The last weekend of June was FINALLY here!!!

We had made plans with friends of ours a llloonnnggg time ago to spend the weekend with them at their lake house.

This weekend away included Blake, Lane, Tate, Eliza and myself.

WE WERE SO EXCITED!!!

I also was very excited to have the weekend to spend with our youngest three and give them our FULL attention!

We left on Friday evening after Blake and Lane arrived home from work, drove most of the way there and stayed in a hotel overnight.

The next morning we got up, ate some breakfast out of the snack bag, and headed the rest of the way to Wildwood Lake in Varna, Illinois.

Before we left the hotel, Lane filled his water bottle with a jug of water that a helper had put in our van the night before.

Thankfully Lane smelled it before drinking it – that wasn’t water after all!!

It was vinegar!

We laughed so hard!

We arrived at the lake shortly after nine.

After some big hugs and big hellos we instantly changed into our suits to hit the lake and have some fun!!!

Did we ever have some fun!!!!

Dan and Diane’s son Caleb went knee boarding first to show us how it was done.

Dan asked if anyone else wanted to, and Eliza jumped up and said ME!!

Brave, strong, agile girl!

Caleb jumped in the water with Eliza to give her a quick lesson, and then she was left on her own to get up on that knee board while the boat pulled her along.

It took her two tries before she succeeded – but she did it SO easily and enjoyed it SO much!

Made her mom’s heart swell to bursting!!

I only have a video of her knee boarding – but here is a photo of her lesson with Caleb.

Blake tried to knee board and then tried to ski.

He was so close to making both of those things happen – maybe next time!!

I was so proud of him for trying!

Eventually it was time for lunch, so we headed back to the house for that.

After lunch it was time to take out the huge tube that is named “Mabel” and do some tubing.

The rules were given – while on the tube you speak with your hands so the driver (Dan) knows what you want.

It went something like this – one finger is a snail’s pace, and five fingers you might lose a limb, ha, ha!

We all took turns and it was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Just for future reference – I chose two fingers for Blake and my turn, although we did do three fingers for a little bit.

Blake was the only one who hopped on there by himself and immediately held up both hands of five fingers, crazy man!

We said he needed a t-shirt after it was over that said “I survived the five!”

We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in the cove by Dan and Diane’s dock.

We meaning everyone but me because I am not so into the whole shivering and turning blue thing, if you know what I mean.

It was hot that day, but the perfect temperature for me because I am always cold!

There were some water guns, sneak attacks, lots of wrestling, and a king of the lily pad game going on.

It did my heart SO GOOD to see the kiddos enjoying everything so much!!!

Next up was some jet skiing!

Blake took out Eliza and then Lane.

They had a blast!!

We had jet skis and an eighteen foot boat when we were first married – so water sports is something we have always loved!

We headed in around dinner time to have a big taco spread.

Then Dan and Diane let us run around the community with the kiddos on the golf cart.

We saw dozens of deer – they were so pretty!

We also saw tons of these wooly aphids – can you believe that is a bug??

God is so creative!!

We ended the evening with smores around the fire and catching fireflies.

Eliza named all of her fireflies before she let them go.

So cute!!

We passed out in bed that night ready for another great time the next day, and the next day did not disappoint!

Breakfast was delicious and soon after that we watched Dan and Diane’s live stream church.

The sermon was POWERFUL.

There are so many things to do at Lake Wildwood.

There was a disc golf course that the guys wanted to try.

We walked to it and enjoyed watching them – it was a beautiful day!!

Diane taught us a new card game that morning called Sevens.

I cannot wait to teach it to my whole crew here – it is best played with a lot of people – and it was super fun!

Once we had lunch (all we did was eat!!), we decided to head to the pool even though it was getting really cloudy, was super breezy and cool.

The kiddos didn’t care!!

They enjoyed swimming very much.

It was a very nice pool and Caleb is a lifeguard there.

I pretty much never wanted to leave.

But we had to since my hubby has a job and all!

We pulled ourselves away in the late afternoon for the long drive home.

First a selfie of us all – except for Caleb who was still at work.

Our ride home was uneventful and sometimes very quiet, ha, ha!

We were TIRED!!!

In the BEST possible way!!

We saw a rainbow on the way home and it was like this hug to my heart after such a wonderful weekend with our trio.

The dynamics of a big family is wonderful in so many ways, but sometimes I feel like these three get lost in the shuffle of life.

Blake and I don’t want that for them!

So a weekend like this one is a treasure for sure.

When I asked Diane what we needed to bring for the weekend and what we could expect, she told me all about their home and their community and everything that is offered there.

I wrote back and said it sounded like “a resort” that we would never want to leave, to which she said “You will see, it is just a hidden gem.”

She was right.

It is a hidden gem indeed.

Not only did we enjoy everything these photos show you, but we enjoyed our hosts most of all.

They encouraged us, challenged us, and spoke into our lives by sharing their own life.

They emulated the most selfless and giving hospitality I have ever seen.

I am still thinking about their words and their example today.

I sure hope that when Blake and I reach the season of life they are in (close to retirement and all of our kiddos grown) that we will not look inward at ourselves, but look outward at others and what we can do to love on them.

Our weekend at The Hidden Gem will not be forgotten.

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!