Our annual Lake weekend with my best buds!

We had such a great time at the lake with my TCU pals. They are truly my sisters. I wish life wasn't so crazy and I was better about keeping in touch with them during the year. We just always pick up right where we left off and I love that. We had several realizations this weekend. Here they are summing up our fabulous weekend:
-I realized as I stumbled in the bathroom early in the morning half awake to see Sam Burke brushing his teeth and I am in my pajamas with cream on my face that these girls and their husbands are truly like family.
-I realized that my husband is the crazy source of entertainment on our annual trip as he rented a hilarious Jim Gaffirty video and we all laughed until we were sick (literally).
-I realized that we have all been piling up in Christy's parents lake house for years and even though it is crammed it is so cozy and so much fun. The Taylors are so generous to let us do this. Without this I feel it would be so much more difficult for us to all stay in touch.
-I realized talking on the porch Friday night with my pals watching the storm come in that I wish I lived closer and we could all catch up more often.
-I realized that Jason and I are chubby and we need to stop getting pastries at the Chech Stop outside Waco.
-I realized that our kids are beginning to love this weekend more than the adults and I had to bribe Jackson to go with his friends to Austin with Mac & Cheese.
-I realized that Mandy has a gift for cooking (especially breakfast), Christy has a gift for organizing all the meals and food, and Anna has the gift of being the bartender and horderve girl (and was it just me or did we totally forget the sausage dip this year?)
-I realized that we have been doing this trip for nine years and every year we keep adding people and it gets crazier but more fun.
-I realized that my girlfriend's parents are also like family. I have known them since freshman year parents weekend and it is always such a blast to get all the parents together. Mr & Mrs. Sessi (Anna's parents) offered to take my kids back to Austin and spend two nights with them along with their own two grandchildren Catherine and Samuel. What a blessing! Are you kidding? They did not have to do that but my kids had an absolute blast and it was great for Jason and I to get to relax with just Smith. When my Mom asked Jackson if he wanted to go back he said "Yes, but I really want to go back to that one place with that lady named Mia. That was really fun."
-I realized that Smith does look like my Dad (as my pals confirmed) and that he needs to be nicknamed L.C.-Little Colonel or as Jason says (Lieutenant Colonel)
-I realized that Mollie Jane is just happy no matter where she is. She had no clue who Anna's parents were or where she was but was so happy to be there. Mrs. Sessi kept telling her that her name was "Mia." However, every time "Mia" asked her, "Do you remember my name" she reported that Mollie Jane just smiled and said "Nope."
-I realized that the lake weekend is never complete without an annual "booze cruise" and Matt driving. Matt you did awesome this year!
-I realized that every year I slow the speed of the jet ski down a couple mph's because I think it is to fast and dangerous and in about 9 more years I won't even be creating a wake.
-I realized that we are old because we referred to college students as "teens" and the crazy things they are doing with their cell phones. Thank you Anna for that informative education.
-I realized that the 10-12 hour car drive down there and back definitely seems longer with three kids but worth every minute of it still to hang with my pals.
-I realized that we are now all married and the weddings have spanned 13 years. What a joy it is to have been at every one of those weddings. Now we are all in the "baby phase" whether we are finishing up or just starting but it is proving to be equally as much fun as the "wedding phase."
-I realized every year we go down their I leave wishing I lived in Texas, closer to family and friends. Keep praying CT.

-The Last and most profound realization of the weekend (thank you Shane Niles) was that our children are closer to their freshman year in college than we are. Geez, we are suddenly old. It got a little brighter when we realized that we were still closer to our Senior year in college than they were (at least for a couple years).

Some of the lovely faces of the drive 12 hours down and 12 hours back!