The Koetter's: 2012

We headed home from the lake late Tuesday night so that we could be home to celebrate the 4th. We work up early Wednesday morning to head to the Dunwoody parade, which is a huge event in the city of Dunwoody. We grew up going to this parade every year and have such fun memories. I am so glad that we are able to continue that with Lyla. She seemed to have fun this year. I think she was a little overwhelmed though and exhausted from being at the lake all weekend, going non-stop, so she did not seem to be as excited as her normal self.

Any one who wants to be in the parade can participate, so there is a little bit of everything, but one thing that can be counted on is lots of CANDY!! Pretty much everyone in the parade throws candy. There are floats, bands, firetrucks, bikes, and even pirates. It is loud, entertaining, silly and just an "must" Dunwoody experience.

Ready to walk to our spot to watch the parade.

What is supposed to be happening?

Uncle Jonathan, Aunt Kara and Dalton still lived here at this point, so they stopped by to watch some of the parade with us.

Lyla loves baby Dalton.

Sweet cousins.

Not very impressed.

"I need some of this coffee, mom"

"Dad..."

"...you are silly."

Ready for the parade to start.

Checking out her candy.

"This is it?"

Taking a break with daddy.

Just was not her normal self today.

Allison and Dan had just gotten Marly so she got to come to the parade too.

She loves Marly dog. Marly was her size at this point.

After the parade we went home to take a nap and get ready to head over to John and Kelly's house for a cookout. Lyla loves John and Kelly and baby Caroline (as do we!!). We are so thankful for their friendship and what they mean to us. Lyla was so excited to go see baby Caroline, this was her first 4th of July. But I think she was even more excited to see their dog Riley. She LOVES that dog. Riley sometimes forgets his manners and must be on a leash, so Lyla loves to walk around holding the leash and having Riley follow her around everywhere!! It is really funny to watch. Riley is so sweet with her and is so great to put up with being pulled around everywhere. She does not let that leash go the entire time we are over there. I am sure he secretly loves the attention. Dinner was so fun and we were able to just sit outside and enjoy the evening. After we ate, we attempted to do sparklers with Lyla, but she ended up being more interested in the playset than the sparklers. Go figure.

Holding baby Caroline.

They look like they are wearing matching outfits.

"It's ok baby Caroline, I know what to do."

Kisses.

"Let me hold her again..."

Happy girls

Trying out the sparkler with daddy.

Not so interested.

Adam with Caroline.

Lyla and her buddy.

Being crazy with Riley.

Best friends.

The 4th of July was on a Wednesday this year so we debated whether to take vacation the weekend before or the weekend after. We decided to the weekend before would work best and Adam took off Monday and Tuesday. Friday night we headed up to Kentucky, where Adam's Aunt Linda and Uncle Joe have a beautiful lakehouse on Barron River. Adam's parents and grandmother as well as Linda and Joe's kids with all their kids came as well. It was a house full and could not have been more fun.

Joe is Adam's dad's brother. Linda is also Adam's mom's aunt (his grandmother's sister). Adam's dad is one of nine kids and Linda is 16 years younger than Adam's grandma, so Adam's mom and Linda grew up more like sisters than aunt and niece, since they were so close in age. They married brothers. So that makes Linda and Joe's kids (they have three, Brian, Amy and Carrie) not only Adam's mom's cousins, but also Adam's cousins. Confused?! So even though the connection is a little crazy/confusing, it is fun for them to all be in the same family. Makes family get togethers easy since it is all one big family!

Anyways, Brian, Amy and Carrie all have young kids and boy was Lyla in heaven with them all weekend. Lyla was the youngest there, Kara and Jonathan did not come, so Dalton was not there. Lyla had so much fun playing with all the big kids. She had not seen them since Mawmaw's 80th birthday party back in April so it had been three months since she had seen all of them. It was only three months, but the difference in how much she had changed and grown to them was fun to see. She was more "one of the big" kids. They had so much fun playing games, swimming, jumping off the boat, running around, riding on the tractor, playing baseball and football, playing with chalk, staying up late, eating and watching movies. I loved seeing her with all the cousins and it made me want that for her. All the cousins live within a few miles of each other and get to see each other on a regular basis. They are so close and are such good friends. I want that so much for Lyla. I truly wish we had that for her. Cousins are so fun and are such a different relationship than other friends. I love my cousins, that we are close to, so much and wish I lived closer to them. I am ready for Allison and Dan to have kids so that Lyla can have some cousins to be close to. I think that is the biggest reason I was so sad when Jonathan and Kara moved away because it meant that Lyla and Dalton would not have that.

Anyways, the weekend at the lake was amazing. Full of sunshine, laughter, eating and being together. We might have shared a few margaritas as well ;) The lake water was really low, so Joe had to dock the boat at the neighbor's dock that week since they are the last dock in the cove. Their house is perfect and beautiful and just what you would imagine a sweet little lakehouse should be, complete with a screened in porch and a treehouse for the kids. Lyla did great on the boat, but was not so interested in wearing her life-jacket. She did jump off the boat several times and swam in the lake, but really preferred to watch everyone else have fun while safely on the boat with her juice and snacks. Classic Lyla. Joe got a new amazing boat this summer. It is a beautiful, huge pontoon boat that can seat everyone!! Adam had fun skiing and even some of the kids attempted to get out there and try. It was so fun soaking up the sun and enjoy being with everyone. Everyone gets along so well and it is just pure fun to be together. Thanks Linda and Joe for hosting and graciously opening your beautiful home to us! Cant wait to come back!