Finally...Smokey Bear!

I finally got the boys to play with Smokey Bear! It is the Bass Tournament this weekend and we were downtown last night. I told the boys that they could climb and play on Smokey while we were there. I couldn't believe a couple of months ago that Parker asked me if they could play on Smokey someday. I hadn't realized the biggest landmark of our town had never been introduced to my kids. I must find the picture of me with Smokey and my babysitter from 1985.

I told the boys that when I was little I could fit through Smokey Bears feet. And of course they both tried and they both fit!
I think Parker was a little uncertain if he really could fit through...but was all smiles when he met me at the other side.

Emmitt wasn't really into going through, he just liked to crawl in the hole and stay there.

We'll go back today after Stephie's to jump in the bouncy playhouse, have another corn dog and see the weigh ins. Bear and I are signed on for date night tomorrow night, pouring beer at the Beer Gardens. It'll be fun to see everyone that came to town. Lots of our friends are fishing in the tournament, we scored tons of candy last night at the parade and are sure to have a fun weekend!

McCarthy State Beach Park: take 2

We thought we would give this camping adventure another try. Last year it was officially claimed a disaster. This year we were beginning to think it was going to follow suit but it turned out great!

The Leppers and the Olsons headed to McCarthy State Beach Park on a 3 day fun filled weekend. We sat up late around the campfire, swam, fished off the pier, played the newly learned game of Old Maid, made s'mores and roasted the biggest marshmallow I have ever seen.

The old 1979 Starcraft Camper proved once again to keep us dry. When the rain cloud would pass over the campground we would all scurry into the camper. The kids in one end with games and DVD's and the adults in the other end with a beverage and a game that involved taking each others money. We figured out last year that the adults have to be at the end of the camper with the hitch attached or it would tip over!

The fishing pier that I didn't even notice last year proved to be a little hot spot. Bear bought the boys a spiderman rod to "share" and a can of corn. Pete soon found out that you can rent poles for free for 4 hours at a time. He would be up and waiting for the place to open at 9 am each day so he could get his rod for the day. The kids were catching sunnys at the end of the dock. Once a Northern came out to eat the sunny off the hook. Parker was entertained for hours, Emmitt was not so sure he wanted the fish flopping around in his face. This year the Park offered Geocaching. We again, rented for free for 4 hours (I was praying it wouldn't take that long!) a GPS unit and went hunting for treasure. It really was fun. The kids didn't mind that the end was just a chained up box where they got to take a Red Squirrel trading card from. They loved it.
The little umbrella stroller we had to buy last year from Walmart proved to come in handy once again. Someday we will get to bring the kids' bikes and let them ride around on those.

We are definitely still learning this whole camping thing. We forget or need something we didn't bring and have to make a list and put it in the camper. But the boys keep getting easier and easier.

The weekend passed quickly but we had a great time. We spent a lot of time at the beach. The beach is still the most gorgeous one around. If you mention McCarthy to somebody, they always respond with "I was there as a kid" or "That's the one with the beach that goes on forever right?!".

Emma lost an earring in the lake and since it's so shallow us 4 members of the rescue crew were able to recover it post and back!

Happy 9th Anniversary

Happy 9th Anniversary to the One that I love.

Landmarks

We have managed to hit a few landmarks over the summer. In July The Chutes came visiting for a week. They had a jam packed week while staying in Kabetogama, but we managed to visit with them at their campground and at Sha-Sha.

I talked up the big Kab fish the whole ride down there but no way was anybody going to get on the thing once we arrived. I taked a nice tourist into taking our picture by the fish.

I had told Parker that the people we were going to visit were actually his cousins and aunt and uncle. This is where the family tree got a little confusing to him. We have pictures up of Paul, Erika and the kids, AJ and Anna, but he couldn't really place them. When I tried to explain further that this family was related because of Papa Dave he got it a little bit more. Then all he cared about was whether or not he could give his cousins a big hug when he saw them!
Anna and Parker will both be 5 this Fall. They are just 6 weeks apart. They played together great when we were visiting. It took some convincing that we would indeed see them again sometime, but the fact that we couldn't put a timeline on it made it difficult.

Little Miss Anna. What a doll. She was so fun to watch. A girl about the same age as Parker is something we are used to. But just seeing her perform gymnastic routines for us or talk to us with her little accent were something new and fun.

The kids had fun at Sha Sha just running around for the ever elusive chipmunks. The cage was a first for my two. When we parted ways there were a few tears from the kids because all they wanted to do was play more. And a few from the adults because it is just so good to see them all from so far away. Until the next time...

Kabekona Lake Weekend

Last weekend we spent 3 fun filled days in the sun on Lake Kabekona. It was a fabulous weekend getaway for my family and I. We met up with my girls from college. It was the Chicago trip girls, but this time we invited the guys, kids and dogs.
The weather overall was beautiful. If it rained we went inside for games, movies and snacks. If it was sunny out, we were in the water or on the dock. It was basically free child care-put your kid in a life jacket and let them play on the beach while we enjoyed an adult beverage or two. Or three. My boys got braver and braver as the weekend went on. Parker was jumping into the water off of anything he could. The dock, the paddle boat, daddy's shoulders.
Emmitt had to warm up to the idea of being in the water. He was deathly afraid of the minnows in the shallow end but quickly got over the fear. I'll take full blame for that one. Parker was the leech magnet of the weekend and I made anybody but me pull them off of him. He was a trooper when they were on him though. I would have panicked much more.
We had a campfire going the entire weekend. Mainly to keep warm by when needed and to also dry out our swim gear over and over. All the kids loved throwing pine cones, sticks and other brush in the fire. We had to make the banana boat s'mores and the traditional s'mores over the fire. The kids were a sticky mess but enjoyed all of the sweet treats.
Saturday was sunny and gorgeous for most of the day. The kids filled up tons of water balloons and had a great time tossing them at the adults.
Us four (of the original six) girls from St. Kates.
Carrie, Becky, Mahrya, Annie
Our guys
Sean, Bear, Nick, Andy
We hope to make this an annual summer trip. The main cabin provided us with all the luxuries we needed to make our weekend a little bit easier. The guest cabin proved to be the perfect spot for all of our families. The weather was beautiful, the kids played well together, the adults got to catch up on the times...what a fabulous vacation.