Farewell, Summer...

I'm here! I know it's been forever since I've blogged--so sorry to the two people that check up on me here every so often. ;-) All is well, it's just been a busy summer. And the times that weren't busy...well, who wants to write about that?! As writing a letter or journal entry can be DAUNTING when you haven't kept up with things--so much to catch up on!--I will make this more of a scrapbook entry, if you will. On to the Highlights of My Summer:

As nice as it is to have the summer to DO things, often there is nothing better than to just lounge on your deck in your cushy Papasan chair. Luckily we HAVE a Papasan chair, and a darn nice view of the woods from our deck. Nothing quite like relaxing out there, especially with a nice summery Tanqueray and Tonic. Now that's gettin' your zen on!

Normally I hate having to be involved in one of my kid's school projects...it's like, didn't I go through this already when I was in school??? But Vivian's summer project for her upcoming advanced Social Studies class was to do a report on some historical place of her choice in Minnesota. She chose the Split Rock Lighthouse, which is up in Two Harbors. What a great way to start off the summer--taking in gorgeous views of the north shore and just feeling one with nature. Plus I got to hang with my brother and his kids, it's always great to see the cousins having a good time together. This was one project that was just as interesting to me as (hopefully!) it was to Vivian, and one thing I did learn for sure...those lighthouses are a bit claustrophobic...

Ahhh, the 4th of July. At Stephanie and John's, once again. How lucky are we to get pampered and spoiled by the best cook (s), the most gracious hosts, the lovely scenery, titillating conversation (I love that word) and fireworks on the golf course?? Honestly I never cared that much about the 4th--well, not since I was a child and we spent it at Iowa City City Park every year...great memories there--but the 4th with Steph and Company definitely now makes it a highlight of my year!

Summer is great for family togetherness, but it's also superb for donning your favorite sundress and going out for a lovely dinner with your peeps. Somehow Stephanie Kim and I have stumbled into a dare-I-say regular routine of trying a new restaurant together once a month or so...well, new to Kim and I--we let Stephanie guide us to the right places! Oh do I love hanging out with my girls. Never underestimate the power of getting a bit gussied and having a night out with your buddies! It is a wonderful thing. Of course the sad thing is this has sort of replaced our podcast get-togethers for now....but only for the time being. I'm not ready to give up on Feminine Hijinx yet!

Summer in Minneapolis would not be complete without visiting one of the 10 thousand lakes! Not much makes a Mommy happier than to see her child enjoying themselves so completely and so purely in the sand and sun. Sullivan spent hours this day working on a very cool sandcastle complete with moat. When we dragged Coreman back out there that evening, it was amazingly still there.

Ahhh, Brookside. Our family will probably never have any other summer vacation but heading up there--but you know, that is not such a bad thing. Kids are safely free to roam and play, parents can relax (or be active...I myself mostly choose the former...!) with good company and just be a family. And since Brookside is also a childhood memory for me, that makes it all the more special!!

And we say goodbye to yet another summer by hitting the Great Minnesota Get-Together..the State Fair, of course! Both kids had their artwork displayed and ribboned...Sullivan getting a blue for his first time in! Yes, the fair is crowded and dirty (oh, the germs!) sometimes unbearably hot...but I for one can't resist it anyway. Where else can I eat a gyro, some mini donuts, fries and an elephant ear all in one day, absolutely guilt-free??!

So there it is, my friends, my summer in a nutshell. Nothing too spectacular in some eyes, I'm sure, but perfect by me. The only downfall is that it went by wayyy too fast...and it goes faster every year. I am excited tho, for the new beginnings that a new school year will bring for the kids. Here we go again...!

Recommended Homework

One of the great things about kids is that often you do things because of them that you normally wouldn't do...well of course there are the things like wiping bottoms and cleaning up puke and those kinds of nasty but necessary things which given the choice I'm sure most of us would not really opt to do...but then there are things like striking up conversations with strangers at the park or their school that end up being your best friends, or getting to see cool places because your daughter has a homework assignment over the summer that of course has to involve you as the parent. That is exactly what happened and as a result the whole family had a mini-vacation up in Two Harbors the past couple of days.

Vivian had to pick a historical site that she had never been to and now must prepare a presentation to be given on her first day of school--as a proud parent I have to add that it's for Advanced Social Studies. (my smart little girl!) After looking over a pamphlet made especially for celebrating the state's 150th birthday, she chose the Split Rock Lighthouse, which is up in Two Harbors. Since my brother and his family live in Duluth, we made a stop there and hung with them for a while. My nephews are a blast, and very musically talented. Vivian loves to jam with Simon--and she found a new talent, the drums! She hopped on there and before I knew it she was actually playing a beat. Nice! Does this mean there will now be drums in our future? yikes. Good choice tho...good drummers are always in demand. Like Spinal Tap, they are usually the bane of your band existence...and The Charm School Dropouts were no exception. But I digress.

After spending the day in Duluth we made our way farther up north. Two Harbors is such a cute little town and we stayed in a great little Motel called the Country Inn--highly recommended! Nothing fancy, mind you...if you're looking for room service your not going to find it there...but it was clean and friendly, and you can't beat the 18 hole putt putt golf course out front! :-) They also had a pool which is always a hit with the kids. We did some exploring around there, going down by the water and walking out on this pier in I think was called Agate Bay. Beautiful! The wind about bowled us over out there and it was freezing--but totally worth it. That lake is amazing, you totally feel like you are looking over the ocean.

The next day we made our way to the Split Rock Lighthouse--time to get the homework done! Very cool. We did the tour complete with people in period costume and up into the lighthouse we went. This Metal Mommy got a little claustrophobic in that thing, but I managed. The stairs were high and tight, and getting about 15 people into that little lighthouse was not easy. The whole thing is pretty amazing though, and hearing how the old lighthouse keepers kept things running smoothly makes my lazy days seem pretty, well, lazy. Nothing like running up those steps first to the building and then up into the tower every two hours of every day to keep you in shape. Makes my little Tae Bo on demand work out look kind of flimsy. From there we made our way to Gooseberry Falls--not on the homework agenda but definitely a must-see if you are in the area. Gorgeous! You can hike all around the falls on various paths. At one point we went onto a bridge that spanned over the entire thing, it was an incredible view to see that all beneath you with Lake Superior out on the horizon.

After that we got in the car for the drive home. It was a short trip, definitely something we want to go do again. The kids could have spent an entire day climbing rocks and throwing little ones into the water. The perfect kind of play, in my opinion. It's funny how when you live in an area for so long you kind of forget what is right out your back door.

So Happy 4th! Any fun plans? We're heading over to Steph and John's for a nice little dip in the pool and BBQ, before heading out onto Interlachen for the fireworks show. It's going to be a group this year, a bonafide party! Have a great one!