I am still best friends with three of my best friends from high school. We have actually all known each other since grade school. Before any of us had kids, we took a girls trip to Tybee Island. After kids, we have been getting together every other summer with our families. Since we all live in different places, we try to find a central location to meet up. Autumn and her family live in the Chicago suburbs (Glen Ellyn, IL); Brittany and her family live in Springfield, Illinois; Meghan and her family live in the St. Louis suburbs (Freeburg, IL) and we live in the Cleveland suburbs (Avon, OH).
The first year we met in Indianapolis, then we all met in Michigan City, But, this year, everyone came to stay with us at our house. For 4 days we had 15 people in our house (8 adults, 7 kids) and it was so much fun. We all just pick up where we left off when we see each other. We always have a blast, our husbands have as much fun as we do and are great friends, and the kids play so well together. There wasn't even one fight!! This is the first time that all the kids are old enough where they can play together on their own without us having to watch their every move. So, they enjoyed some freedom and the adults enjoyed some time to catch up as well! It was so much fun!
Day 1: Everyone arrived mid afternoon. We grilled out at our house, the guys played corn hole, the girls talked on the patio, the kids played. We had s'mores for dessert!
Day 2: Group workout, Guys went golfing, Moms and kids went to Avon pool (guys joined after golf), Girls went out to dinner. Guys and kids grilled at home, Guys played ladders, Kids had a movie night
Doug with Mykah and Skylar
Selfie of the girls (Autumn, Britt, Meghan, Me)
Another pic with my best friends!
Chloe & Tim waiting in line for the water slides
Skylar & Mykah
Chloe doing the ropes
Landon on the ropes
Chloe & Landon going down the slide
Grant having a blast
Brittany and I
Everyone worn out after the pool....Tim and Grant are asleep and Keegan, Landon & Chloe are almost asleep in the middle!
Cute pic of Aspen & Chloe after the pool
Another girls selfie
The adults at the parade (and Landon)
The kids waiting for candy...
Silly string fight....the dads got the kids first. It did not go as we pictured and the kids didn't like it nearly as much as we thought they would!
My boys
The skillet cookie was a complete success though! We ate these all the time in high school. It was an all out battle for who got the food. We introduced them to our kids for the first time during vacation and they LOVED it!
The skillet cookie....chocolate chip cookie, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream
Patiently waiting to eat...
So fun to pass on our traditions. Look at them digging in! :)
Aspen
Aspen & Mykah
Day 4: Time to go home :) Our final picture from Friends Fest '17. We were so sad to see everyone leave.
Day 1: Everyone arrived mid afternoon. We grilled out at our house, the guys played corn hole, the girls talked on the patio, the kids played. We had s'mores for dessert!
Hanging out on the patio (Britt, me, Meghan, Autumn)
Corn hole: Mike & Tim
Landon & Chloe enjoying their s'mores
Skylar & Keegan all sticky and messy!
Adult group workout session....gotta love beach body on demand :) (Mike, Doug, Meghan, Matt, Kelsey)
Workout selfie when we were finished!
The guys before golfing (Matt, Mike, Doug, Tim)
Keegan & Grant eating lunch before the pool
Chloe & Landon relaxing during the break at the Avon pool
Keegan & Grant
Girls night out....ready to go to dinner!!
The dads and kids eating dinner at home
Fun game of Ladders...Mike & Tim
Movie night in the basement...the kids with their popcorn
The end of the movie...Grant & Chloe are asleep in front!
Day 3: Group workout, donuts for breakfast, Duck tape parade, Keegan & Landon's baseball games, waterslide at home, ordered pizza and made skillet cookies for dessert, silly string fight, sleepover in the basement
Chloe, Mykah & Skylar eating their yummy donuts for breakfast
The kids all ready for the Duck tape parade. The Duck tape headquarters are in Avon, so each year there is a duck tape parade and festival.
Fun on the waterslide...
All done with water for the day...
Chloe & Mykah eating a popsicle
The girls making crafts with their duck tape
The skillet cookie....chocolate chip cookie, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream
Selfie fun one morning or one night...we aren't sure when the kids took these! Too funny!
Mykah, Aspen, Skylar
Mykah
A kid sleepover in the basement....Aspen, Landon, Keegan & Skylar. The rest of the kids wanted to stay upstairs.
We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends (family really) in our lives! And we really appreciate everyone making the drive out to come stay with us this year. We had the best time and missed them as soon as they left. We can't wait for our next vacation together. No more of this skipping a year between vacations. We decided to make it an annual trip! Friends Fest '18....here we come!!!
