Boating!

We've been fortunate enough to go boating TWICE in the last few weeks, thanks to our good friends, Brandon and Jess. We met them up here at Newton a few weeks ago to enjoy the last of the water there.

I didn't bother with my camera for most of our time at Newton, but when we decided to let Evan try the water skis, I just had to bring it along. Evan kept demanding a turn, so we finally gave in.

Ben helped him get the skis on...




...and held him steady until it was time to go.



I love the look of total concentration on both of them in this one.



This was the only picture I got of him trying to get up:



He tried three times. The first time, he didn't let go and he got drug behind the boat for several feet. By his third try, I think he might have actually gotten up if he wasn't so tired already.

He wasn't the only one who couldn't get up. I'm sad to say that I tried four times and never got up on a ski! I must be getting old. The most tries it's ever taken me to get up on a ski is three and that was my first time ever. Maybe next year.

After everyone had had their fill of skiing (or trying to ski, whichever the case may be), we put down the anchor and did a bit if swimming.





The boys had fun jumping off the back of the boat.



Evan always had "diving hands", but he always jumped in feet first. :)



Asher is not nearly adventurous as Evan and, although he finally warmed up to the boat after a while, he was perfectly content to just sit on the beach and play in the water.






Then, last weekend, we headed out to play at Willard Bay. We got there early in the morning so I could take some pictures for Brandon and Jess, and then it was out on the water for some fun!

I was hoping to try the skis again, but it was WAAAAYYYY too choppy. There was no point. Instead, we let everyone have a turn on the tube.

Asher "helping" Brandon blow up the tube:





Evan and Josh went first and they loved it so much that they cried when it was time to let someone else have a turn.



Asher was brave enough to try the tube with Daddy and I think he enjoyed it, too.



Even I got out on the tube, believe it or not. Ben and I went together and had quite the wild ride. I was lucky to still have my contacts when we were done. Then it was Ben and Brandon's turn. I kept trying to get a picture of them catching some air (which they did several times), but I didn't manage it. I love this picture of them, though:



After everyone had a turn on the tube, we found some water that wasn't quite as choppy so Ben went for a ski.



We also spent some time just relaxing on the beach while the kids played in the water.



Can you see me?


What a fun way to spend the day! Sun, water, good friends... perfect!