There are a couple of things that came to mind as I read your post.
First, there is a time in a family's life for things like a sleep aboard boat, an airplane or a beach/lake house. Then things change.
The ages of the kids, now and in the future, will affect your use of the property. Consider what activities will compete with your family time at the lake. Will you and the Mrs. be able to enjoy it after the kids' visits diminish? Do you want to bring a lake house into the family with the hope of passing it down to subsequent generations?
Second, beware of the steak rule!
Eating PBJ's for months when I was first married left me longing for a juicy steak. My mind's image of that tasty steak grew to be fantastic. When I finally scraped up enough change to buy one, the steak couldn't possibly meet my expectations. I was disappointed.
There's another thing that might change when you drop the big bucks on a lake house. Money and/or feeling guilty for "neglecting" the place may have you avoiding all other vacation venues.
I'm really not trying to dissuade you from purchasing and I'll bet there will be plenty of other input for you here. Good luck in whatever you do.
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