One for the memory books!  Until next summer (and hopefully an even longer trip)!  Later, Boji!