This winter, Nate and I made a special trip to Okoboji to see a few houses and condos that could maybe be that special getaway for us, but nothing hit. A few weeks after, we found ourselves at Ingham Lutheran Lakeside for Valentine's weekend. We drove by a few properties before we left town and on the drive home, we felt incredibly content in not rushing this process, not purchasing what was simply available and taking a year or two off from our summertime romance with Okoboji if that's what it took. Fast forward a few more weeks and I found myself awake long before the sun on a blizzardy Sunday morning. Our bed was warm, my phone was on the nightstand and I clicked the unlock button and headed to the Realtor app. I hadn't been to the app since our last trip to the lake and it was quite uncharacteristic of me to wake up with a desire to check it out. But as I opened it up, right there on top was a little lake house that would soon be all our own.
The weather was far from ideal for travel and properties like this one seem to go fast, so Michael, our realtor, gave us a FaceTime tour that afternoon and we put in an offer that night. And this July 4th week, we had our first official summer vacation in a place we all can't get enough of.
I woke up on the Sunday morning of our vacation week full of peace. I made a cup of coffee, grabbed my journal and headed to my favorite spot in the house - a tiny little sunroom that is home to nap taking, book reading and board game playing. When I woke up that morning, I was sandwiched in between the boys still sleeping in our bed, a sweet husband who had found his way to the couch to make room for them and a light I could see under Harper's closed door - a sign of a girl who fell asleep with Shel Silverstein in her hands or an early riser enjoying the quiet just like me. It's an understatement to say I love this little place we also call home these days.
Drew has been adorable as we've navigated this home away from home this summer - every time we say we're going home, he asks which one. It's a simple demonstration of how quickly this place has grabbed a piece of our hearts and finds us settled into what home is really all about - a place to love on each other, rest well, welcome others and intentionally make a whole lot of memories together.
While I'm quite hopeful there will be years upon years of memories to be had at this little lake house, I want to remember these firsts. So each morning after that first Sunday of vacation, I snuck quietly to the sunroom, coffee and journal in hand, and glory soaked in the joy of our firsts on Nautica Drive.
// Mornings at the Landings pool all to our ourselves. One of the things we love best about the neighborhood are the families, especially the grandkids. We've quickly found the pool is the gathering spot of choice. Harper's becoming friends with Sygney, Will is buddies with Finn and Drew is friends with everyone. He's fallen hard for Gary and Elaine's family, making himself one of them when he wants to be thrown into the pool or when he wants a smoke bomb to shoot off too. :) But at 9:30 in the morning, that pool is all ours.
// A poolside picnic with the perfect lake views, too. Dry-off bike rides around the block as a family after a dip in the pool or lake. In fact, it's becoming a bit of a tradition to hop on the bikes for a quick ride through the neighborhood whenever we get home from anywhere and I can't get enough of it.
// Three sleepyhead pajama clad kids when the doorbell rings. Neighbor Tony didn't want us to miss out on the neighborhood's first take at fireworks. We tiptoed through the grass and stood on the driveway in our jammies with 20 of our newest friends, smiling at how quickly we scooted right into this group and this simplicity of summer's goodness. The kindness of new neighbors. Greg and Carolyn from Carroll knocked on our door to find us all in jammies the following morning. They shared that they knew Beth and Dirk and that they had a child's paddle board and kayak they'd love to give us as a welcome to neighborhood gift. We promptly went out to buy an adult paddle board and kayak, and the rest is history. For our first adventure, we packed a small cooler and a beat box and made our way to Triboji. The lake is even better with paddles in our hands.
// Two cozy couches perfect for curling up with a good read. We brought the first of the Harry Potter series along with hopes of finishing it. Success!
// Game time in the sunroom. Sorry, Go Fish, Connect 4 and chess have become favorites this summer. A giant Jenga is in play but spends more time making boat ramps and docks for now.
// Night time ski-tubing. The lake is so quiet Sunday through Thursday. Will decided he was ready to take on the ski-tube, and there's little that's brought more joy this summer than see Will break out of his comfort zone. We've been calling it his summer of seven, getting braver and braver with every passing day.
// The way all three kids still take a nap in the cuddy of the boat. And me, too. Our days are probably numbered for this, so each time it happens, I soak it in a little more as it might be the last.
// Our first bike ride to O'Farrell Sisters with four of us on two wheels! Our little house is a little bit further away than Neil and Diane's from our favorite place for a stack of cakes, but we all rocked it. We've been bike riding to O'Farrell's for four years now and this little summer tradition of ours changes with each passing year. I think the syrup and the tradition keep getting sweeter!
// A garage full of inflatables and chalk, and the sound of the screen door slamming shut. I love to sit on a bench right by this chalk art and from here, I can hear the sounds of the lake AND the screen door opening and closely, like Drew toddling about just so. I envisioned a place that felt so easy and free, and so connected to creation, and it does it all just right.
// The way the kids say "sour patch kids" each taking one of the three words. They holler it from the swimming platform, the pool, the bikes. Surprisingly, I love it so much. What makes it even more fun? I've never heard it in Pella. It's an Okoboji thing. :)
// A spur of the moment Monday hang with the Glynn family. They picked us up by boat at 2 pm and the kids never did find their way back home. We swam at Boys Town, hit up the rides at Arnold's Park and swam at dusk at the Glynn's. Dirk grilled pizzas, the boys played countless games of fetch with Finn and we all agreed a cousin sleepover was the perfect way to end the day. It's such fun to share this place with family, and especially fun to see the Glynn's pull in for a quick visit to our place with Frannie behind the wheel of the summertime jeep.
