We had a great weekend at the cabin. I had a family session on Friday and all the aunts and uncles took our boys on Saturday as we photographed a beautiful wedding in Ironton, but by Saturday night we were done with sessions and ready to stay up until 2am at the bonfire listening to ridiculous music and laughing. My children were up at 6am the next morning. When you're a parent there's always that heavy feeling there when you stay up late. You know you'll pay for it in the morning!
We took a few days to stay at the lake after the weekend was over. I spent half the day working inside and binging on a show called Scandal. Then I let myself off the hook in the afternoons and we spent most the time on the beach. It was Evan and I, the boys, and their Auntie Pam.
First, a grocery trip to Reeds for treats...
Then time to hit the beach....
That tongue. Every time.
Leo is pretty much kayaking on his own this year, but still wanted to go out far with daddy.
Auntie Pam took Leo up to Crosslake and they came back with pizza from Raffertys, gummies from the Chocolate Ox, Minnetonka Moccasins, a couple toys and fireworks. Can she be my aunt? Just kidding, she spoils me just as rotten.
We did some fireworks that evening in their pajamas and promised a late night of fireworks the next day.
The next day after I was done working, we took the boat over to The Dock Side at Breezy Point Resort. We had a beer and the kids drank kiddy cocktails. It was pretty nice. I kept thinking how Ben was actually old enough now where we can take him out to eat and just relax. He was staying in his seat! I'm not sure about other parents out there, but both my kids don't really like the sitting thing, especially in new places.
About 10 minutes later Ben decided to give me a reality check that he is 2 and a half and started walking around on the patio, which is essentially a dock. He kept edging closer and closer and soon enough the kid fell right in the water. My husband was already on alert and just a couple steps away. Before you know it, Evan is chest deep in the lake holding a crying Ben and the entire restaurant is looking at us. So much for that dream. Maybe next year.
Look at Leo the angel, sitting so nicely...
It was a little too embarrassing to stick around so we hopped back on the boat and headed straight for Gooseberry Island. Its so pretty there! It's our Caribbean. The kids loved it!
We came back to the cabin and decided to eat our dinner outside, which surprisingly is something we never do at the cabin. We were obsessed!
The kids could just run down to the beach with their dirty faces when the finished before us. No stopping mid meal to clean them off. We sat and sipped our wine and watched them play while we took our time to eat, which is a rare luxury with two little boys. We decided that heaven must be something similar. The beach, that light, the wine.
Ben has no regard for "private parts". The butt crack is always out. If he's playing on the beach and has to pee, he just pulls down his pants like a little boy would and enjoys watching how far it goes. This age is all about exploration and it's so much fun to watch.
As promised, the kids stayed up way past their bedtimes and had s'mores and fireworks.
It's been so much fun watching Leo this summer. He's just growing so fast! First there was this big growth spurt in the spring. We had to buy him new shoes and a new wardrobe as it seemed he just suddenly grew out of everything. Then his personality started blossoming more too. He started telling more stories and more jokes. Certain fears have gone away and he seems to be much more eager to try new things. He's riding his bike and with a couple weeks on the balance bike, I think those training wheels are coming off by next weekend! He's taking Karate classes once a week and will be in a one week summer camp mid-July that will take place at the Northland Arboretum. The camp is taught by the teachers at Discovery Woods Montessori school in Brainerd and will be concentrated on pond life, where they will catch frogs, tadpoles and study wetland habitats. I can't believe he'll be walking into his kindergarten class this fall! Why do parents continuously talk about how fast kids grow up? Because they seriously grow up so fast, its impossible not to constantly be blown away by them. I remember holding this boy as a brand new baby like it was yesterday. I couldn't love him more.
Star gazing is the best up here.
I love their little marshmallow faces in the light of these sparklers.
