The Great Outdoors

Every year we rent a lake house at Bass Lake and vacation for a week with my side of the family. Bass Lake is in California just south of Yosemite (and is also where The Great Outdoors was filmed). I grew up going to Bass Lake so it's always nostalgic for me. I also get to visit my little home town that I miss so much. It's an 11 hour drive and every year I say I'm not going to do it, but I always do and I never regret it.

First, some slightly hideous hair-dos for the girls which will save me from having to do hair for a minimum of 4 days.

When we reached the Valley, Stop #1 was El Toro: a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant where Brittney and I ditched many a school day to eat. We always sat at the table next to a large bull made of black velvet, mirrors and a giant googly eye, hung on the wall . Some of the waitresses have been working there for 40 years. They always recognized us and knew our order; 2 tacos, beans & rice and a Dr. Pepper. El Toro has the BEST tacos I have ever tasted. Salty grease drips out with each bite. It's heaven. The rest of their food is alright, but nothing beats their tacos.



These signs made us laugh. If I were a sign maker I'd tell my customers if their spelling or grammar were incorrect. ...mmm, actually I probably wouldn't.

After visiting Clovis for a day and grabbing a sandwich at Full 'O' Bull, we made the 45 min trip up to Bass Lake. And thus the week began...

My Aunt & Uncle are boat people. They live to be on the water. So we get boat rides all day, whenever we want, from dawn till dusk. We only break for food. Each year they have a new blow up toy to tug us around on. This year it was the Banana and the Taco.

The Taco

(Not really asleep. Just trying to get a longer turn.)

The Banana

We started going to Bass Lake as an annual family tradition about 4 years ago. It was then I leaned a horrifying and shameful secret about my family that I had never known before. They're Karaoke People. Everyone (including Luke) has a blast one or two nights out of the week singing Karaoke while I cringe, hot faced in the corner. But this time it was different, because this year...

...Raegan was singing. I think for the first time ever someone loved Karaoke Nights more than my Uncle Don.

The Dock was just a 30 sec walk from our lake house. When me and the kids weren't on the boat, we were playing at a little sandy beach under the dock.

The Dock

The Kids

There's a children's book my kids love called Elizabeti's Doll. It's about an African girl who finds a rock and pretends it's her baby. At the beginning of the week each kid found a rock, named it, took care of it, loved it.. and left it. I ain't bringing no rocks in my car.

Rock Names: (from left to right) Ava, ?, Shelley, and Rocky.

For a long time Luke entertained the kids with his famous "Where did the rock go... it's in your ear" trick. He messed up once and they figured it out. He lost a little of their respect that day.

Hat + Life Jacket = Fun, so Ellie insisted on wearing them even over her pajamas and when she took naps.

(my mom)

This is Luke wake boarding.

I did not wake board. Oh I tried, and I tried and I tried. But getting up on a wake board is HARD. I have a new found respect for people who can do it.

Knee boarding was more my thing, but is also a lot harder than it looks.

Raegan was anxious to learn how to knee board. With a little advice and help from my Aunt Andy, she got up and boarded like a pro. She loved it.

You wont see any pictures of my mom on the boat... because she didn't go on it. Not once. She said she'd much rather stay at the beach and watch my kids. ...I know, right?

My Dad

Little Sisters

...and some more pictures.

I've often said that if I could have unlimited funds for just one thing it would be vacations. I think I could do without the nice clothes, fancy cars or a decorated house. There is nothing better to me than getting away from it all and enjoying my sweet family. I love our annual Bass Lake trip. It's always the funnest time we have all year. As we were driving away I heard stifled sobs coming from the back seat. It was Madison, my niece.

"Madison, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just going to miss Bass Lake so much and all the fun that we had."

"...me too Madison."

me too.