Becoming a Lake Girl and Family

The winds of change were upon the Christenson family in January 1960. Debra (Christenson) Amandola looks back at how her life changed when her parents-Bob and Bette-move the family from the city to the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri. The memories she enjoyed as a child shaped her in ways she never expected. In this book, she shares how her family became lake people, leading her to become the woman she is today. In fact, she so strongly become a lake girl that she has made her children and grandchildren lake people, too. In sharing her story, she reveals how her parents cultivated a strong familial structure, why they moved to the lake, and what it was like to embark on a new way of life at five years old. She also explores the financial, social, and educational challenges that came along with being people of the lake-and what it was like to build and operate a successful resort. Whether you're thinking of making a big change, want to run a business, or want to create a strong family unit, you'll be inspired by this family's story.