Sailing!

We headed out on Saturday morning to Grandma Amanda’s boat for what is becoming our annual 4th of July sailing weekend. :) I love sailing, and so does Eli.  Jon tolerates it, and Matea is currently undecided.  The kids rode great on the way there though, so we drove straight through. It took about 2 and a half hours which was much better than we thought it was going to be!

Matea looked through Jon’s ESPN magazine for a good 45 minutes.

Once there we spent the first day eating, visiting with Great-Grandma Corinne, and swimming! The kids loved the pool, and Eli showed off his pool skills. He preferred not to swim with his face in the water, but did swim without his life jacket most of the time, and loved using the noodle to swim across the deep (5 ft.) section of the pool. The biggest hit was the turtle inflatable that Grandpa Terry found for the kids. At one point Eli was in the turtle holding on to one end of a noodle while Matea held the other end. Eli just pulled her all around the pool. I didn’t get a picture except for a mental one. We had a great time!

On Sunday morning we decided to go to a local school for a bit so the kids (mainly Matea, who was sick of being confined in a small space) could run around before we went out on the lake. The playground was great, the kids were having a lot of fun, then Eli did one last climbing wall before we went back to the boat. And that’s when a mean old wasp (or hornet, we’re not sure) attacked a poor defenseless boy. Eli got stung at the top of the climbing wall. That pretty much ended the fun part of the playground adventure! We went to get ice and candy for him, and then, when we were standing at checkout Eli said, “Mommy, I can’t move my finger.” I looked down and his figure was all swollen and contorted, like a bent little sausage. He said it hurt and within just another few minutes his other fingers were swollen, as well as his palm. We weren’t exactly sure what to do and called the nurse healthline from Jon’s insurance company. They recommended we have someone look at him, so we headed to the local hospital. By the time we arrived the back of his hand was all puffy and swollen as well, and doing it’s best Michelin man impression. In the end the doctors just gave him Benadryl and said to monitor him for life-threatening reactions.  About two hours after the Benadryl Eli was conked out and slept for three hours. His hand stays non-swollen for about 2 hours after the meds and then swells back up again, but Eli says it doesn’t hurt. We’ll see what happens!

I’m free! Matea loved running around after being cooped up!

Peek-a-boo! I see two!

Just before the impending aerial assault.

During Eli’s siesta we actually went sailing. The little guy missed most of it though! Matea fell asleep on the way out to the lake but then promptly woke up when I went to lay her down, so she got to enjoy it (and I use that term loosely). Jon and I got to sit on the swim platform for a good portion of the sail though, and that was bliss. Sunshine, breeze, feet in the water. Yes! If only I could do that everyday! All too soon we had to head back in though.

Matea is ready and waiting to go sailing!

Cuddling with Grandma after her failed nap.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! (this is the flag on the backstay while we were sailing)

Matea playing stickers with herself to pass the time.

Jon and my favorite spot – the swim platform!

Jon sprinkled water on Matea, which she, surprisingly, LOVED!

Matea studiously dried herself each time Jon put water on her. :)

If this isn’t pure bliss I don’t know what is! 

After a quick pool trip and dinner we settled in for fireworks. There were three shows around us and it was  so fun to watch Eli when the fireworks went off. He was excited and would clap and yell. Pure excited happiness! What a great end to the day for the little man!

Unfortunately it was a VERY hot day which led to a VERY hot night, which Matea did not take too kindly too. She was very restless and up quite often, and then ended up with diarrhea in the middle of the night and the morning. A not so great ending to our trip. :(  I’m going to hang on to the happy fun memories though – sailing, swimming, and fireworks! Hopefully our next trip will be only happy memories!