Below are two videos of Sofia going down the slide at Big Cedar Lodge. She LOVED it! I think the first time we visited the slide she went down at least twenty times before we convinced her to try out the other pool with a little slide. After a quick dip in the pool and hot tub, she decided to return to the slide and we filmed the following videos. The first one she waits for the lifeguard to give her the "thumbs up" sign so she can start. Obviously, no one is there so she ended up going down it over and over without having to wait.
The second video is of Sofia going down from the bottom and was her last slide of our visit! I know she can't wait to go back.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Our Morning Canoe Trip
Nearly every morning we would take a canoe trip which was really lovely. We'd leave the Bent Hook Marina and head toward Devil's Pool and the very end of the lake back in the trees. Along the way, we saw countless turtles sunning themselves, watched fish jump out of the water to eat some sort of bug, saw way too many snakes for our comfort, and listened to and watched frogs in the boggy area. It was such a wonderful way to start of the day and Sofia loved every minute of it. Of course, she wanted the oar so she could row, but that usually didn't turn out to well (she didn't drop it in the water, luckily). She also wanted to get on the shore, so we'd let her out a few times - she particularly loved getting in and out of the canoe. Otherwise, we just enjoyed being in nature and listening to all those wonderful animal sounds that you don't often stop and listen to.
Heading to the Bent Hook Marina on the first day
With Mommy
Looking for fish (there were always some swimming along the marina)
Getting into the canoe for the first time
Out in the water...
Our beautiful view!
Feeling the water
Getting on shore
Heading out of the boggy area and back toward the marina
Our little boat girl
Papa and Sofia enjoying the sights
A view of the marina
Some of the many turtles we saw sunning themselves
One of the snakes we saw! Most were swimming in the water
Heading to the Bent Hook Marina on the first day
With Mommy
Looking for fish (there were always some swimming along the marina)
Getting into the canoe for the first time
Out in the water...
Our beautiful view!
Feeling the water
Getting on shore
Heading out of the boggy area and back toward the marina
Our little boat girl
Papa and Sofia enjoying the sights
A view of the marina
Some of the many turtles we saw sunning themselves
One of the snakes we saw! Most were swimming in the water
Swimming!
While on vacation, we did a lot of swimming and visited all of Big Cedar's swimming pool areas. Our day usually consisted of going on a canoe trip in the morning and then swimming after lunch, or swimming after naps. Sofia can't get enough of swimming and would often want to go swimming after her nap even if we'd already gone before her nap. Anyway, here are a few pictures of her swimming (as well as some other random pictures....)
Walking through one of the waterfalls near the Marina on our way to the pool
Catching a ride with Papa makes the trip a lot faster
Looking for turtles along the way....
Papa on the path to the pool
Eating lunch before going in the pool that we're overlooking
Some of the amazing ironwork that is throughout the Lodge
The fishing lake that is below the pool
In the pool (borrowing someone else's ball)
Playing with Papa
Playing in the big fish (the 9th hole of their miniature golf course)
The lodge at sunset....
Leaving the "swimming hole" (just behind them in the picture)
Snoozing on the plane trip home...
Walking through one of the waterfalls near the Marina on our way to the pool
Catching a ride with Papa makes the trip a lot faster
Looking for turtles along the way....
Papa on the path to the pool
Eating lunch before going in the pool that we're overlooking
Some of the amazing ironwork that is throughout the Lodge
The fishing lake that is below the pool
In the pool (borrowing someone else's ball)
Playing with Papa
Playing in the big fish (the 9th hole of their miniature golf course)
The lodge at sunset....
Leaving the "swimming hole" (just behind them in the picture)
Snoozing on the plane trip home...
Sofia....
I went a little crazy taking picture of my favorite subject and am pretty happy with some of the close-ups I took. Of course, I took over 400 pictures with two cameras and have enjoyed editing them out. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite close ups of Sofia.
Heading out to the Bent Hook Marina to go canoeing...
After our canoe trip - playing in the lake
Smiling at Papa
What?!
Picking up little rocks
which is VERY fun for a little girl!
Sofia in profile
On the power boat
Heading out to the Bent Hook Marina to go canoeing...
After our canoe trip - playing in the lake
Smiling at Papa
What?!
Picking up little rocks
which is VERY fun for a little girl!
Sofia in profile
On the power boat
The Power Boat Trip
We took a power boat one morning and had great time exploring Table Top Lake. With CK at the helm, we sped our way through the main part of the lake and found a quiet inlet that we explored with the trolling motor. We floated along and listened to the sound of birds and looked for turtles and other lake animals. After a while we returned to the main part of the lake and watched a river boat. Although CK and I were hesitant to swim in the lake (given the amount of snakes we saw on our canoe trips), Sofia loved to be dipped into the cool water (it was super hot on the lake). CK and I took turns holding Sofia by the top of her life vest and lowering her over the side. She'd immediately ask to get out, but then once back in the boat she'd say "That was fun!" and want to do it again. We tried to convince her to swim around, but she wouldn't do it. We enjoyed a lunch of cheese, crackers, apples, and salami before we headed back to the Bent Hook Marina.
CK gets our power boat ready
All set to go!
Trolling around our little quiet inlet
Our view....
The river boat
Sofia watching the river boat - she was very impressed by it
Heading out to our lunch location in the middle of the lake
Getting dunked
CK gets our power boat ready
All set to go!
Trolling around our little quiet inlet
Our view....
The river boat
Sofia watching the river boat - she was very impressed by it
Heading out to our lunch location in the middle of the lake
Getting dunked
Big Cedar Lodge
We flew to Springfield, Missouri on Saturday morning to enjoy a few days at the Big Cedar Lodge on Table Top Lake. It was such an amazing few days and we can't wait to go back! We spent our time in a canoe, on a speed boat, in or at the pool and walked around and explored the area. It was great fun! We stayed in a cabin near the Bent Hook Marina that really was amazing.
Our cabin was very comfortable and rustic with various hides and stuffed birds/animals on the walls. Sofia immediately made "friends" with one of the hides and two of the stuffed pheasants. The first night CK put Sofia to bed, CK planned to explain all of the hides on the wall of her bedroom, but she immediately started explaining to him how each of the "animals" were friends, etc. She told him about "Skinny Chicken," "Top Chicken," and we later started hearing about "Scary Chicken" although she wasn't scared at all of any of them. All of these chickens were included in various things we did. When we were on the power boat, she pointed out the houses that each chicken lived in. She had elaborate stories for each one of her chicken friends.
Snoozing in the Baron on the way to Springfield
Outside Lambert's Cafe, where we met with CK's friends for lunch
Arriving at Big Cedar Lodge
Our first view!
Some of the amazing ironwork throughout the area!
The Falls Lodge
Driving through the falls
Heading to registration
Sofia and her flowers....she's become quiet the flower lover and knows many names of flowers in our yard and those I point out to her. She always wants to stop and smell the flowers and loved being at the Lodge for all their landscaping (we stopped to smell flowers a lot!).
Inside our cabin! It was incredible and very comfortable. This was 'our' room and also included the kitchen and eating area
"Sofia's" room
Sofia with "Skinny Chicken" (that weird skinny hide up top), and "Top Chicken" (the pheasant). Another pheasant in the kitchen was named "Scary Chicken"
Our cabin was very comfortable and rustic with various hides and stuffed birds/animals on the walls. Sofia immediately made "friends" with one of the hides and two of the stuffed pheasants. The first night CK put Sofia to bed, CK planned to explain all of the hides on the wall of her bedroom, but she immediately started explaining to him how each of the "animals" were friends, etc. She told him about "Skinny Chicken," "Top Chicken," and we later started hearing about "Scary Chicken" although she wasn't scared at all of any of them. All of these chickens were included in various things we did. When we were on the power boat, she pointed out the houses that each chicken lived in. She had elaborate stories for each one of her chicken friends.
Snoozing in the Baron on the way to Springfield
Outside Lambert's Cafe, where we met with CK's friends for lunch
Arriving at Big Cedar Lodge
Our first view!
Some of the amazing ironwork throughout the area!
The Falls Lodge
Driving through the falls
Heading to registration
Sofia and her flowers....she's become quiet the flower lover and knows many names of flowers in our yard and those I point out to her. She always wants to stop and smell the flowers and loved being at the Lodge for all their landscaping (we stopped to smell flowers a lot!).
Inside our cabin! It was incredible and very comfortable. This was 'our' room and also included the kitchen and eating area
"Sofia's" room
Sofia with "Skinny Chicken" (that weird skinny hide up top), and "Top Chicken" (the pheasant). Another pheasant in the kitchen was named "Scary Chicken"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
