Shores of Superior

There are a lot of pretty terrific places in the world.  We happen to think Lake Superior is one of those places.

Our annual camping trip offered picture-perfect, end of the summer weather.  We didn't even need winter hats...which unfortunately is not a joke.

We followed paths to nowhere.

Discovered questionable signs, which were either brilliantly scribed or a serious mistake.

Enjoyed some Vitamin D.

And went "swimming".

Coupled with great, "healthy" camping food and some terrific sunsets, a great way to enjoy our weekend and the end of summer.

Until next year Split Rock....

The Start of Something

The first day of school is filled with excitement.  I was greeted at 5.50am this morning by one blond 2nd grader in anticipation of her big day.  We went through approximately 4 outfit changes and 2 hairdos before she was ready to go out the door.

The older one was more decisive.  One outfit, one hairdo, waking up 1 hour before she needed to.  I love that they are so different.

This first day of school is the culmination of a whirlwind of a month.  At one point our family was spread as far as almost humanly possible.  With Joe in Uganda, the girls in Virginia and myself in Minnesota, we were spread far and each had our own experiences.  Joe's experiences are by far the most unique, but I'm convinced that the girls experiences were just as impactful on their young lives. Seeing parts of the country they had never seen before.

Photo credit for the Kansas Photos - Grandpa

And "driving" things they had not before.

There were so many great experiences for which I am thankful. Time with both sets of grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Amazing.  Somehow it all works out, and the most challenging part is explaining exactly what your family is doing "this summer".  Full disclosure: At the end of August it was a little amusing to get the full reaction of saying "Africa, Virginia, Minnesota, Work, Family, School and Work".

I am fully expecting - and looking forward to - an equally amusingly illogical year that will show blessings we cannot comprehend.

Water Effect

On a recent vacation to visit family in Virginia, I had a realization.  Water brings out a special personality in my family.  While not scientifically validated, I believe there may be truth to this for not only my family but others as well.  Take a look...

It even affected the larger people.

Perhaps it's the crazy Minnesota winters that makes us, well, crazy.  But I think water has a similar, albeit happier, effect.

Let's hope this happiness last well into next year.

Measuring Stick

There is often a measuring stick in someone's home.  This particular stick, or doorway, or other marking device can be used to measure the growth of the children in the house.  This is our stick:

Almost every trip back home to Virginia is marked by a hike up to White Oak Canyon.

Looking back through the photo albums you can see the growth of the kids over the years.

And while seeing them grow so fast is mind-boggling, seeing their growth compared to slower growing, slower moving, items is even more mind-blowing.

A beautiful, cool August morning allowed us to experience this trip once more.

And allowed us another opportunity to be silly and laugh about it all - so much fun to hike with them.

Enjoying these moments while they last.

First Tri

Combining swimming, biking and running seems like a crazy idea - for adults - although I do respect triathletes and may put myself through the experience at some point. For kids, the triathlon is a brilliant idea. Kids have seemingly limitless energy, and if they are my kids, love swimming, biking and running. So when Blaine advertised their first annual kids tri, I signed up Linnea.  She was a great sport, especially since I think she was signed up before we asked her...

Overall is was a great experience.  Swimming in a lake in July? Check.

Biking around a lake? Check.

 Running around a lake? Double check.

So proud of this kid.  She did amazing!  The downside?  She decided it was super fun, and training with me was fun....so looks like I need to get in better shape to keep up.  

Can't wait until the next one.

The Battle

We enjoyed a weekend with the Minnesota state bird, or mid-west state bird, the Mosquito.  While we put up a great fight, utilizing all of the chemical weaponry available, ultimately the great bird, coupled with the "wettest June in history" thwarted our plans for a wonderful weekend of camping at Wild River State Park. So we only camped for 1 night, alas, it was a very nice 1 night, 2 day experience.

Unlike our typical "road less traveled" approach, we opted for the paved trails...to optimize our chances of defending against said Mosquito.  Actually, it's plural, mosquitoes, and then exponentially multiplied.  There were a lot of them. Ask Willow.

And so we sat by the fire. A lot. Because, Mosquitoes do not like fire and smoke. Which sparked some great conversation and silliness.

Cool finding? An old log sled. Seeing the steep cliffs down to the river, I felt for the horses or oxen that must have pulled the sled. Not enough mosquitoes to move this one.

Ultimately, we decided this was probably a great park any other time of the year.  Winter? Check. Fall? Check. Spring? Check.  Summer....not so much. As a side note, these photos were taken when it was 85 degrees.  The long sleeves and pants = mosquito battle-gear.

Despite our pests, we still had a great time and had two children with smiles on their faces, one even curious. "Mama, what good do Mosquitoes do on earth?". Hmmm, I'm still searching for the answer to that one.

Mosquitoes =1, Normans = 0....until next time.