Banks Lake 2008

On July 20th we traveled with my parents to Steamboat Rock State Park on Banks Lake. We camped in style (an airconditioned trailer!!), played on the lake everyday in the sunshine, ate great food, relaxed on the beach and even saw a lazer light show on the Grand Coulee Dam!!

Are you ready for a few pictures?!?! I tried to pick my top favorite pictures - I might have to post a part 2!!

Caitlin playing in the grass at Grandma and Papa's before we left for Banks Lake!
Ready to drive!!

This is the truck Mark and I drove - we towed the boat and my parents towed the trailers~

Mark enjoying a drive of more than 50 miles!! We drove from Lynden, down I-5 to Monroe and traveled across highway 2 to Banks Lake. It took us about 7 hours total.

Oh the never ending wheat fields - we drove through many along our way to Banks Lake. . .

Grandma taking Caitlin in the water for the first time at Banks Lake

Dad and Mark cooking one of the many excellent meals we ate!

Mom was brilliant and brought a kiddie pool for the kids - they loved it and even took baths in it!

Caitlin crashed almost daily in her playpen one the beach.

This time she didn't even make it off the boat before falling asleep!

Here's Mom enjoying the sunshine!

Mark was totally into wakeboarding but he also learned how to water ski!

2 cute cousins!!

I asked for a smile and this was Brock's response! But Shannon and Chelsea did get him on a Jet Ski and on the knee board! I didn't get a picture but Shannon also took him on a ride on the taco behind Papa's boat, they even fell off it!!

Uncle Mark bulding a sand castle with Brock - notice they both have flame shorts on :)

Caitlin did so great on the beach - I thought for sure she would eat more sand~!! She was more interested in climbing on the chairs and finding twigs in the sand.

We spent every day on the beach and playing in the water - here are a few of the many picture of us playing on the water!

Shannon and I kneeboarding~

Mark wake bording~

Dad wake boarding~ (Steamboat Rock in the back ground)

Shannon on the single ski~

Chelsea on the wake skate~

All 4 girls ready to knee board! Oh the memories!!

Randi came to visit and also wake boarded!!

The Sanders Family!

Caitlin was ready to play too!!

This is the first group of kids at Banks -(L to R) Luke, Nicole, Braden, Justin, Chelsea, Shannon, Brock, Tasha, Lacey, Caitlin and Mark!

Steamboat Rock

Mark's sister Randi, her man Todd, Mark's cousin Mina and Jax (Randi and Todd's puppie) traveled across the state to camp with us!!
Randi and Mina chillin on the boat~

Below is Nicole Brann (part of the other family my family goes to Banks Lake with.) She became my taco buddy!! The taco is a large tube you ride on while being towed behind the boat!! It is too much fun - you can see Mark getting on the taco in the background!

This is a great example of what happens on the taco before you are dumped in the lake!! This is Mark and Todd enjoying one of many rides on the taco!

Mark took a small hike while hanging out on the beach, I believe he was looking for good fishing grounds!

On Saturday night John Weeks prepared dinner for the whole gang! He make a big boil! It had shrimp, crab, potatoes, corn, onion, sausage and more! Thanks again John - it was great!!

Such a happy girl playing in the sand!

Candi, Vince and Danelle drove over on Sunday to visit us for the day also!! We got to play on the water and enjoy a great meal together!!

We took Danelle for a tube ride as well as taught her how to wake board - so grown up!!


Two happy girls hanging in the sun!!

Earlier there was a picture of Steamboat Rock - Mark and my Dad climbed up to the top on Monday night before we left! Below is a picture of them at the very top!

Daddy and his little girl!

They both crashed on the beach after a hard day of playing!!

Sand Baby!! She also got her first tooth while at Banks Lake - you can't see it but it is there!!

Papa and Caitlin Bernice

On the day we traveled back to Juneau, we met my sisters and Brock for lunch and the Fairway Cafe. Caitlin and Brock are perfect entertainment!!

We also had an opportunity to visit grandparents and family before coming back - I wasn't on top of remembering my camera but we did get a picture with Great Grandma Van Dalen.

We are back to work and getting ready for Vacation Bible School, fishing and hunting and our upcoming 3rd anniversary - our vacation was wonderful and the sunshine topped it all!!


Thanks for everything Mom and Dad!!