We Were Not Messing Around with Christmas Eve Traditions

Remember how last year's Christmas Eve was good but different? Well, the pendulum swung right back squarely to the traditions camp this year! And honestly, it was one of our favorite days of the whole year. Christmas Eve is honestly the very best.

We started the morning with [very needed] haircuts for the girls and me. Mike and Dec dropped us off and then headed out to Anna and Luke's for Christmas Eve morning skating. Dec loved his solo time with Hux, Milo, and Otto (and the dads!) before the sisters got there. Once the girls were done with their cuts, Auntie scooped them up and brought them out to join the skating party. Bugs would like the record to reflect that her haircut took 13 minutes and Q's took over 30 minutes! #2 has so much hair!

While I got my hair cut, I hear there was a very exciting game on the Francisco rink. Mike V, Mike J, and Jesse took on the kids in an epic battle. I missed the whole thing (my dad picked me up and brought me out when my haircut was done. Nothing like needing a ride from your dad to bring on nostalgia of the good old days!), but caught all the grins as they warmed up with hot cocoa. Fiona was still skating when I got there, so I was able to watch her a bit. 

After the skating party, we headed to Gma and Gpa's for lunch. Then we relaxed a bit, decorated Christmas cookies, made reindeer food, and finished the movie we had started the night before. Then it was time to head out to the lake lot for pre-party sledding, We were the first ones to arrive at Brenda and Mike's, so got our own ride in the trailer over to the sledding hill. Not long after, the rest of the cousins joined. Hux told Fiona that he couldn't wait to 1) sled with her and 2) hit a tree. They managed both on the very first fun!

All the kids are fully independent, which meant that the adults got to have just as much fun as they did on the hill. Next year, we may need a few extra sleds ... because kids were not always willing to share their sleds with us. I was just as disappointed as the kids when Luke told us that it was time to head back to the party. We all piled into the wagon and giggled our way back to the house.

We ate a delicious dinner and then didn't really see the kids for the next few hours ... other than when it was present time. It was just the best return to some normalcy and we were all so happy to be back together to celebrate the holidays. It was a evening spent with our favorite people, laughing, visiting, eating so much food, and snuggling Baby Arlo [he's so delicious]. 

After the party, we read The Night Before Christmas and tucked everyone into bed. And with that, all our favorite traditions were back and we fell asleep with smiles on our faces. Especially Declan, who is sure he saw reindeer flying in the middle of the night. 

Last Summer Weekend: Went North

It is our last year of the crazy weird schedule of the kids starting school on the Thursday after Labor Day. Only elementary schools start on Thursday. Middle and High School start on Tuesday ... and we have a middle schooler next year! So we decided to take advantage of our longer Labor Day weekend one last time - and headed north for a few days of trees, lakes, and family before the craziness of the school year started!

Because of work and sports schedules, we decided to head up on Friday ... even though that meant that traffic would likely be less than ideal. You guys, traffic was less than ideal. So we went some back roads, where in the world are we and is there a gas station anywhere in the next 30 miles route. Other than honestly only vaguely knowing where(ish) we were, it was just fine and much less car-sick-inducing than the stop and go traffic on our regular route. Lunch was a little trickier than expected and we ended up with gas station pizza slices. As one does. We made it to Rapids mid-afternoon and were very happy to be there. 

Gma surprised the kids with a brand new bunk bed in the guest room and they were thrilled! The girls slept on the bunk and Dec decided to make himself a bed on the floor in their room. It was the world's best sleepover! The rest of Friday was pretty low key. We headed to the park to burn off some energy, played a full contact frisbee version of keep away, and tested the path between Auntie's and Gma's a few times. We even tried the [fairly sour] grapes on Auntie's grape vine. 

Saturday was the day we had been looking forward to since the 4th of July ... CABIN DAY with the cousins! We headed up right after lunch and were sooooo happy. It was a lovely sunny day (until it wasn't ... more on that in a bit) but not terribly warm. Quinn and Dec (mostly Dec) went in the water. Fiona was happy to just put her feet in and play in the sand. They were all so excited when the rest of the cousins arrived.

The kids were all happily playing in the water and sand until a bunch of clouds blew over us. It started sprinkling and the whole crew huddled under the canopy of the pontoon. We could see that it was going to blow over pretty quickly and were telling the kids to just wait for a few minutes. Then there was a gigantic crack of thunder and the.kids.were.out. Of course, two minutes after the thunder, the storm was over. But it didn't matter. The safety-first moral compass gang was done. 

So we got everyone dressed, cleaned up the beach, and headed up to go on a woods walk. With a short pit stop in the cabin to wait out another quick rainfall and refuel with fruit snacks. Once the rain was done, we headed out for the loveliest hour-plus long walk on the trails. The kids had so much fun running ahead, hiding, jumping out, exploring, running back to us, and just being together. Fiona delighted in being able to carry Arlo part of the way - and he even fell asleep on her shoulder! She felt so grown up and was such a big help to Anna with Baby A. 

We all headed out around 5:00 to get to our various dinner locations. We were so glad to get one last day at the cabin - and even better, to have such a fun day with our people! The kids live for days with their cousins and always look forward to the time together!

Auntie's grapes

Sweet baby Arlo

Just a Bug and her Gpa

Went North: The Last Part

Thursday was our final day up north. We were sad about it, but unfortunately grown decisions and responsibilities ... and gainful employment ... required our attention. Those grown up things, however, needed to wait at least one more day because we had cabin time and vacation life to enjoy!

The kids and I made a quick drop in at my dad's cousin's house before we headed to the lake, as they were having a mini cousin reunion with the Texas relatives. I knew it would be a lot of adults talking, which is not the kids' favorite thing, so we appeared so Gpa could show off his grandkids, played a couple games of ladder golf, and then headed back to pick up Mike and our picnic lunch. We were eating sandwiches at the lake by 1:00. Perfection.

Then the kids had the best time swimming and playing in the sand, while Mike and I split our time between relaxing with a drink on the pontoon and jumping in the water with the kids. Of course, we got the Maui mat out and spent plenty of time jumping off of that. Mid-afternoon, my sister, Parker, Maggie, and their puppy Marlow also arrived. We had been waiting for them to take a pontoon ride!

We decided to drive over to the "nude beach" and the kids and Mike had the best time on the rope swing. Em and I even tested it out a few times [fact: we all had such sore arms the next day!]. All the kids absolutely loved the rope swing. The only bummer is that the lake is so low right now (such a bad drought this year) that it was hard to do any trick moves. The water was about knee-level for Mike and I honestly covered my eyes a few times at his antics. 

We headed back to the cabin, grilled up some brats and hot dogs for dinner, and then took the pontoon out one more time ... partly so Parker could use his drone to follow us and get some great footage and partly to play on the rope swing one more time! 

While not terribly warm (and in fact, quite chilly on that second pontoon ride), it was the best day at the lake and the perfect way to wrap up our vacation. It was both a lot of fun and extremely relaxing. We are so glad we made the decision to stay through Thursday and fit in a last day at the lake. 

Friday morning, Emmy and I went for a walk around the lake before the long car ride ahead. Then we packed it up, hugged everyone a final time, and pointed the car south. It was an uneventful trip* home (hooray!) and we were back by mid-afternoon. The kids were happy to see their rooms and their friends. And Mike and I were re-energized to tackle the unpacking again. 

*Well, maybe one event. When we stopped for lunch on the drive, I went to grab my purse and realized I had forgotten it in GR. Luckily Parker and Maggie were driving through the cities the next day and kindly brought my purse as a passenger. They not only delivered it right to our house (and got a tour), they also brought a beautiful bouquet of housewarming flowers. Talk about rewarding forgetful behavior!

**The kids missed one friend's birthday party on Thursday night because we stayed the extra day. But they did get to a second friend's party on Saturday. And for 90 minutes, Mike and I had time to ourselves. We used it very wisely and found bedroom furniture - which was delivered a few days later. Most importantly, new dressers were part of that delivery and our days of underwear on bookcases and suitcases lining the our bedroom wall came to an end! 

Went North: The Fourth

I honestly think the Fourth of July may be my favorite day of the year. There is such irony in that feeling as the 4th is also one of the saddest days the Johnson family ever had. My Grandma Johnson passed away unexpectedly on the Fourth almost forty years ago. And now, we find we are drawn to each other on that day. I imagine her watching the chaos and fun of the day - and hopefully smiling along with us all.

We were lucky again this year and had the most wonderful weather. Gorgeous sunny skies (with a few clouds to help take down the intensity of the sun), hot weather, and a slight breeze to keep the bugs away! We got in the water around 11:30 and the rain chased out around 8pm. Needless to say, it was a full day in the lake - and we loved every moment of it!

I learned from rereading last year's blog post - and let the kids go in the water before the flotilla so their core body temperature was lower and therefore were less likely to overheat on the boat ride. As always, plentiful snacks were available as well and we had such a lovely boat ride around the lake. And as soon as the pontoon docked, it was into the water for the gang! We stopped only long enough to shove food into their bellies and then it was back in the water again.

Mid-afternoon, we decided to test out the new tube. It can officially hold six small cousins and Mike. Or five small cousins and Em and Liv. Mike made the inaugural ride with the troops, out to the middle of the lake where we all jumped in for some mid-lake swimming. Then most of the kids loaded back into the tube with Emmy and Liv. While calm compared to the tube rides that Anna, Liv, Em, and I used to take when we were kids, we did bounce the kids around quite a bit on the trek back. Fiona did not stop shrieking with glee the entire time!

After the boat ride, it was cabin game time. First up, the kids had to find a piece of bubble gum on a plate of whipped cream - and first to blow a bubble won. Really, it's just for the best whipped cream face photo ops! Game two got the adults involved as well. [Almost] everyone put an oreo on their forehead and had to get it into their mouth without hands. Only Luke and Quinn actually managed to complete the task (go Q!), but man, it was fun to watch as a spectator. Pro tip: have extra oreoes so that small humans can trade in the ones that fell on the ground for fresh ones to eat. 

We grabbed a quick dinner (leftover lunch) and jumped back in the lake one more time. Extraction was easier than expected as some storm clouds moved in. Bedtime was easy and silent - not surprising after such a great day!

Went North: Part II

In the first half of 2021, my sister moved north and bought a house, my cousin Anna bought a new house and moved her family of five, our family of five moved to a new house … and not to be outdone, my cousin Liv remodeled her kitchen. Which sounds less intense – but we all know that remodels always take way longer than expected. So Liv was kitchen-less for months with a toddler and a preschooler. I’d rather move than do that!

All that to say, Saturday morning, the kids, Auntie, and I headed out to see Anna’s new house and get some baby Arlo snuggles as a bonus prize. It was interesting to see how the shift from Little to Big plays out in an environment other than the cabin (where everyone is just all in). Declan lived his best life wandering around the yard and the woods with Otto and Milo, jumping in the new trampoline, climbing on the playset, and running around the rink (which is a soccer field in the summer … Yes, they have a permanent full-size rink in their yard. Yes, we will spend most of winter break right there).

Meanwhile, the girls didn’t quite know what to do with themselves. As it turns out, adults just sitting around visiting is still so boring but the little boys don’t need “mothering” anymore (and in fact, also don’t care for mothering. There was a definite spat!). So they kinda flopped about and waited for baby Arlo to be in the mood for snuggles. At least there is one tiny cousin who still wants them to mother him. This tween thing is for real. They simply don’t know what to do with themselves and don’t know where they fit in the ecosystem.

Thankfully, there were Big Girl plans for the afternoon that took out some of the sting from the morning. The girls had a special date with Grandma. It was Quinn’s idea. Gma asked me if she was being hustled. I told her to always assume that Q has some sort of long-game hustle going on – but in this case, I did know that the core of it was just wanted some special time with Gma. The hustle report reflects the procurement of two “grown up” outfits, a swimsuit cover up, and make up for Fiona – but Gma didn’t seem to mind. Sounds like they had a great time together.

Since the girls had a special date, I told Dec that I’d take him on one of his own. And then his daddy showed up too. We were going to go fishing, but ended up just meeting Auntie at the Hale Lake boat landing (about 5 blocks from Gma and Gpa’s house) because no one was there. We fished, we swam, we lounged in the sun, we made 495 trips back to the house for potty breaks and towels and snacks and whatnot. When the girls were done with their date, they joined us. It was the best time!

Day 2 in the lake was in the books!

Went North: Part I

Here we go - buckle up for a series of 4th of July posts. The 4th was on Sunday, which made figuring out low traffic travel days very tricky. We eventually decided to head up Thursday night after work. And didn't come home (well ... most of us) until the following Friday. We made the most of our EIGHT days up north. So the next few posts will be a nice flashback for you to a month ago ...

If we needed additional proof (we didn't) that Mike is the best, we got it up on our trip north. Like I said, we headed up Thursday night. Both Mike and I had to work on Friday and my sister was lined up for a Nanny Auntie day with the troops. However, Mike had to work on location at the theatre. But because he didn't want me to have to deal with the drive and the kids by myself and so as not to have two cars up there, he drove us up Thursday night, got up early Friday morning and drove 4 hours back to the cities ... and then came back up Saturday. It's worth saying again ... Mike Is The Best.

I set up shop in the basement for a few meetings and a lot of work - and Auntie came right around 8:30 to take charge. They spent the morning down at her house (I did take a short break to walk down with some sweatshirts for the kids) and then they went to the cabin for a picnic lunch and the afternoon in the lake. All the cousins were there and according to my sources - and the pictures - they had the best time. Meanwhile, I was on a call with an animator at the vide agency I use. He was telling me that he was going north for the 4th. As we discussed further, we found out that he was going to his sister's house - who lives 4 blocks from my parents. Crazy small world!

I finished up work just before 4:00. Even though I knew the kids and Em were heading in around 5pm, I really wanted to go to the lake. So, out I trotted to the garage to ask my dad if I could borrow his car (teenager flashbacks). He did not appreciate when I told him I would drive fast and recklessly so I could get out to the lake more quickly. The kiddos were excited to see me and I was happy to jump in the water and make a quick swim across the bay.

After six hours in the sun, the kids were tired. Q and Dec had decided they were going to do a sleepover at Auntie's for the night. So I delivered them down the road, gave the kisses, and came back to my parents' a little sad that no one seemed to miss me. About 45 minutes later, Auntie returned both non-sleeping Vannestes and they decided they'd rather stay with me for the night. It was awfully hot in the guest rooms and they may have also simply been over-tired. [And maybe they did miss me just a little bit!]

I was glad Auntie returned them when she did - as I was about to call the experiment anyway and retrieve them. I wanted everyone to get enough sleep that we didn't ruin the rest of our trip. As expected, it took a little bit to settle in once they got back to Gma and Gpa's, but it wasn't bad at all. And we all got a good night's sleep. So I can't complain. And ... honestly, Auntie probably slept better too. Because I suspect she would have been on high alert if her houseguests had stayed!

That Time I "Forgot" the Swimsuits ...

As I mentioned in the last post, we headed north last weekend to avoid the house insanity - and to help my sister move into her new house. She had closed on her new house earlier that week and was in the process of settling in. Her house happens to be right down the hill from my parents' house and we had walked by it with the kids when we were up for Easter. 

Unsurprisingly, Quinn remembered exactly where it was. So when we passed it on the way to Gma and Gpa's, Q noticed everyone's cars were at Auntie's. Therefore, the second we got out of the car, she was begging to head down the hill. We agreed and Quinn legitimately ran the entire way there. Em said she looked out the window, saw a hot pink blur with a blonde ponytail, and announced "Quinn is here." The rest of us arrived about 3 minutes later.

On Saturday morning, we took advantage of the fact that the park is a block from Auntie's and met all the cousins there. Which meant we got to meet Baby Arlo!! All the disappointment of missing him at Easter was soothed. He is just as sweet and delicious as expected and everyone took a turn holding him. When they weren't holding Baby A, the kids were running around wild with their cousins. So many happy happy children. Even sweet Beau warmed up to the V gang and joined in.

After lunch, Quinn continued to live her very best life - getting Auntie unpacked, organized, and on track. The bookends had the best attitudes, but unpacking and organizing is not their best life. It was also incredibly HOT for May 1. By mid-afternoon, we were not much help anymore and the kids were getting squirrely. I had mentioned going down to the boat landing, but Dec and Quinn begged to go up to the cabin. We figured they could put their feet in the water and play in the sand, so said okay. However, we also brought a bag of extra clothes because we have met Vannestes and lakes and pretty much knew where the afternoon would take us.

We did not realize that the cousins were going to be up at the lake too. So we got bonus time! Hux and Beau were already there, in swimsuits, and wading out into the water. Our kids were in shorts, so could easily wade out too. And Dec was in athletic shorts - basically a swimsuit. Nonetheless, Dec was scandalized that I "forgot to pack the swimsuits." I did not forget, Sir. It was April when we packed the bags! I would also like to point out that Otto and Milo were in shorts/underwear thankyouverymuchdeclan!

Mike dared Declan to jump off the end of the dock. He thought about it several times, but wouldn't commit to the jump. Then suddenly, Dude took off running down the dock and leapt in! Far! Then came up shrieking because the water was somewhere between 49-53 degrees (depending on which of my cousins you ask). We wrapped him in a towel, let the sun do its job, and he was back wading around in the water with the cousins in minutes. Then, believe it or not, he jumped off again later. Crazy kid!

We had the best time at the cabin and this is officially the earliest the kids have been IN the lake. But only by a week or so. A few hours in the sun (by the water) was also the relaxing break we all needed after the last two busy weeks. So glad the kids insisted!

Quinn got ready early Sunday morning and had Gpa and Gma drop her off at Auntie's on their way to church so she could continue to be Auntie's right-hand Q. The rest of us loaded up Auntie's dresser and brought that down once we were ready. Then we helped with a bit more unpacking, loaded up our stuff, and headed toward home. We were back by early afternoon, picked up the grocery order I had placed during the drive, and even got Q to hockey practice on time. 

I'd say it was a fully-successful quick trip north. Except Declan has told me two dozen times since we got back to "make sure [I] don't forget the swimsuits next time." 

Change of Scenery

The day after Christmas, we had big, big plans. We were meeting the cousins at the sledding hill!! The joy of seeing each might have been even greater than anticipated - and we had been looking forward to this day for weeks. The tall cousins stood at the top of the hill, monitoring for injuries and catching up. The kids did all the things together and could not have been happier. Quite honestly, neither could the tall people. We have missed each other deeply.

As the true oldest boy cousin, Declan modeled all sorts of skills to the rest of the little boys. He proudly showed off his snowboarding skills. And then he stood on Mike's back like he would stand on a snowboard, Mike laid on a tube, and down the hill they went. Somehow unscathed. 

[Anna and Liv - I can't control my boys. Hang out with us at your own risk!]

About ten seconds after we got there, Hux plopped himself in the sled with Fiona, flashed her his patented smile, and the two of them had a blast zipping up and down the hill. Milo was having the best imagination day and the girls thoroughly enjoyed walking through his magical make-believe world with him. Sweet Beau was not quite sure about this cousin gang and thought he would hang with his mama instead. The girls did manage to pull him away on occasion to give Liv a break. 

It was a gorgeous day, so we didn't have too many complaints about being cold (other than poor Fiona, whose boot came off, making her step in the snow). But shortly after noon, we figured we should start moving home before the troops became hangry. Anna asked the kiddos if they wanted to play at the playground "for two minutes" before we left and off they ran. Spoiler alert: it was not two minutes. But holy smokes was it entertaining. Somehow, Dec, Hux, and Otto got into the biggest wrestling match. They could not stop giggling. Then they recruited Quinn, Fiona, and Milo and they all attacked Mike. It was Pure Joy. [Mike was Pure Exhausted.]

We swung through the drive thru for tacos on the way back to Gma and Gpa's because everyone was starving after all that fresh air and exercise. It was just the most fun morning and we were so thankful for good weather so we could be outside. We were also thankful for tacos and potato oles!

After lunch, Mike and I started packing up all our stuff while Auntie introduced the children to her favorite I Love Lucy episodes. No, we weren't heading home (yuck! No one was ready to go back). As part of our family Christmas, Mike and I surprised the kids by renting a cabin on Deer Lake in GR for a few days. 

Since we have been home forever, we  wanted to make the most of being away for Christmas. Auntie is temporarily working and living at Gma and Gpa's, so we worried that things were going to get crowded quickly. With the cabin, we could still be up north, together, and having a little breathing room for everyone. It worked out perfectly.

I was sweating it a bit when we had the car fully loaded up for our 4pm check-in and still had not received instructions from the owner. But thankfully, just a few minutes after 4, she called Mike and we were set. Mike and I ran our gear to the cabin and got everything unpacked and settled. Then we went back to my parents' for pizza dinner before we loaded up the kids and headed to our new digs. 

The kids LOVED the cabin. They were so excited to explore, check out all the rooms and cabinets and corners, and stake claim to their beds. There were two bedrooms upstairs - one with three beds and one with a bigger bed and a small bathroom. Fiona got her own bedroom, while Q and D planned to share the other. Mike and I took the downstairs bedroom. 

After they explored, I ran everyone through the shower where there were strong opinions about the smell of well water! On that first night, Mike ended up sleeping upstairs as the kids weren't too sure about this separate floor sleeping arrangement. Thankfully everyone got a good night's sleep so we could enjoy our next few days of cabin life.

Cousins Are the Best!

My weather transitions have been a little suspect. I looked at the weather for GR before we left, saw high 60s for temps, and packed a lot of t-shirts, capris, and light pullovers. I forgot that the "crisp" of fall in the air starts WAY earlier up north than it does in the cities. Conversely, once we got home, I looked at the thermometer, saw it was 62 degrees, so put on pants and long sleeve shirt to run. Then almost had heat stroke.

All that to say that we met up with Brenda and the Grammy Day Care cousin gang on Tuesday morning - and it was a bit brisk out! Thankfully the seven cousins never stand still, so they were perfectly warm and happy. And I had snagged Mike's big sweatshirt before I left the house - so I was perfectly warm and happy as well.

We met a a park near Brenda's house and I let the kids play on playground equipment for the first time since March. That alone was almost as exciting as seeing the cousins! We even got a walk on the trail around the baseball fields. After about 90 minutes of non-stop play, everyone was ready for lunch! It was such a fun morning together.

We got to see the big boys (Otto, Milo, and Hux) again on Wednesday afternoon at the cabin. It was the nicest forecasted weather for the week, and we wanted to do one more trip to the cabin before it was officially fall. But remember that "crisp" I mentioned earlier ... there was definitely still an edge to the air. It did not stop the six kids from going in the water, however. 

We got there before the boys, so the kids had a great time wading in the lake and playing in the sand on the shoreline. We actually built quite the complex community, complete with farms, a mayor's house, a river, and a waterfall. Then when the cousins got there, Quinn begged to get the Maui mat out. I waded into the water (brrrrrrrr) to help push it out, so was glad that they actually used it. 

After a brief (but longer than expected) stint in the water, everyone was cold and ready for clothes. My kids said good bye to the lake for the season (and we are already dreaming of warm summer days next year). After everyone was dressed, we walked up to the trails and went exploring together. Even though we sprayed the kids, there were still so many mosquitoes. But we managed to have a lovely walk despite their pesky presence.

The best part of the trail walk was that Neighbor Al was in his garden - so we got to stop for a fresh grown snack en route. The kids picked a bunch of cherry tomatoes (I think I ended up eating most of them), and then we got carrots straight out of the ground too. YUM! Quinn even snagged a jalapeno to bring home to Grandpa - and rumor has it that it was a spicy one. It was just the best day together and the kids hugged so hard when it was done. I think they all know that it could be a while until we see each other again. 

We enjoyed our evening with Gma, Gpa, and Auntie, and then sadly headed home on Thursday. We had been noncommittal about our return date, but Thursday ended up being super cold and windy. With all the prep work we needed to do before school, we decided to make the bad weather day our travel day - and then be able to enjoy the sunshine on Friday and Saturday. It was so hard to say good-bye and we were a sad crew on the drive home. Once we got back though, it felt good to start getting prepped and excited for the next season!

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.

Not Going Home

We left the cabin with 22 minutes to spare before the official check out time! That feels noteworthy. There was a lot of stuff to pack and people to mobilize. Instead of pointing our car south toward home, we pointed it north toward Gma and Gpa's. I mean, it was only Tuesday and I was still on furlough. Unfortunately (although really, fortunately), Mike was not. So he dropped the kids and me off, spent the day with us, and then headed home after dinner.

Since Mike wanted to make the most of his vacation day, he and my dad headed up to Johnson Lake with Q and Dec in tow to do some fishing. They had a good time, but the black flies were terrible and made it less enjoyable. However, Gpa caught a big northern and Dec was more than happy to regale anyone who would listen with Gpa's fish story! Meanwhile, Fiona, Gma, and I had a lovely, quiet afternoon. F played Barbies and read, Gma and I read, and the three of us went for a walk by the lake. We were sad to say good-bye to Mike, but the rest of us were totally fine staying up north for a few more days!

Wednesday morning, Gpa was in charge of the troops while I tagged along with Gma to the salon to finally get a haircut (praise!!!). We were also able to make appointments for the girls for Friday morning, which they were very pleased about. Apparently Mom's Bathroom Salon was not their favorite!

After lunch, we met Anna, Brenda, Mike, and the four cousins at the Kona Ice Truck. We took our treats and sat in the grass field next to the store. As soon as the kids were done, they were running all over the place and tackling each other. The joy they have in seeing each other is the very best! Brenda and Mike took Beau home for a nap while Anna and I took the big six to the library. The best librarian ever (after Gma) had set up a storybook trail outside, where you walk from station to station to read a book (one page at each station). My three took turns doing the reading. It was the cutest set up, but the kids were too excited to be together to fully appreciate it.

When we got to the end of the book, we continued walking on the bridge across the Mississippi River. On the other side, there was a little drainage pond. The kids asked if they could take their shoes off and play in it. And since 2020 is the year of saying "why the hell not?"... Anna and I said yes. It took approximately 1.5 minutes before someone slipped on a rock and got their clothes soaked. But let's be honest, by saying "yes," we knew that would happen. One by one, the troops submerged. Some by accident (Otto), some by "accident" (Declan), some unabashedly on purpose (Milo). Anna and I sat on rocks with our toes in the water and let them enjoy for close to an hour. 

Once the kids were tired of being soaked, we headed back to Gma's for dry clothes. I joined Gma and Gpa for 4pm happy hour (retired/furlough life is not so bad!) and then it was my night to make dinner. We had a low-key evening and sent the troops off to bed. There were big cabin plans for the next day - because it had been like a day since we were at a lake!

Strong End to Our Up North Break

We were planning to stay up north until Saturday, which also happened to be Gma's birthday. But for the second year in a row, Mother Nature did not have Mother Johnson in mind and threw us a curve ball. Friday's weather was spectacular, but an ice and snow storm was supposed to blow in early Saturday. After a lot of thought and some repair work on the snowmobile trailer to get the running lights working, we decided to leave late Friday afternoon - after the Grinch Trail. Unfortunately, that meant bailing out before Gma's birthday.

While not the same, Auntie and I walked down to the grocery store that morning to grab a birthday cake and some flowers. Then we had an impromptu celebration at lunch - because you guys, Grandma is pretty awesome. After lunch, we finished packing up and I promised Quinn that I'd take her to the rink by Gma and Gpa's to skate. All the kids wanted to go, so Mike told me that he'd drop us (and all the gear) off and then head back to load up.

Instead, the call of the ice was too much for him and he ended up skating with us. (For the record, I totally knew that would happen.) The rink was in perfect condition, and for most of the time, it was just our little family out there. We had so much fun skating around together. And enjoyed our group giggle as we had to make a quick stop on the way home to retrieve the puck Mike had shot into the street.

After skating, we got ready to head out to my cousin Harry and his partner Brenda's house for the annual Grinch Trail. Otto, Hux, Milo, and Beau were there, as well as Brenda's three grandkids (who are about the same age as our kids). It was a great crew and having so many kids makes it even more fun! The big kids were such good helpers to the littles - and we are in the perfect age zone. Even though Leighton and Fiona are 9, it's still as magical for them as for the littler ones. [Mike missed the trail as he ran back to my parents' house to load everything up. You know, since it didn't load itself while we skated.]

First up was Present Valley, where all the kids picked presents out of the trees. Then we entered Grinch Woods, where the Grinch had hidden the presents he stole from under the Christmas trees. Each of the kids had a bigger present to find in the woods. We discovered a paper cutout of the Grinch in the woods, which made the group laugh. Then, as we exited the woods, there was The Grinch (or Harry in a Grinch mask). Milo was not a fan, until he realized it was his Uncle Harry. Our kids thought it was great fun. We finished up the trail with a stroll through Candy Cane Forest ... and words cannot describe the number of candy canes at my house right now.

After the trail, we went into Harry and Brenda's house so the kids could check out their loot. Then we grabbed a delicious dinner of sloppy joes, hot chocolate, and goodies before hitting the road. The rest of the kids were just starting to watch the original Grinch movie and our kids were NOT happy about missing out. We ran back to Gma and Gpa's to get Yogi, the trailer, empty tanks and put on pjs, and buckle in for the long trek home.

The roads were perfect. The kids were near perfect. I yelled at them for the first time (either direction) when we were less than 10 minutes from home. And it was a one-time yell. I will take it! We got home just before 9pm and unloaded enough to put the kids to bed. I give them credit for being real troopers - because their Santa presents were under our tree and we told them they could not open them until the next morning. There was not a word of complaint.

After we put them to bed, Mike and I unloaded everything into the basement. Where we couldn't see it and could deal with it later. Despite the knowledge of Santa presents, the kids even slept in a bit Saturday morning and we got up with them so they could open. Everyone was delighted. Except Yogi and me - who almost died when we went out on the deck to let him out. It was such a skating rink. We ended up going out through the garage because I was honestly positive we would both fall down the stairs.

Moral of the story: Good thing we didn't test Mother Nature. Driving home on Saturday would have been terrible!

Break Is Still Going Strong

We planned to meet up with Anna and the cousins at the Children's Museum the day after Christmas. But when we all pulled into the parking lot, we realized that it wasn't open. Anna laughed and claimed it was her second year in a row of things not being open. I maintain it was her second year in a row of having a back up plan that was even more fun than the original! She promises that she'll mess up a plan next Christmas so we can have another great time.

Mike dropped the kids and me off at Anna's (the back up plan) and while six cousins ran around, laughed, played, and pulled out every toy in the house, Anna and I sat at her kitchen island with coffee and talked more than we have been able to in probably five years. So delightful. Since the kids were having so much fun, Anna made a quick lunch from them and Mike grabbed tacos for the tall people. Liv and Beau joined as well. We stayed there until early-mid-afternoon and then headed back to Gma and Gpa's for about an hour of downtime.

Then we were off again to the rink and sledding hill by Liv's house. The afternoon was a little chillier than we expected, but a few trips pulling short cousins up the sledding hill and we warmed right up. Quinn really really wanted to skate, so Mike skated with her while the rest of us sledded. The rink was right at the top of the sledding hill, so she could keep an eye on us - and Beau could watch her with rapt admiration.

The sledding hill was awesome and we didn't even have to yell "tree!" There were, nonetheless, good life skill development moments. Otto learned that it is not funny, and in fact quite painful, to intentionally stand in the path of a fast moving sled. Declan and Hux learned about momentum and that a fast-moving sled will run over a four-year-old cousin. Auntie's butt learned that going over jumps in your 30s can be bruisingly painful.

After dinner that night, we went on our annual moonlight walk in the woods with Gma, Gpa, and Auntie. We only had a sliver of a moon, which made the walk so dark (and really cool). We decided to not walk out on the lake this year as the wind had picked up and it would have been really cold. We did get in a few runs on the sledding path before we turned back ... and I don't even think D's sled hit a tree.

As usual, the kids got pulled in their sleds as we walked - but I think we are getting close to them self-propelling themselves. I'm sure it will be met with resistance - until they discover it's just as much fun and they can do more exploring. Of all the things we do over Christmas break, our walk in the woods is always one of the favorites. It's something I hope we are still doing when the kids are teenagers. And maybe pulling the rest of us on sleds!