I finally got the lake vacation I’ve been begging for!
Aren’t lake vacations the best?! Andrew grew up going to a lake in Indiana with his immediate family, grandparents and cousins, and I was able to join them a couple times (once before we were married and at least once afterward) before we all outgrew the cottage. I LOVED it. I loved the water, being with everyone in the same place (yet not cramped in hotel rooms) and not having an agenda.
This summer, Andrew’s immediate family joined up with a different set of cousins on Lake Ontario (outside Oswego), for what I hope will be our first of many trips. A handful of cottages on Ramona Beach belong to a cousin of Andrew’s dad, and the land has been in the family since Andrew’s great-grandparents owned it during the Depression.
We booked two of the cottages for a week, and people came and went as their schedules allowed. Because we’ve had such a crazy summer already, (Europe! Florida! the lake! oh my!), we didn’t plan to stay the entire week. But, we were having so much fun, we stayed one extra night just to squeeze in another bonfire and movie with everyone!
Here are some photos of the main cottage, where all of us Layers stayed, and which served as the center of the action all week:
While I can’t say the beds were all that comfortable, there was plenty of room for everyone and it’s so nice to be together without being on top of each other.
Our first day was beautiful! There was a cloudless sky and we all enjoyed being outside in the sun and water. My nephew, Blake, and I spent some time chatting on my giant picnic blanket after lunch while some of the other grown-ups played cornhole.
We had a couple bonfires, and multiple trips to Mexicone, the local ice cream joint.
Andrew’s sisters, their hubbies and their mom left Monday due to work schedules and other responsibilities, but Andrew and I stayed until Thursday morning.
Dinner each night was planned by a different couple, and we grilled steaks and Italian sausages on our evening to make dinner.
I went on a couple runs while at the lake (no vacation from #marathontraining), and I even recruited Michelle and Aunt Kathy to join me for a HIIT circuit workout one afternoon!
The lake was chilly but quite pleasant in the sun (and once your legs went numb!). I hopped in (shorts and all!) after my long run to enjoy the icy water.
There is a state park not far from the cabin and Andrew and I kayaked to it one morning and rode the waves in and out…until the kayak flipped and we used our remaining energy to drag it to shore, dump it out and paddle back! We all went to watch the sun set and walk around a bit one evening.
On the last day we were there, Andrew’s dad rigged an anchor out of a brick and we tied ourselves together to float. Don’t miss Uncle Jeff floating on the aerobed!
On our last night, we ate pizza while watching the sun set, enjoyed one last bonfire and a watched a movie–perfection.
Until next summer, Lake Ontario!
thehealthypineapple 