Skip to main content

Honeymoon But With Kids: Cottage for the Labor Day Weekend

As we did 10 years ago, we ended this trip at the cottage. We cleaned out our car and shared stories from all of our adventures with mom and dad.

The kids were excited to show them their souvenirs. 

They got some really cool stuff.


We were excited to see Daniel come along with Blake this time, even if he doesn't like getting his picture taken. 

Since playing checkers the kids are obsessed with bored games. Theo was beating everyone in Snakes and Ladders. 

Or is it board games?

Day 16

Scott and I were still in the hiking mood. We convinced Blake and Daniel to join us at Franklin Lake. 

Well that was after Blake and Brooke couldn't come up with a place to hike. We hadn't been on this trail even though we've hiked in the area before.
 
Well that's because the guys had a long kayak adventure the day before and didn't want to do another big adventure today. 


The trail had numbered markers but there wasn't anything explaining what they meant. 

Blake and Brooke wanted to hike 10 more miles. Daniel and I were OK with a nice short hike.

I could have done the whole Butternut Lake loop but Daniel was done adventuring. 
 
Later I read it's 12 miles, so I guess maybe not. 

Team Daniel for the win.



We couldn't figure out what this random stone building was for. We might have to go the ranger station to see if they have a booklet. 

Back at the car the informational display called it a mystery building. That did not solve the question.

Back at the cottage the kiddos were enjoying a lazy day by the lake.

Then we went for a pontoon ride. This is my, "I'm pretty sure you need to check your focus," out of focus face.

I really want to canoe here. 

Like, do we get towed here first?
 
No silly, you get in at the boating landing on Lower Ninemile Lake. 


I was happy to hand the reigns back to Mr. Mike. I didn't realize we were going all the way to the dam.


We added a bunch of stickers to our car on this trip.

Looking better than ever.
 
We'll see if the stickers in the forbidden spot last. 



Day 17

The lake was covered in a fog when I woke up. I guess we also missed the Northern Lights last night here, too.

Before we headed back to Minneapolis the kids played on the new cottage playground. 

G.G. spoiling her grandchildren. 

We were pleasantly surprised to come home to green grass and lush gardens. Everything was dried out when we left. 

Apparently the two weeks we were gone were the only time it rained all summer (and fall).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The 8th Installment of a Thing We Call Northwoods New Year's Eve

Thursday I took a half day at work so we could make it up north before it got super late. When we arrived we brought in our stuff, turned on the heat and headed back into town to get groceries. We had hoped to get another rotisserie chicken, but they were out. I chose a pastie for my meal. Meadow and I went for the classic, off-brand, box mac and cheese. We made too much and shared it with Brooke. I went right to work making my ice molds. She's always making luminaries if it's freezing outside and we're at the cottage.

A Smoky Weekend at the Cottage and a Stop at Ladysmith's Northland Mardi Gras

This summer we decided to go to the cottage any weekend we had nothing else going on. This week, due to fires in the Boundary Waters and Canada, the air quality was pretty terrible. We debated if we should still go, but it looked like it would clear up by Saturday. So we took the chance. And by terrible, we mean the worst air quality we'd ever seen. Along the way we decided to stop at John and Heidi's Happy Daze . We've passed this place probably 100 times. It was about time to stop by. I ordered the prime rib sandwich special.  Yummy. The sandwich that is. Everybody's food was really good, but Brooke's was the star of the show.  I want to get back here asap. Now if only this pesky smoke would go away.

To Chippewa Falls for the Northern Wisconsin State Fair

I saw that the Northern Wisconsin State Fair was happening and we didn't have anything else planned. We booked a campsite at Lake Wissota State Park and we were on our way.  We hadn't been to a county fair yet and this seemed like it might be even better. We set up camp first in case we would be back late. This was a good excuse for a quick camping trip. Plus we'd never been to Lake Wissota State Park before or Chippewa Falls, really. Since 1897 Chippewa Falls has been hosting the Northern Wisconsin State Fair. More of a super-regional county fair, Wisconsin’s other state fair started as a way for folks up north to avoid the grueling, long haul down to Milwaukee County. Our first stop was to fill up our big jug of lemonade. I think this is the 4th year of this big jug. Brooke brings a couple of our old lemonade jugs with just in case. Then you get the refill price.