High Five for Friday (7.16.21)

 

One

After the 4th of July, our almost-week at the Lodge included a 40th birthday celebration for Tom, pulling/chopping down a few trees, building a new flagpole (from one of the trees that came down), lounging on the lake, tubing, fishing, playing disc golf and ladder ball, baking cakes and lemon bars and brownies and cookies, making s'mores, and indulging in both an authentic crab boil and a traditional Wisconsin Friday night (on Thursday) fish fry. 

                                           

The Lincoln Lodge is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit, and I always wish our stays were longer. 

I vividly remember coming here when Will and Hallie were little. When we had to watch them like hawks to make sure they didn't wander down to the lake, when our mornings and afternoons and evenings were structured around making sure they napped and slept well at night, when we had to bring pack-n-play cribs and bouncy chairs to keep them contained as well as toys and games and activities to keep them occupied, when we had to plan meals around what Will could eat, when I had a different kind of job that required me to go into town and work for hours a few times a week so I wouldn't fall too far behind. Those trips were harder...less vacation-like...in many ways, and I LOVE being here at the Lodge with them as big kids who are independent and self-sufficient and a part of just about everything that the adults are doing. But what I wouldn't give to rewind and start over with them as little bits. Everything about this year's trip has reminded me that babies just don't keep.   

Two

On my dad's birthday we drove south from Minocqua to Madison so we could celebrate with him. The boys played a great round of disc golf (where we also said a quick hello to my aunt and uncle who had been in Madison but were on their way out of town), and then we all met at the Union for popcorn, lemonade, and beer by the lake. We wrapped up the evening with an Italian dinner out and Chocolate Shoppe ice cream in. 

The following day we continued the celebration - now also celebrating Tom's 40th birthday as well - with presents as well as raspberry rhubarb pie (my dad grew both the raspberries and rhubarb himself), pecan coconut chess pie, and a wacky cake. 

Three

When not celebrating birthdays, we had a great weekend catching up after 18 MONTHS with my parents as well as my sister, bro-in-law, niece, and nephew. I took almost no pictures...

Making lemonade.

Will and Gramps playing in the weekly neighborhood pick-up
soccer game. It's fun to see this group of guys - Will, a couple
of older teens, a few in their 30s, and a bunch in their 50s, 60s,
and 70s - play together. The group let Will play when he was 12,
and it was cool to see them welcome him back two years later.

Listening to Gramps playing his ukelele on the back porch while I
enjoyed my morning coffee. The weather here has been amazing.

Four

Summer hair, don't care. 

Except I care a little, because it is OUT OF
CONTROL. It makes him happy though, so
I'm letting it make me happy too.

Five

Tux LOVED spending the first 12 or so days of the month with Kaylee (definitely his favorite person outside of our immediate family and probably his third favorite person overall behind Will and Tom), but he was so happy to see Tom when he made it home earlier this week. Leaving Tux is one of the hardest parts about our summer travels, but it gives us great peace of mind knowing that Kaylee (and her mama, my friend Mandi) takes such good care of him in our absence.

Happy weekend, friends!