Cottage 2014

This year the cottage was a blast. I'm sad I didn't take more pictures.  I didn't even take my camera out, I just used my phone as a camera.  I guess that means I was taking care of the kids having fun.

This was the year that I brought my 2.5 year and almost 5 year old son to my favorite place on Earth.

We had good weather and pretty good sleep.   I ate very safe, especially when we went out to eat (only twice this year!) and enjoyed awesome meals made by all.  We played a few games, boat rides (every day except one) and Andy fished more than once a day.

Eli enjoyed his cousins to the max. He fell off the dock the first full day.  He looked for bugs, minnows and crayfish.  He napped some days and other days he just rested.  Hugh napped every day (thank goodness), slept in his own room, and enjoyed trying to conquer the dock alone.  We visited the candy store where I'm sad to say that I didn't pull out my camera when Hugh threw a full body-face down on the floor tantrum.  Who wouldn't when candy was at stake?

I put my toes in the water, enjoyed some wine and read a book with my mom.   I even fished a little this year and watched Eli in and out of the water.  I changed the boys close at least two times a day. I also laughed till I cried with my husband and brother in law during a rare late night game night.

No that burger and fries is NOT mine.  I wish....the northwoods doesn't specialize in gf

Andy fished.  And fished some more.  He helped the boys find minnows and played games.  It just couldn't get better.  And I say that every year.   Every year I love to watch the boats go by, waving at whoever is also in a happy place.  It's peaceful and full of beauty.  

....Already excited for next year.  Wonder how it will be different.  Wonder who will melt down mid-week?  Wonder what meal to prepare for the group?  What will I read?  Who will be there? Where will we all sleep?  How will the weather be?  One thing I know...the boys remember it up there.  They still ask about when we will go back and Eli wants to live there, just like me when I was a kid.

5

I want to say I'm a bad mom for not posting this sooner.  But I'm gonna turn it around and tell the truth.  I'm a good mom for posting this so late-It just means I've been very busy this summer being a mom, which is more important than blogging.



Remember 5 years ago when Eli was born?  Oh my goodness all the turmoil around his health that turned out  to be just fine.  Regardless, he spent some days in the baby ICU and me, the new mom, frantic about how my dreams of the first few days were down the drain.  I spent many hours in the "pumping room" where new moms could go to pump since they couldn't actually attempt the whole nursing thing.  I never said hi or talked to any other mom's in that room.  But next to each pumping chair was a community journal.  A place for mom's to pour their heart out.  A space for emotions, words, dreams, hopes and disappointments to be placed.  And every day I read those words and even scribbled down a few of my own. An experience no mom should ever have to go through, but they do.   Because Eli's medical issues were such a mystery I wasn't sure where to be.  I didn't know if I should have full hope or be scared out of my wits. and it meant more to me to read the words of experience from "We are getting discharged from ICU Room 3 tomorrow!" to "The scan showed things are worse.  I'll keep pumping just in case. I need faith".   You are never alone in the world of motherhood.  And Eli...he was a soldier and survived and thrived.


And here I sit today.  Wishing for a different journal next to my bed this time, with words of wisdom, hope, experience and validation from other mom's, that when your first born turns 5 the air is sucked out of your lungs and you feel scared.  But proud.  Nervous but excited.  And mostly disbelief...that time really IS going fast.

This kid is amazing.

He's a smart cookie.

Bug loving.

Apple crunching.  Candy munching machine.

He's starting to build his imagination.  Wants to one-up his little brother.  But always wondering where he is.

He has no fear.  He will try almost anything.  He still is small and still repeats a lot.  Still struggles at bedtime but knows his place.

He adores his cousins.  BIG time.  Calls them his best friends.  But now is starting to have a best bud in Connor-buddy too.  And it's darn special.

He says the most hilarious things.

He's very intense.  Wonders HARD about stuff.  He can read, ride a bike without training wheels and jump into the deep end.

Why isn't there a word stronger than "love" when describing how you feel about your kids??

Camp Out

This year Andy's family decided to go camping for the yearly "family trip".  I love camping.  I grew up doing it and can remember many of my favorite parts.  But this was all new water we were about to tread in.  I had some fears of sleepless night in a tent with Hugh the boys.  I knew there was going to be sand and dirt and cooking over the fire for lots and lots of folks.

But the days that we were there were great.  We survived and thrived with the new experience.  This campground had
-a pool
-a river with sandbars you could walk to
-poison ivy right behind our site
-many other family friendly folks

We
-swam
-biked
-cooked and ate and drank well
-enjoyed the campfire
-and took training wheels off of Eli's bike

We slept enough-the boys did eventually settle down and Hugh even napped.

Here are my favorite shots from the days.

I know I wasn't in any of the pictures-but I swear I was there!!