Cliff Lake

On Monday we took my parents to Cliff Lake in the Madison Valley. It was beautiful. The lake was clear and it wasn't too hot out. We took the kayaks and a hammock and spent the afternoon relaxing. Ellie became a full-time walker that day (and why not? I certainly wouldn't want to crawl around on the dirty, scratchy ground if I were capable of walking... neither did she.) and was busy, busy, busy exploring everything and being silly.


I got to paddle my kayak for the first time in I don't know how long. The water was clear blue-green and beautiful and it reminded me how much I enjoy doing stuff like that with Leif. I am looking forward to the day when we can do stuff like that together regularly again.


Leif and Dad went exploring in the kayaks and paddled around the lake for a long time. The lake is deceptively large. It looks pretty small, until you go off paddling. Then you find that it has hidden arms that stretch for miles. Paddling a kayak in a clear, cool lake, though... not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon!


While Leif and Dad were off paddling, Ellie and Mommom were swinging happily in the hammock. Ellie was eating lunch and fell asleep mid-hot dog. It was the cutest thing (my sleeping baby clutching a half-eaten hot dog in lieu of the bear she normally sleeps with) and she slept so peacefully there snuggled up next to Mommom. This is also not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon.


After Ellie woke up, she, too, got to go for a kayak ride. She won't go for another one until we get a baby life jacket for her (now that we know what kind and where to buy one), but she had a blast. She bobbed happily and waved sitting in front of Daddy in the kayak. I got a cute video I'll post in a bit of her kayak ride. In the meantime, here she is enjoying her ride...


The day was great and as evening came to a close it started to sprinkle, so we packed up our things and headed toward home. Mommom and Poppy have left now, but we sure had a great time while they were here!