Oscar Stew

This is it. We’ve reached the end. The light at the end of the tunnel is shining on us like a spotlight. Hey Drew, how does it feel?

It feels fast!

For our last hurrah on the Tour de Utah we sped out to Sand Hollow Reservoir and got right to work doing no work at all. Rowan’s ear-piercing excitement seems to be overwhelming her Papa!

Hey Johnson #10, whaddyathinkyerdoin?!

Ah, nice! Grandpa has given you a learner’s permit for boat driving! Hold ‘er steady now!

Forget the part about steady; this bumpy stuff is way more fun!

Ok, maybe it’s fun for some people but not for others. C’mon Ellie, just admit you’re jealous!

Watch out for the tsunami!

“…Welcome aboard Big Wake Airlines, the most refreshing airline in the world.” 

Captain! We’ve lost another passenger!

See what happens when we don’t go fast enough? Brinley starts waving her arm around like some kind of beauty queen with her eyes closed and Drew shows off those big buckers. Hit the gas Grandpa!

Ah, that’s more like it. Keep those kids thinking that they’re holding on for dear life!

Uh-oh, looks like the tube is going under…those kids are holding on for dear life!

Time for Grandma and Roastie to show how it’s done. Faster faster faster! They’re just skipping across the water now!

Eventually holding your face into all that wind and water gets tiring. Or maybe they were going for a more aerodynamic approach!

Eleanor’s radar was pinging; her turn to have some fun was soon to come…

Alright you sea monkeys, let’s go beach ourselves and enjoy some shore leave!

Brinley said “Naaaaaaaaa.”

But Eleanor said “Aaaaah,” and enjoyed a mud bath at the spa.

You know how it goes…One girl starts a trend, and then it just spirals out of control!

See, all three boys…er…girls are playing in the red sand.

One of the benefits to playing in sand of such a bold color is that it’s easy to see, which makes washing it off easier. Hey Rowan, you got a little shmootz on your shnoz!

It is quite nice to watch our non-swimmer children boldly venture out into the deep with complete confidence in their life jackets:

See? Not a concern at all. Ok, well Rowan can’t touch the bottom anymore, but it’s not like they’re going to be attacked by scary sea monsters, right?

Looks like I spoke to soon. Hey Drew-ness monster! What’s with the water bottle?

Sister Rowan says that we are now being inducted into a secret combination. Huh?! What does this have to do with the water bottle?

I think I’m starting to put this puzzle together. The leader of the gang is Grandma, and these three are secretly conspiring a plan of death and destruction!

Oh boy, I can see what’s going on here…

Hey Drew, I don’t know if that’s the greatest…too late.

The secret’s out: you kids are gonna get it!

Hmm…It doesn’t seem that “getting it” is a punishment!

Grandma probably feels differently about that. Give it to her Binnie!

Hurry and retreat before Grandma can splash you back! I think Drew is going to miss the bus…

I think I’ve seen this before. Is it smotherly sister love, or is Rowan trying to shove sand in Eleanor’s mouth?

Brinley! Don’t look now, but you’re sinking into a whirlpool!!! Ok, who pushed the handle? 

The USS Eleanor apparently has no respect for wake-less zones…

That’s ok, because Daddy needs a lot of wake in order to do “tricks”.

What’s the matter Ryan? Did the wake get too big for you? (This is Ryan’s I-just-swallowed-3-gallons-of-lake-water smile)

Sweet ‘stache Ro-dog! She’ll be shaving soon.

Here fishy fishy…Too bad they won’t jump out of the water and onto the dock like they did on Sesame Street. That would scare them to death!