Second Star to the Right and Straight On 'Till Morning

We spent the last week up in the north woods. Eagle River, Wisconsin. My Neverland, where I don't have to grow up and taking a trip into the little town in the pouring rain for a licorice rope is just as magic at 31 as it was at 4. I first started coming up here when I was 6 weeks old... they say I slept in a drawer that vacation, at the "Doctor's Cabin" at Honey Rock Camp.  I've missed a few years, here and there, but this place feels like home. Things don't change too much.

One of the greatest joys is experiencing this place through the eyes of my children. God has gifted me with a family that loves the outdoors just as much as I do. I'm blessed.

Are you curious about our Neverland? It's steeped in wonderful grandparents and great grandparents and includes early morning "coffee talks," walks and runs, bike rides, smore campfires, picnics, kayaking, boating, skiing, cruising the lake, hunting (as in admiring... not killing) wildlife, eating, creating, reading, snuggling, poking around the little shops, and lots more chit chatting and eating :)
(I apologize for the massive amounts of pictures... I'm a little nostalgic and this is my first time editing photos with Picnik)

Little Rosie is fearless. We had been talking a lot about going out on the inner tube behind the boat before we got to the cabin. We decided that either Ron or I would accompany her. While we were standing out on the dock Rosie said, "I think I will try this by myself."

Well, ok then! We cheered big time from the boat.

Me? Well, I had not yet skied since having babies. I remember having some post-skiing soreness as a spring chicken. Holy cow... since becoming a mother hen, the muscles are just not the same. I think I went through an entire bottle of Advil and still struggled to pick Sadie up for about 48 hours. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, though. S.O .F.U.N!

Check out my hubby in the lower left. He's a great skiier, went 3 times as long as I did... and he didn't complain about the soreness nearly as much as I did :)

It's always fun to have a little project when up at the cabin. Ron and my dad decided to make a Corn Hole set for the back lawn.

The girls and I kept track of the wildlife that we spotted. The kayaks provided a quiet sneak attack. We saw: a loon family with baby, Bald Eagles, deer, chipmunks, raccoons, squirrels and frogs!

This was Ron's first fish fry. I'm not sure how he escaped a fish fry, growing up in Minnesota, but he did. And, yes, he thoroughly enjoyed his fried Haddock.

Thanks, Nana and Papa Bordeaux. We had such a wonderful time with you- time at the cabin feeds our souls. We love you.

Yosemite

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.

                                                                                           John Muir

 Wouldn't it have been lovely if our ENTIRE day had looked like the above montage of pictures? Well, most of it did... but some of it looked like this: 

Birthday Festivities

I think I was just as excited for Rosie's birthday as she was. I couldn't sleep the night before either! We partied hard for 2 days and I think we are finally recovered! Rosie awoke Wednesday morning to the traditional Donut Cake (thank you Jenny Poladian) and was then whisked away to a celebratory breakfast with Papa and Mimi. After breakfast, Ron had arranged for Rosie to take a pony ride with the head trainer from the Shea Center that provides the horseback riding adventure for Emerald Cove Day Camp (this might have been more MY dream more than Rosie's).  At any rate, it was more of a princess pony party as Rosie placed ribbons in her pony Rushmore's hair and a hat on his head before helping to place her pink saddle and ride away. Wow, what a morning. 

After a horse induced snooze, Rosie and I met Mrs. Edie for some manicure/pedicure fun. 

Rosie requested, "spaghetti and meatballs and a purple cake with sprinkles, please" for her birthday supper. I did my best with the little squeeze bottles of food coloring to get the frosting just right. After we sang Happy Birthday Ron said, "Rosie, look what color mommy made your cake!"

Rosie clasped her hands together and said with enthusiasm, "Yes! Grey!"

Well, ya win some, ya lose some, right?

Thursday afternoon we had a little party for Rosie and company. We did the unthinkable and ordered a Tinker Bell bounce house for our daughter. 

Never thought I'd do that, but hey, ya win some, ya lose some, right?

Ron brought back his days working at the Minnesota State Fair and did an awesome ping pong ball/water game with the kids!

Rosie and Lucy took a little break in the puppy sleeping bag from Papa and Mimi.

 .... and the girls even bounced in their jammies after everyone had gone home.  

Oh, little one, you are loved and you are blessed. Happy 4th Birthday to you.