Making Memories Takes Sweat (or, Making Memories MAKES Sweat, in this case)

Solve for x.
4L + 5VS + (J+O) = X

Some helpful variable interpretation:
4L = a teacher family
5VS = their teacher friends
(J + O) = their teacher friend plus puppy


So, YES, obviously...
4 Lochheads + 5 Van Sickles + Julz and Ollie-Pup = X
Therefore,
X = CAMPING MIDWEEK IN JULY!


And you thought THAT took sweat.  Camping in 100 degree weather at Lake Roosevelt has the same effect!

Just starting our trip to Lake Roosevelt.  We were so excited to pick up the girls--they got to ride with us!  Here we are at the base of the Van Sickle's driveway, right before we realized that we forgot Josh's life jacket at our house...so...

 ...this is Jeff, outside of our house, having just realized after going back and searching the garage that he DIDN'T forget the lifejacket after all, but he DID forget his fishing tackle.  A narrowly-escaped tragedy.  And you think God doesn't care about fishing?!?  :)

We checked out several campgrounds on Roosevelt Lake before deciding on Porcupine Bay.  Love this picture of Kai waiting patiently while the parents conferenced strategy through rolled-down windows.

 Auntie Julz and our fearless guard-dog...

 ...Oliver!  (Jeff calls him Mr. Klosehoff).

And this is the result of having older sisters who like to put on fashion shows with creative hair-do's...

Gracie LOVES having older sisters!  (Alea is the only one who can get her hair beyond a "long pony"!)

The fashion show photo

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that we spent probably 12 of our 30-some hour trip in the lake.  In this and the next picture you'll see boys sand-castling, and the girls bobbing around in life-jackets.  The kids LOVED the water...almost as much as the adults!

Caught a couple great pics of the Joshua-Monster.  The bink is slowly being limited to nap and car times...but obviously we're not pushing it.  :)

Breakfast!  Next time we won't do our own breakfasts--the kids wanted what the others were having--cereal!  No adults were caught on camera chugging Julz's coffee at this point, but let me assure you:  it was happening.  Even with the heat, hot caffeine was needed.

We loved being so close to the water!

Heidi wrestling a 9-year old into a routine mother-daughter hug.

Other sweaty memories include:
...kids taking Ollie for walks...Jeff almost losing an eyeball in a friendly game of darts...Ellie just wanting to know how to "throw something away!"...noisy neighbors who were experts on topics from dog-training to pizza-making...Happy Feet in Julie's trailer with surround sound and sun-tired children...dads fishing on their pontoon rafts...girls sleeping in Van Sickles' and then Julz's trailer...naps cut short due to intolerable heat in campers...Matt driving to Davenport looking for parts to fix the leak in Julie's trailer...and...

...Julie's TWO flat tires on her journey back home!!!  I wish I were joking.  She said it was 108 degrees on the side of the road that day.  Apparently her memories weren't sweaty enough already...