The "Beach" in Central PA

Each summer, LL's family takes a trip to R. B. Winter State Park. It is always a great time to have fun together, and I look forward to it every year. (If any of you want a trip down memory lane, here, here, and here are pictures from years past).  Collette calls it "the beach," because there is sand and water, and even though that water happens to be a lake and not the ocean, I kinda like thinking of it as "the beach."  It's the only one we got to this year!

This year's trip was special because we celebrated my niece Autumn's 6th birthday there (a smidgen early!). We always get KFC (Pap's favorite) and bring sides and drinks up with us.  It makes it even more low-key so since we don't need to worry about prepping foods to bring.

We had a nice spot in the woods to picnic. 

 

 When the kids weren't eating, they could explore the woods near us. 

Boys and sticks.

Need I say more?

 

Autumn had a beautiful princess dress cupcake cake!

Happy birthday, Autumn!

After cake and presents, it was off to "the beach!"

 

The lake is notoriously freezing cold.  But Collette and Isaac charged right in!

 

So did Trey, although he liked to empty and fill his bucket nearer to shore sometimes. (Thankfully!)

 

 

My little fishy.

 

 Uncle Lloyd helping baby John get used to the water.

 

Sweet Amelia.  Can I just say I feel like it was just last week that Collette was wearing that same suit at that same beach? (See?)

 

Tabby, Autumn, and Isaac actually don't prefer to freeze to death (can you see the blue lips in this picture?) and decided to build a giant sand castle and moat.

 ...While my children swam some more.  Hypothermia? Never heard of it! :)

 

Eventually they decided to help out the sand castle effort.

 

Sweet cousins Autumn and Collette finally decided it was time to dry off and hit the playground!

(You should have heard these two discussing their swim suits.  Little fashionistas! Autumn even told me what kind of hair style would go best with Collette's swim suit.  Ha!)

 

It was such a fun day to spend with the family, and it wasn't crowded at all, even though it was Labor Day Weekend, so we just stayed and stayed.  Finally, the sun started to go down and we loaded up.  We didn't get home until just about the kids' bedtimes! They slept very well that night. :)