More Cabin Days

We had big plans to meet the cousins at the cabin on Thursday afternoon - and were so excited about it. We ate an early lunch, grandpa helped me blow up the tubes and load the [his] car, and off the kids and I went. We were the first ones there and the kids couldn't wait to play in the sand. The cabin on Mille Lacs didn't have a sand beach, and they definitely missed their creative sand play. There were lots of restaurant and coffeehouse creations (I bought the best sand set earlier in the summer that helps them make cupcakes and ice cream cones. Best $13 spent!). 

The kids were just starting to get concerned about the state of the cousins when Anna arrived with Otto, Hux, and Milo. Anna and I got the Maui mat out and everyone was leaping off the end of the dock. The shrieks and giggles make us so happy and this sweet cousins gang just adore each other. There was a quick "warm up" and snack break and then it was back into the water. 

When Brenda arrived, she offered to drive the pontoon so we could do a middle of the lake swim. I think the kids had just as much fun snuggling up with each other on the pontoon as they did in the lake. We did some swimming, but the wind had picked up so everyone got a bit chilled. On the way back to the cabin, we made a stop at the "nude beach" (it's a sandbar that baby Otto called nude beach instead of new beach). There were some serious foot races up and down the shoreline (Quinn, Dec, Otto, and Hux) while Milo and Fiona were more than content to do their own thing. 

Fiona got to drive the pontoon back to the cabin and she was so incredibly proud. She did a really good job and felt so big. Anna, Brenda, and I were clearly the dream team for landing the pontoon (we were worried, but Brenda was aces ... and Anna and I must have figured out how to tie it up well enough - because it didn't float away!). We let the kids play for just a bit more and then all the cousins headed out. Once they were gone, I did a quick swim across the bay. Then the kids and I spread some of Yogi's ashes. The cabin was Yogs' favorite place, so it felt right that some of his ashes are there forever. It makes us happy to think of him when we go there too!

My favorite part of Thursday was telling the kids that Mike was able to leave work a bit early and would be back in Rapids before they headed to bed. They were very excited to get their dad back! And it was good thing that he got there early - as he and Gpa were up at 4:30am to go fishing with Mike Johnson. It was crazy early, but they filled out their limit by 6am and Mike was home and "at work" by his normal time. 

The girls were excited on Friday morning because they were going to their first ever "hair salon" experience ... where they got their hair washed and everything! Gma came with, so she could hang outside with the one who was not getting a cut. They both desperately needed the cuts and both turned out so cute! They are taking a page out of Auntie's playbook and now claim they will only get haircuts in Rapids. Sigh! 

Because of the haircuts, we ended up with a late lunch. Quinn was campaigning heavily for a return to the cabin. No one else would be there for the day, but I told her I would take them. Mike decided he had worked enough for the week and came too. It was just the five of us and we honestly had the absolute most fun together. We had wild Maui mat wars, jumped off the dock, swim into the middle of the bay, and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon together. We couldn't stop laughing and it is one of our favorite memories from this very weird summer.

We got back to Gma and Gpa's in time for Q to help Gma make dinner (it was their night). Then we marked our final night of vacation with a pick-up baseball game in the yard. It was the kids vs Mike, Gpa, and me. Gma took her life in her hands and was a spectator. The rules are a little loosey goosey in Vanneste baseball, but it was an awful lot of fun. 

Then (and I don't even know why), we decided to play football. You guys, Quinn is terrifying. She was on a team with Gpa and me, and even though she was our teammate, we were scared of her. Imagine how Mike and D felt. She instinctively made an onside kick, recovered it, and darted past Mike for a touchdown. She outran all of us to score and had quite a celebratory shriek. It was hilarious and amazing and I wish you all could have seen it. 

We planned to head home on Saturday to avoid the end-of-weekend traffic (and since it had been over a week since the kids and I had been there). But first, we made a trip up to Mike's sister's house to attend the graduation party for our nephew Nate. We went up a bit early to help them finish setting everything up outside - and to get some time with them before their guests showed up. We enjoyed Nate's hot dog bar and the delicious cupcakes. And with that, we pointed the car south and headed home!

The trip back was uneventful (hallelujah!) and we got back in time to unload, wash everyone up, and have Quinn scramble eggs and make muffins for dinner. I don't know that we would ever have been away that long in a "normal year" and I am forever grateful for the time and fun we had together.