The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 7

Oh What A Night

Everyone loves summer nights. I love summer nights on Hebgen Lake.

I love watching the sun go down.

I love making a fire.

I love watching David start up the Ring of Fire.

I love watching David put huge dead branches on our small fire.

I love roasting marshmallows. Especially the gigantic ones.

I love making s'mores.

I love making reeses s'mores.

I love roasting starbursts.

I love taking night jet ski rides with Jenn. Only the open water, the full moon, and us.

I love taking night four-wheeling rides. Indiana Jones anyone?

I love watching the Ghost and Mr. Chicken one late night.

I love playing cards at the Pauls a couple of nights in a row.

I love that Bryan Paul never wins cards.

I love going out to look at the stars at night.

I love night swims.

I love nights where we go into the Playmill.

I love late nights in the Westerburg Suite. Talking. Laughing. Reading old letters and lists :)

I love making lime cheesecake in the middle of the night.

I love night boat rides.

Hebgen Lake is where I want to spend my summer nights.

So there you go. The Seven Days of Summer. Seven things I love about Hebgen Lake.

2010 was probably one of the best years yet.

Writing this blogs has helped me to remember some of the best of times.

Obviously I missed out on other best times. So if you can remember something I can't that you think should have been included in the Seven Days of Summer go ahead and let me know. What was your favorite Hebgen Lake Day? Moment? Memory?

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 6

The Perfect Storm

"A stormy day at Hebgen Lake is better than any other day anywhere else." -Richard Andrews

I agree completely. I love having a really good storm at least once a summer on Hebgen Lake. I think that the perfect storm includes everything. Lighting, Thunder, and a complete downpour. It also just wouldn't be the same without seeing the Pauls trying to hook their boat up at the last minute in the crashing waves.

This year we had a couple of storms, and one of them was Perfect.

First the not so perfect ones.

One night everyone was going to the Playmill but I didn't really want to go so I stayed at the cabin with my mother dearest. We were just getting ready to put a hair wrap in my hair for old times sake when a knock came at our back door. We were just considering how stormy it had gotten so fast but weren't very concerned yet. Upon opening our back door a man let us know of quite the situation. He said "Your boat is floating away." To our shock upon looking out at the Lake both boat and buoy were gone. Lucky for us we were the only two people home at the time. So we said we could handle it and thanked them for the information. We ran upstairs and did a quick change into our swimming suits knowing we would be getting wet very soon. My mom dove right in and I was right behind her. Within seconds (okay maybe minutes) we were on the jet ski chasing down our boat. Don't worry our life jackets were secured. We got to the boat just in time. My mom started it up drove it back and perfectly docked it. Then we tied it up with our expert knowledge of ropes and knots. The neighbors watched with surprised at the skill we possessed. We high fived all around and went back upstairs for some hot chocolate and more hair wrapping.

This story is pretty much true. To make it entirely true just put in Dana everywhere my mom is mentioned and substitute our neighbors for my role in the above story. Now it is true.

Dana has saved us at least six times. Just ask her. She remembers.

Another day and another storm. It was late at night this time. There was not much but bright lightning and thunder. It was still pretty magnificent.

Now for The Perfect Storm. It was the Monday of our last week at the Cabin. First there was just some distant lightning and thunder. So we took our viewing outside. We saw some pretty awes lightning and heard some really loud claps of thunder. We watched as the storm came closer and closer. It started to rain on us but we continued to watch. Then it started to downpour. We ran to our top porch under a small overhang. It was the perfect rain. The kind you want to run out into and start singing in. It was like movie moment rain. So perfect. And it lasted a long time. We knew it was going to be a perfect mud ride the next day. But someone wondered why we needed to wait a day for the mud ride, why not just go now. Before you knew it six of us were running to get on some old clothes and we were off on the four-wheelers. Mud rides in the rain? There is nothing better. To finish off this perfect story and the perfect storm we all jumped into our favorite lake and swam while it was still raining all around us.

"A stormy day at Hebgen Lake is better than any other day anywhere else." -Richard Andrew

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 5

The Latest and Greatest

One thing I love about Hebgen Lake is there is always the latest and greatest.

Let me expand.

We have been going to Hebgen Lake for like 14 years now. Many people comment on and question our annual 4-5-6 week trip to Hebgen. It goes a lot like this.

Somebody Else: "Wow you are going to that Lake again?"

Me: "Yes we are going to Hebgen Lake again."

Somebody Else: "But you always go there. You have been going for years now right?"

Me: "Yes. 14 years actually."

Somebody Else: "Well don't you get bored sometimes? Wouldn't you rather take a trip to somewhere new? Somewhere you have never been? You could experience new things?"

Me: "Well not really. I love Hebgen Lake. With all my heart. And we do experience new things every year. See I am part of a very creative and adventuresome family. If someone comes up with a crazy idea most of us will try it. One year we jumped off a hill Jenn found for us. Another year we jumped into the lake and someone on the boat drove around us to make waves. There was the year we all jumped off of the back of the boat while it was still going. That might have been the same year we started up tube wars. We all kept it real one year by giving the kneeboard a go. This year was the bike ramp. There is always something new to do. It is never really boring at all."

Somebody Else: "Well you are up there for six weeks. Don't you miss your friends."

Me: "Oh yeah tons. When we leave and know we won't all be together at Hebgen for another 10 and 1/2 months we totally miss each other."

Anyways the point of the previous conversation that I have had many times with many people is that at Hebgen Lake there is always a latest and greatest.

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 4

All Out War

Tube Wars.

Just hook up two tubes to the boat. Send out four people into the thick of things. With the wave of an orange flag those four people engage in all out war.

The point is to get someone from the other tube off before you or your partner are taken off first.

This year we had a picture perfect tube war with the help of some Mexican Masks. Not only were these tubes wars intense, but the masked people brought a sense of intimidation to the games.

It can get crazy out there on the water. People jumping from tube to tube, kicking, pushing, pulling, and all sorts of tactics are used. All I can say is that when the war is finished I come out of the water a little more sore than I was when I enter.

Although tube wars are probably the best, other options are available.

A speedy tube ride behind the jet ski can get pretty crazy and leave you soaked to the bone without even falling in the water.

Or a slow and steady tube ride is good for the less adventuresome.

We also have a short Banana. Whether you are doing a straight shot kind of a ride or going in large circles, this kind of ride can be one of the scariest rides you might take. You are bound to fall off and get wet. There is a stability issue that comes with the banana. But it is fun. Kids like it. Adults love it. So I guess everyone wins!

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 3

Are You Ready For A Run?

Every morning (except Sunday) we wake up and get ready for a run.

I think this tradition began the first summer all the kiddos had the chance to waterski. We were young. Really young. I mean Stephen had to be like 2 maybe 3??? Well it's the Hart way to make up sayings in order to make everyone feel the pressure to do water sports. (One ski or none.) This one was "Every Day Except Sunday." Which pretty much left us young ones with no options. So we learned how to ski.

Now a days we (as a combined whole) pretty much know how to do everything. Want to give skiing a try? Just sit back and feel the rush. What about Wake-boarding? Butter the Bread. Wake-surf it? Find the Zen. How about kneeboarding? Keep it real.

As you can probably tell we are pro teachers at every water sport. So if you want to learn, make sure you find a seat in our boat.

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 2

Take A Hike

One of my favorite traditions happens weekly. That means this last summer it happened six times. On sundays we get to go into the park. Yellowstone National Park. Unlike other visitors, we have been through the park more times than we can count. Bison are a common sight. Elk are nothing to stop for. The only animal that would give us a surge of excitement is a bear. We have seen old faithful in all of its faithfulness an unnumbered amount of times. (Want to know something that makes me laugh. When people are waiting around for Old Faithful and they lack faith. They turn to each other and say maybe this time it won't go off. Yeah I bet they would love to be part of the crowd that witnessed Old Faithfuls death. It is called old faithful for a reason folks :) We have also hit all of the major sights many times. Lucky for us, all the major sights does not even cover the magnificent sights that lie deep in the woods. Past the roads. Past the boardwalks. That is where we take our Yellowstone National Park Experience to. This year was the year of the waterfalls. Fairy Falls, Mystic Falls, and the Upper and Lower Falls at Canyon. Along with that we saw Grand Prismatic Spring from the top, ventured into the Hoo Doos, skipped rocks at Lake, and saw Old Faithful go off... twice.

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most majestic places on earth.

If you haven't been, go.

If you have, go again.

If you have already seen all there is to see, you are lying :)

The Seven Days of Summer Special-Day 1

Welcome to the Seven Days of Summer.

Today is Day 1.

Throughout the next seven days I will attempt to capture the last six weeks of summer. Only the best of times will be revisited and remembered. Although if I am telling the truth the last six weeks was just the best of times. So I guess I will just have to highlight the greatest times among the best of times.

Once again... Day 1.

The Magic of the Movies

Sitting around one night on the lake I became bored. Well not bored especially I just had the desire to have something extra special go down that night. In my plea to have someone entertain me Justin Bieber was brought into the conversation. That was enough for Jenn and I to recruit the 4 boys sitting across from us to be the stars of our first music video. The song choice... Baby. It started out as fun and games but turned into a serious adventure in order to get perfect clips for this quality music video. After it went through the editing specialist Jennifer Bodine and was okayed by myself we put on the first viewing. Soon enough we were showing it to everyone that walked through our doors. Those that did not take part in it obviously became jealous. Hey even I was a little envious that I did not have a scene. Thus more music videos were made. Sunshine Day, Say My Name, Gringo Like Me, and Make Em Laugh (A Special Tribute to the Playmill Cast of 2010.) Many people took part whether they were in it or behind the scenes. And all were able to enjoy.

2010 will always be known as the year of the music video.

My personal favorite was Sunshine Day.

Can you see why?

The Last Best Place

Upon returning from my favorite place in the whole world (Hebgen Lake Montana) I have been able to reflect on the last best place. Although words can not describe this majestic place a few I would use to attempt description would be...

Family.

Home.

Sanctuary.

Paradise.

Simply Perfect.

I love this place.

Here is an unnumbered list of things I especially love.

~The Long Dirt Road. The one that takes us directly (kind of) to the paradise I am speaking of.

~It is Quaint. And by quaint I mean small. Does that mean we don't have tons of people walk through the doors. Nope. All are welcome.

~The Short Shower. There is only one. Standing at 5'5" I fit almost perfectly. With a little bend in my knees the water has a direct hit to the top of my head. Sometimes I wonder how tall visitors feel about this treat.

~The Rock Paths Down to the Dock. Does anyone else count how many rocks there are? Because I do. Every year.

~The Fireplace. Due to erosion there is always a chance that we may find it over the edge one of these years. Lucky for us we have found relief every year as we see it still stable as ever...

~Our Stove. Or rather the stove clock. This is where time stands still. This year I think we were frozen at 1:13.

~The Wood Walls and Ceilings. It is a great thing to be able to mindlessly gaze into the wood planks. Soon enough you will see something that the rest of the cabin needs to see. Grandmother Willow. The Three Wise Men. Sid. Shaggy. They are all there.

~The Crib. Seeing as our ceiling are really low our bunk beds are separated. The top bunk has a fence around it so that people who are on the top don't fall off. Well when it gets moved to the floor it is just like a crib, thus, the crib. Can 6 people sleep in it? Sure. At least until Hufflepuff is released.

~The Awes Movie Selection. Anyone up for Scarlet Pimpernel? Naked Brothers Band? Camelot? Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? The Ghost and Mr. Chicken?

~The Ult Game Selection. Let's play Hit the Deck? Or maybe we should just stick with The Secret Door.

~The Westerburg Suite. It is truly sweet. A perfect place for three girls that love to stay up way too late to talk. It was truly a treat to discover this treat at the end of this year.

Although some of the above mentioned are inconvenient or absurd in any normal setting, these things make the cabin home. And that is what I love about our Cabin on Hebgen Lake.

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?

Does Anybody Really Care?

Nope. Well at least not right now. Why? Because it is officially summer for the Hart household. (And I think it is about time.) Now we have all the time in the world. Some of us like to spend it getting up at 5:15 a.m. to go golfing. Some of us like to sleep in until 10:30. But does anyone really care. Nope. It is summer time. Time to relax and do those things that one wants. Not that we are about to waste time. No not even. There is a storage room that needs to be cleaned out, work-outs that need to be tried, basketball camps to attend, books to be read, and and summer that could be packed with everything football. All very worthwhile activities. But time does not need to be closely monitored anymore. It is time for some lazy day and summer nights. It is time to enjoy the perks that come with having parents whose occupation is teacher.

Now could we just have a little bit of sunshine?

It's Summer Nights

It's Officially Summer For Me :)

Anyone ready for a little Hebgen Lake?

I am!