Our time with Bill & Erin was amazing.We packed so much fun-in-the-sun into 5 or 6 days.

It was the perfect summer vacation.

**Abbie took this photo at 5ish am – her goal was to see a sunrise on the lake – Bill said it was the best**

Jim (Erin’s Dad) taught Abbie & Chandler how to drive a boat.

and then set them free ~

He took James & Chandler canoeing & searching for beaver dams – and they found one!

Josh was able to take the very first outing on Bill, Jim, & Jesse’s new sailboat!

They learned lots about sailing – we did a drive by in the fast boat!

James spent hours on the dock – fishing for sunnies, exploring…

catching frogs

we enjoyed refreshing drinks

…and fun foods – Bill even turned eating into a game to get James to stop fishing long enough to eat!

We spent time with family we felt we’d already met…

April & Laura (Erin’s sisters), Jesse (April’s hubby), Sawyer & Kate (the cute Little’s in these photos)

Bill gave Abbie & Chandler a lesson on how to water-ski

Both girls gave it their all – but never made it out of the water

Abbie drank lots of it though! We forgot to tell her to let go of the rope if she didn’t make it up right away (opps!)

Chandler gave it many goes – but in the end – she learned she had fun trying!

Bill sharing his super-cool skiing skills!

James tubed with the girls & then decided it would be more fun by himself.

Erin & I sunned ourselves in the boat while our guys and the kids swam over to Twin Islands for jump into the water.

They made a plan and jumped one after another into the water – putting on a show for all to see – Splash!

After all that work, we motored over to ( ?? ) <can’t remember the name of this beach> for some snacks and much needed rest!

and of course, some fishin’ and exploring

I caught a fish. It was this big… but it got away.

Black Bay was our favorite place to play. We spent lots of time here swimming.

and being silly

and having fun

We weren’t always on the water. Bill took Abbie for her very first-ever motorcycle ride! She loved it.

Erin made more tasty treats!

The Guys and Kids toured an underground mine.

And they wore these stellar hardhats on the tour:

There was  nothing that could have been more perfect about the time spent with Bill and Erin at their home on Lake Vermilion. It was everything we imagined and more.

Friends are family you chose for yourself ~ Author Unknown