Friday's FIVE!

We have had a wondeful weekend celebrating Independence Day - and enjoying Lankenau's Luau on Yellow Creek Lake! It's been a busy few weeks preparing for the Hog Roast - and we are pretty tired....but we had a WONDERFUL time and enjoyed our children and our guests.

It is our hope that in the midst of the chaos - we are able to share with our loved ones a little piece of this place that we love so much! Today's Friday FIVE! will focus on highlights of FIVE memories of Independence Day celebrations.

1. Lankenau's Luau on Yellow Creek Lake (since 2003). 2008 Luau will go down as one of the most memorable because I attempted to roast the hog myself. The hog came from the butcher at 164# and there is no way I could have put that sow on a spit. Thank goodness we were rescued by Steve Sands - Big Boss BBQ http://bigbossbbq.com/ The weather was perfect - and the hog was delicious and a great time was had by all!! (Stay tuned.... more photos from 2008 Lankenau's Luau to come)

2. Childhood at Yellow Creek Lake I remember being about 10 years old - and 'parading' around Yellow Creek Lake with Laura Ward and Jenny and Jeri Hammond with flags in our our hands singing patriotic songs! Laura is still like family - and I still see Jenny and Jeri now and then. Their cousins, Jason, Christy and Nicki attend Lankenau's Luau every year.

3. Ward Family - Many, many July 4th's have been spent with the Ward family. I remember many holidays around bonfires - watching fire works and putting small children to bed after roasted marshmallows. The holiday doesnt seem complete without representation from the Knotts/Ward/Farber/Kuckartz families.

4. Party at Forest Ridge - Most of my life - I have been right here at Yellow Creek Lake on July 4th... but a few were spent at other locations, especially when the holiday fell midweek. I remember one year having a party for friends at our house in Forest Ridge in Marion. Someone had a string of firecrackers that boomed for over 15 minutes. It made a huge, loud mess in the middle of the street. We cooked hamburgers on the grill - and I had 'hamburger' lessons from the Pros - Karen and Greg Robinsons - second generation McDonalds franchise owners. It was a fun party - and especially memorable as one of the few that was not spent on Yellow Creek Lake.

5. Ed and Dee Wiley's party on Lake Tippecanoe - with our kids and close friends and neighbors. This was fun - we would often go to Wiley's from our cottage on Yellow Creek. It was a fun event and truth be told - probably what inspired Lankenau's Luau.