The Last of the Last Summer Weekend

Labor Day morning, the girls and I got ready for the day and then took off on a fun date with Gma. It was really a girls and Gma date, but I was invited to tag along. Meanwhile, Dec talked Mike and Gpa into a few games of darts and some wiffleball in the yard. I suspect he didn't have to work very hard to sell that plan. 

Kinda like the purple sequined sweatshirt that Fiona found. I told her "no way" and before the hanger could even go back on the rack, it was Gma to the rescue. To be fair to Gma, Fiona wears it a ton. To be fair to me, it is a purple sequined sweatshirt that weighs a million pounds ... and someone has to wash it. 

Then after lunch, we headed out to Auntie Tracey's for one more lake day. It was a beautiful, sunny day ... but not overly warm for swimming. Nonetheless, Q and D hopped in the water. And then hopped right back out. And then stared at it longingly because they really wanted to swim more but dang, it was not warm. So they settled on some paddleboarding and kayaking. Dec made the best of lake season this year ... with his first day of swimming on May 1 and his last ( maybe ... will he swim in Lake Michigan on fall break later this month???) day on September 6!

Fiona decided she was not interested in the cold water, but happily chilled out in the sun on the pontoon. Once Quinn and Dec were done in the water, we all hopped on the pontoon (five Vs, Auntie Tracey, Nate, and Gpa V) for a boat ride around the lake. It was the perfect day to be on the lake! I was so glad the kids had a weird school start and we could take advantage of the holiday like that. 

Once our boat ride was over, the kids were done in the lake - so they talked Nate into letting them drive his go kart. Mike rode with them a few times, and then ... we let the girls drive it on their own. It was both exciting and terrifying. Fiona delights in being a daredevil. Quinn is very precise and rule-oriented. Neither Mike nor I can remember if we let Dec drive on his own (this is the drawback of blogging a month after the fact). The responsible side of me wants to say that we didn't. The Vacation Mom side of me thinks it could have happened. The blog world may never know. Unless Auntie Tracey remembers ...

Then the next day, we pointed the car south and headed home. It was a quick trip, but just what we needed to mark the end of summer! Since I didn't go back to work until Thursday, the kids and I were able to get us settled back in, prepped for school, and ready to kick off fall. **And make a ton of marinara sauce and salsa while we were at it!

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: Part IV

Monday morning came with more hot weather and blue skies. Which obviously meant another day in the lake. [Day 4 - if you are counting] This time, however, we headed out to see Auntie Tracey, Uncle Kyle, and Nate. With a bonus visit from Gpa V. 

Monday was also my night to cook dinner. The family voted for brown sugar ribs (I'm turning into quick the one-trick pony. I swear I can make other things), mostly because we figured we could trick Gpa V into coming for dinner if ribs were on the menu. We even sweetened the deal with Grandma's potato salad.

Spoiler alert: it totally worked! So before we headed to Auntie Tracey's house, I got everything prepped and left instructions for my mom so she could toss the ribs in the oven for me. 

I can't decide if it was more fun watching the kids play in the lake - or listening to Nate laugh while he watched the kids play in the lake. Mike and Dec couldn't wait to play on the jet ski and then Q happily got in on the action. In typical tween fashion, it took Fiona a bit to warm up to things ... but once she did, she was all in and had the best time playing with her sister. It's a fine balance these days - between respecting her opinions and feelings. And gently pushing her to do things that we know she will enjoy. It's possible that I forced her to get on the jet ski with her dad. And it's also possible that she loved it. 

[It's also possible that Mike and I went on a wild jet ski ride together, caught some air off the wake, and both said "ow, my hip!" when we landed ... allegedly] 

Auntie Tracey is pure evil and gave Dec a gigantic squirt gun that he tortured everyone with for the afternoon (except for Auntie Tracey. Come to think of it, maybe she's an evil genius). Gpa V was just as entertained as Nate, watching the squirt gun dodging and the dock jumping. So much fun to spend a few hours together. We just wish we could have seen Ben too!

Near dinner time, we headed back to Gma and Gpa's house with Quinn riding with Gpa V to help him navigate. Auntie Emmy joined us for dinner and it's safe to say we all ate way too much. So the only obvious thing to do after that was to go down the hill to Auntie's for s'mores. Gpa came with and we got to visit with him around the fire. We were also joined by my cousin Parker and his wife Maggie - and Parker's dad Brad and his wife Cheryl, who were all up visiting from Texas.

After we put Gpa on the road back to Duluth, we walked back up the hill for bed (and left the party going at Auntie's). Four days in a row in the lake was exhausting!

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." 

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!

Last Summer Trip

Seems fitting on our last official day of "summer" (where it was 46 degrees for a high), I blog about [the start of] our final adventure for Summer 2020. We took advantage of my second week of furlough to take one last trip north - to see the lake and the woods and the grandparents - before schools starts and we marinate in the germs of public education. 

Getting ready for furlough (followed by a week of vacation) was no joke and I ended up working until almost 11pm Friday night - before they cut of my access at 11:59pm. Because of the late night, we were slow moving on Saturday morning. 

Thankfully we still managed to get ourselves packed and organized by shortly after lunchtime. We had always planned for a pretty flexible schedule on Saturday (knowing I would be working up until the last minute), which helped mitigate the packing stress. The kids were good helpers and traffic was amazing. We made it doorstep to doorstep in exactly 3 hours. That is nearly impossible to do ... a personal record by far! Mike had to go to the bathroom for the last hour, but we were making such good time that he just held it. He did ask if his eyes were yellow when we pulled into Gma and Gpa's driveway!

Saturday night was perfectly low-key with our favorite pizza, a fire in the yard, s'mores, and some outside time to get our energy. The kids settled in really well and were delighted to be back at Gma and Gpa's! They didn't seem terribly sad to have us back either (although if we keep staying for nearly a week when we come, they are probably going to start to wonder if we'll ever leave). 

Sunday was our Summer Send-off day at McAvity Lake with Auntie Tracey and the crew. Gpa V came over from Duluth too, so we got to see the whole gang. It was a really windy day, so even though it was low 70s, it definitely did not feel summery and hot. The kids all jumped in the lake, as did Mike. In his clothes. The casualty of my late night before packing was that I forgot Mike and my swimsuits. Turns out, we didn't need them. According to my sources, the water was cold! The kids took their final rides on Becky the Bull and then we talked Uncle Kyle into a pontoon ride around the lake. While not great swimming weather, it was fantastic boating weather!

After we were done at the lake, the kids decided to explore Auntie's yard. Quinn surfed on they hammock, they used the hammock as a wrestling mat, and Dec charmed Auntie out of some snacks. They got Nate to get out his go-kart and Mike gave everyone rides. Then ... he taught all of them how to drive. That was a somewhat terrifying adventure to both experience IN the go-kart and watch from the sidelines. Uncle Kyle got a ride with each of the new drivers as well. His assessment was that Bugs was the craziest driver (backed with skill), Dec was the next craziest (with less skill), and Quinn was all about method and taking the corners to shave time (precision driver!). 

We had the best day seeing our people and the kids really enjoyed the freedom to explore. We ended the day with dinner and the blueberry pie that Q and Gma had made. 

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.

Mille Lacs Cabin: Glaciers and Oceans

Monday was our last full day at the Mille Lacs cabin. We woke up to cool, windy weather. It did not look like a great day to be in the lake. But we definitely wanted to DO something. So we all decided to check out the second nearby state park. Kathio State Park was about 30 minutes away, on the other side of the lake. We grabbed an early lunch and headed out.

I had done some internet research that morning, reading reviews and suggestions about the hiking trails. We stopped to grab a couple park maps and pulled off into the first parking lot to take a peek. That parking lot was the trailhead for the Glacier Ridge trail. Mike suggested we do that 1.2 mile loop. I suggested that we drive all the way in to the Landmark Trail and the Observation Tower, which is what the Internet People suggested. 

The Landmark Trail was pretty "meh." It was a nice enough path that they clearly have spent a lot of time on. There were trail signs with information about the history of the park every 100 yards or so. [The level of enthusiasm on the information and amount of signs varied greatly within the group.] There were wild raspberries growing along the edge of the trail and the enthusiasm for picking and eating those was universal. After we finished that loop, we drove over to see the Observation Tower ... which is apparently closed indefinitely. Basically, the Internet People let me down.

We decided to check out the Glacier Ridge trail on our way out - just to see if it was any better. The kids were kinda over it, so we promised them that we didn't have to do the whole loop. We'd just go until we all wanted to be done. They were good with that.

Fun facts about the Glacier Ridge Trail. #1: No one believes it was 1.2 miles. Maybe 2(ish). #2: Trails that are rustic and full of mud and roots and bridges are WAY more fun. #3: Holding the gummy worms bag in the middle of the woods will make all the mosquitoes swarm you. #4: Having more adults than children during a NOT 1.2 mile hike is the way to go - when you aren't sure how much farther to go and short legs need a piggy back ride.

It took us almost two hours to do the loop, but it really was so much fun. Quinn had the best time being the trail leader for the majority of the walk. Fiona did a fantastic job calling back warnings for mud and roots and bridges. It was a super narrow trail that typically required us to walk single file. The good news was that other than one other set of three people, it was just us out there (such lovely social distancing). 

By the time the kids said they were tired and wanted to turn back, we told them we were just as close to finishing the loop as turning around (looking back, this was false. But not intentionally false). They did such a great job hanging in there. They each got a couple short piggyback rides near the end, but no one was whining or complaining. They just needed a few minutes to rest their legs. 

By the time we got out, we were a hot and sweaty group. We could not wait to get back to the cabin and jump in the lake. Gma wanted to stop at the quilt shop on the way back, so Auntie joined our car for a direct path to the cabin/lake. We had forgotten how windy it was on the east side of the lake. We got out at the cabin and every one of us took a look at the waves and the wind gusts and said "nope" to the lake. Luckily Gpa had stopped at DQ on the way back, so we ate dilly bars instead.

We all kept looking at the lake that afternoon and feeling sad that we weren't going to get one more dip. After dinner, the girls begged Mike to go in with them. You guys, it was not warm and it was so windy that there were legit white caps on the waves. But Mike told them okay - and told me that I had to go in too (we need multiple adults for these "ocean" waves). Then Dec decided he might as well try too. Auntie was heading home that night because she had to work the next day, so she offered to be a spotter on the dock.

Mike and I were not looking forward to it. We figured everyone would last five minutes and be freezing. We could not have been more wrong. It was so.much.fun. Probably the most fun we had all weekend! The waves were huge (several broke over D's head. And Mike's head), but they were such a blast to jump in. We were all screaming and shrieking and squealing. Eventually D had to go to the bathroom, so Auntie offered to take him. When they came back out, Auntie had her suit on too. It was too much for her to resist!

Quinn and Dec got pretty cold after a while, but Fiona hung in there for quite a while. Mike plays to an audience and was doing his own wave-riding tube routine that had Fiona breaking down in belly laughs. Even when she finally got out because she was so cold, she sat on the dock, wrapped in towels, laughing at her dad. Gma and Gpa couldn't decide if Mike's antics or Fiona's laughter were funnier!

We sent Auntie home, tucked the kids in bed, and started organizing all the remaining stuff. We had to be out before lunchtime on Tuesday morning. It was such a great weekend and just the very best family and adventure time! Like I said before, we are so grateful that the stars aligned for us to take these days together.

Mille Lacs Cabin: Wakeboarding and State Park #1

Our first full day at the cabin was a great combination of fun in the sun and relaxing in the cabin. Quinn enjoyed the supply of card games and board games (even beating Gpa at Go Fish!), Dec enjoyed the fact that there was a Wii with a Mario baseball game (even beating Daddy once!), and Fiona enjoyed curling up on the couch with Gma to read their books. Everyone enjoyed the fact that there was a ping-pong table - and there were several cutthroat games (Auntie will be mad if I don't mention that she beat both Mike and Grandpa)!

Grandpa brought his boat - so we got it in the water on Saturday (there was a boat lift on the dock, so we could leave it in the lake for the weekend). Mike discovered a wakeboard in the shed, so decided he wanted to try it that afternoon. Behind a fishing boat. Having not wakeboarded in probably two decades. Fact: Mike is annoyingly good at hard things and he ended up getting up several times. He also wiped out spectacularly a few times and made Grandma very worried. Dec was suitably impressed with his dad! I was both impressed and relieved that he did not pull, strain, or break anything!

The water was fairly wavy (although compared to Monday, it was nothing), so we blew up a bunch of floaties and rode the waves! The kids enjoyed two dips in the lake on Saturday as they campaigned heavily for another night swim. I had made chicken fajitas and queso for everyone for dinner, so we were very happy to swim off our very full bellies! Then we filled them back up with s'mores around the fire. Quinn asked to sleep in the extra bedroom upstairs instead of the loft, which seemed to work really well for her. After a busy day, bedtime was much smoother.

Then on Sunday, we ate an early lunch and then ventured about 15 minutes away to Father Hennepin State Park to do some hiking. Auntie and I purposely wore matching outfits (we had unintentionally purchased the same shirt from Old Navy while in quarantine) - so the kids jokingly went to her for all mom-related topics. I did not mind! We checked out a couple trails, grabbed a snack, and wandered through the campground. The trails were fine, but they weren't that exciting. Other than going out to the point where we could skip some rocks on the lake and finding a giant rock to climb. 

When we got back to the cabin, Quinn, Dec, Mike, and I played Life. That game is WAY MORE complicated than we remembered and D lost interest halfway through (I took over for him). Unsurprisingly, Quinn won. But Dec/I gave her a literal run for her money. After game break, we jumped back into the lake (are you sensing a theme?). 

The kids lost interest pretty quickly because Fiona had found a baby mouse up on the patio. Mike, Em, and I were out enjoying the waves when I noticed some suspicious behavior ... so sent Gma up there to stop the children from trying to catch the poor mouse. Fiona was pretty proud that the ramp she made helped the mouse get out of the fire pit.

It was a busy day, so after dinner, we did a movie night to chill out. The kids decided to rewatch Candleshoe - and as always, the best part is watching Declan during the final "battle" scene. It was the perfect low-key way to end a couple of busy days!