This was my view today.
I know I’ve taken similar pictures in the past, but I love this view so much. It is such a relaxing place to be, especially after the last six months. I’m grateful Jake’s grandma is willing to give us the opportunity to vacation here. This summer we were able to bring friends with us. The kids are having so much fun. And it’s only day 1!
Here’s my evening view.
We met friends at a local lake today. There is shade to sit in and watch the kids play on the beach or in the water. It was a great place to be on a hot day.
Shecklet #2 let Shecklet #1 bury him in the sand.
Five of us came home from the lake Monday night. Shecklet #3 stayed two more days and hung out with her cousin. From the sounds of it, they spent A LOT of time in the water, visited the candy store in town, and had a great time playing and laughing.
Jake drove up this afternoon to pick her up (and bring our kayaks to the lake.) Her cousins left earlier in the afternoon, so she got to spend a few hours one-on-one with Grandma Lois. They went to A&W for dinner, had a visit from Jake’s aunt and uncle who live in the area, and had some much needed down time.
Jake took a day off of work (but did get on two video calls) so we could spend the day at the lake. The kids had a blast hanging out with some of their cousins and visiting Great Grandma Lois.
I took three of the Shecklets things Nissedalen today while Jake stayed home and worked on the truck with the help of Shecklet #2. Between spotting tubing kids and listening to giggles as they swung in hammocks, I did get to do a little reading – not much, but a little. This place is so relaxing. I’m grateful we got to spend so many Saturdays up here during our brief summer break from school and schedules.
Time for a little art project as summer winds down. The Shecklets and I each picked out a pottery piece to paint. Shecklet #2 spent nearly 2 hours taping lines in his llama before he could even start painting! We are all looking forward to seeing the finished products – after being fired and glazed with a clear coat.
This kid got braces on today! Expected timeline is two years, which means he will hopefully get them off before he starts high school. (Yikes, did I just type that? 😬)
We spent the day at Nissedalen with over 40 family members. The weather was fantastic, the food was tasty, and the memories we made were plentiful. I love that my kids get to experience the gift of having a large extended family. There’s always someone to talk to, play with, or laugh alongside. And to think – this is just a portion of the family!
One thing that I enjoyed watching (this year especially,) was the way that Jake’s younger cousins (who are now all adults) have taken an interest in showing my kids how to do certain things – helping them ski, how to safely use a gun at the shooting range, as well as taking the time to talk with them and ask about their interests.
Here are the rest of the photos from Cousins’ Day and the shooting range the day before.
Jake’s cousin, Jess, let the guys ride up north with her on Friday AM. I followed the next day with the girls.
It’s a day past the last day of school, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate the start of summer vacation! 😎 The kids always request Cherry Berry to cap off a year of hard work.
