Yesterday, we spent a happy few hours at Hopeville Pond in yet another family celebration. This lovely pond (it would be called a "lake" back in Missouri) is perfect for all activities -- easy swimming, riding smoothly on tubes, splashing and tossing each other, or just drifting along with a snorkel to see the underwater plants and small creatures. Even little Louis, with his protective floaties on, thoroughly enjoyed the water. It was a great time for all of us -- Luke and Josh and Jamie and Noah and Ava and Cia and me and Annie and Gabe and Louie and Jan. (Sadly, Amy and Rachael and Katelyn and Olivia couldn't make it, and we missed them.)

Hopeville Pond beach