MN Summer - Week 5 (Part 2)

Sun - Jace and I went to pick up Rylee from her sleepover and she didn't want to leave (good sign!) so we hung out there for a while, then we brought Maddie back to the resort with us since the girls weren't ready to be apart!

They played on the slip and slide...

and did crafts.

We took Maddie home after dinner since a storm was rolling in.  It did quite a lot of damage all over the area, but our property fared pretty well.  My parents had just had all the dead trees limbed and cut down so that probably helped.  After my Dad walked the property he did discover one tree that split and was hung up kind of high.  He told my Mom that he and our neighbor were going to get some ladders and get after it.  My Mom almost lost it, but then she realized he was just kidding! Lol!

Mon - my Mom taught Rylee and I how to embroider (we both love it!), Rylee had dance, that night Rylee went with Laurie to Maddie's ice skating lesson and out to Caribou Coffee after (she loved her time with the girls)

MN Summer - Week 5 (Sleepover)

Sat - the kids and I hung out with the cousins in the afternoon, then I left Rylee there for her 1st ever sleepover!

 Rylee had the best time.  The kids spent the evening on the lake: riding the hotdog...

...jumping off the trampoline and swimming until almost 9 pm.

They had S'mores and watched TV until 10:30 pm.

Since Rylee was going to be gone, I left Jace with my parents and went out with Sara.  We went to Brainerd for a quick errand, then hit the shops in Nisswa.  Afterwards, we drove up to Crosslake for a lakeside dinner at Manhattan Beach.  It was a delightful evening!  On the drive home, we happened upon a sky full of lanterns.  We pulled over to watch them light and launch them.  Not as many as the scene from "Tangled," but they were beautiful just the same.

MN Summer - Week 5 (Part 1)

Tues - Jon golfed, we spent the day/evening with the cousins

The kids enjoyed playing on their floaties...

The girls tried canoeing for the first time.

It started out well...

...but ended with them being towed back in by Grandpa Chip (no surprise there!).

It wasn't a total disaster, Rylee even came up with another use for her paddle.  :)

Wed - Jon & Rylee went fishing (no keepers), Jace had a fever so he and I stayed home, but Jon & Rylee went hiking with the cousin crew, relaxing dinner and movie for Jon's last night (the kids spent the night cuddled up with their Dad in pretty much the same position they started his trip out with)

Thurs - dropped Jon off at the airport in the am, took Jace to the doctor while Rylee went to her summer reading program, lazy sick day

Fri - I left the kids with Papa so I could go garage sale-ing with Mom and her crew (Jeanne & Karen), both kids were ecstatic with our finds (they LOVE garage sale loot!), Rylee spent some time outdoors on the slip and slide

MN Summer - Week 4 (Part 2)

Fri - day with the cousins, Gaga and Papa babysat the kids so Jon & I could attend his 20th class reunion and street dance afterwards.  We stayed out till midnight.  That's pretty rare if it isn't New Year's Eve.  :)

Sat - was the 4th of July.  We started with the parade...

...then spent the day with cousins, came back to the resort for dinner with my parents, plus Howard & Lil, and Don & Jan.  As for the fireworks: Jace chose to go to bed, Lilly and I watched them from the parking lot and Jon & Rylee watched them from the boat with the cousins.  I'm pretty sure this was Rylee's first time seeing them from the boat - she loved it!

Sun - Jon golfed in the morning, the 4 of us had lunch and spent the afternoon with Matt & Val, dinner with my parents + Howard & Lilly, pontoon ride, fireworks (Howard's big show)

*During the beautiful pontoon ride, Howard and Lilly rescued a dragonfly from the lake (he was tangled in some weeds and drowning).  He needed to dry his wings so we got to see him upclose and personal.

Mon - after Rylee's dance/gymnastics lesson we took the kids to a new bounce house place in Brd. (Jace finally conquered his fear of bounce houses!  He loved it.  Now if I could only get him to ride the carousel...), fish fry with my parents

MN Summer - Week 4 (Part 1)

Tues - Jon's flight was delayed so we spent the afternoon/evening with the cousins before heading over to pick Jon (and Rio) up.  As you can see, the kids were pretty excited to see their Dad.  :)

Wed - we spent the day (and evening) with the cousins having lake fun

with Ben

with Maddie

with Nick

Thurs - was the first day of Rylee's summer reading program at the library (it's the first year she's been old enough to participate), then we spent the day with the cousins

Jace was excited to get in the water, but only lasted about 2 minutes!

Rylee got brave enough to jump off the dock this year....

She even jumped off the raft!

That night we all went to Rafferty's to celebrate Aunt Laurie's birthday (we celebrated a day early since Jon's class reunion was the next night).

MN Summer - Week 3

Tues - I took the kids to see Inside Out (Jace's first movie theater experience!), Big Grandpa Bob visit

Wed - storyhour at the library, playdate with Chelsie & the boys (Frankie, Will, & Louie), dinner at Rafferty's with Gaga and Papa

Thurs - Rylee & Meg day: after Rylee's dance class, I took the girls to the waterpark for the afternoon

Fri - coffee with Penney, Mom and I shopped at Ruttger's, Sara came over for dinner and visiting

Sat - Gaga, Jace and I had our hair cut in Aitkin (Rylee came along too), visit with Darlene, Kayleen's graduation party

Sun - roadtrip to Duluth for Ian's graduation party

Mon - playtime in the cabin (aka Clubhouse #8), Rylee's dance

MN Summer - Week 2 (Part 2)

Sun - was Father's Day.  Papa opened his gifts and we had a delicious brunch.

Later the kids played outside on the slip and slide.  The hill makes it extra slidey.  

Howard came up to the cabin for the day so we had a nice dinner with him and a pontoon ride to cap off the day. 

Mon - Rylee & Jace's doctor appts/errands in Brd

That night we watched a horse movie so the kids had to get their cowgirl...

... and cowboy on!

Giddy up!