Lake Powell - Year 4

Our Lake Powell week landed over Labor Day this year

Which means we had to deal with

not having the lake completely
to ourselves.

Darn.

THE FAMILY

Despite the crowds and choppy water
for Friday-Sunday,
we still had an amazing trip

Everyone was able to make it this year--
21 & 1/2 people
(including the baby in Shae's belly)
+ 4 dogs
It was great to have ALL of us this year.
Me & my 4 good-lookin' brothers.
I look so small next to them,
don't I?
I obviously got my mom's size genes...
thank goodness.

The 5 couples who are responsible for
constantly increasing the size of this family
one baby at a time

Those NINE babies with their Nana & Pop!

The traditional McEntire Family Roll-up...

is now passed on to the grandkids to do

It got a little dangerous for us adults to

roll up and topple over

Anna....or "Boo" with her first pig tails

in her favorite spot on the boat -

the feet cleaner tub.

Anna-"Boo" with my incredibly beautiful niece Brooke.

Anna & her Pop hanging on the great beach

She has no fear of water...

at least she won't go IN by herself

The little ones' very own "Lake Powell" on the beach

My beautiful little girl

I'm indulging in all kinds of pictures of her,

I know;

I just can't help it.

I'm trying to slow down time.

She is growing up way too fast.

PLAYTIME

Surfing was the BIG hit again this year.

Why did we buy an Inboard/Outboard

boat before we had discovered "surfing"?

But, we still had to pull out the ski....

with a little twist -

My brothers decided to attempt clearing the wake

on a ski...

and succeeded.

The boys favorite action

was hiking the cliffs behind us

and finding "rock seats"

THE SUNDAY DRIVE:

RAINBOW BRIDGE

View from the dock
And yes, it is labor day and there is no one there...

it was a Sunday morning...

everyone must still be recovering from Saturday night.

Bryce, Colt & Anna with

Mom & Dad in front of the iconic

Rainbow Bridge

With Nana & Pop

Handsome boys--

who have become quite the little hikers

Dad catching carp with his bare hands

In his "get 'er done" red neck shirt

using goldfish as bait

The Sunday site-seeing group

on Jake's boat

Always smiley Bryce

at the head of the boat while

we ventured into a slot canyon for lunch

No words necessary

Bryce went from not even getting in the water Day 1

to swimming this slot canyon by himself

Anna LOVES boating. I hope that continues beyond 2.

Aunt Shae & Colt being pulled by Pop

(the kids' & pregnant moms' motorboat)

Lake Powell just isn't Lake Powell without

Dad doing a cannon ball off the back of the houseboat.

Colton FINALLY going off the slide.

It was only once, but at least he did it.

OUCH!

Had to document Pop's feet...

he got these blisters running up a HOT dock

at Dangling Rope Marina --

the same dock he got these same blisters

when he was a kid.

Some people never learn. :)

I think the next 4-5 pictures are my favorite...

Notice Nana's face as she gets started surfing.

So happy!

"Hey this is fun!"

"Well, I thought it was fun.

Now I'm not so sure."

"Oh my! This is definitly NOT fun!"

"Why am I doing this!?!"

"I want to be back in the boat....NOW!"

"Check me out! This is great! I won't even

have to get my hair wet!"

Pop! You are going the wrong way!

He actually did really great...but I thought this

was a great picture!

IT'S AIRTIME

Ben catching some air

Curt with a nice side grab

Nate, the natural.

Strap something on his feet

and he'll kick butt at it

Curt on the waverunner behind

Nate surfing

The human ballast...

he will hire out by the hour and sit wherever you need him...

(DISCLAIMER: He really doesn't have that big of a gut...I promise)

WAR GAMES

The men

This "rough" pic had to be posted.

This is Dave on his way back down...

I have never seen anyone fly

SO HIGH

off a tube

The kids war games were MUCH tamer

The attempt to use the floating tramp as a tube...

It took Pop for quite a ride as it completely flipped over

The tramp didn't have a chance with these three on, though.

Those "stuck-on" anchor points pulled right off the tramp.

They didn't go anywhere.

Darnit--it looked like it could be so much fun.

And you thought Lake Powell was for learning water sports.

Colton learned how to crochet from his Aunt Heather.

The human grandkid pillow - Pop

The "break from the water" pasttime...playing cards.

THE DOGS

This year had 4 DOGS...yes that is FOUR.

Puppy Jewie (Dave & Carly), Mickey (Curt & Shae),

Daisy (Jake & Heather)

and our own anti-social Atlas

Have you ever seen anything cuter

to end the longest post in my blog history?

(I think I said that last year of Daisy...

well the puppy of the year gets the cute honor)

It was another great year!

Thanks Everyone!

Until next year

(Which isn't over Labor Day--

thank goodness!)

and is now traumatized for life, I'm afraid.