Honeymoon: Redgranite = Labor Day

On the way to somewhere we saw a Fleet Farm. By this point in the trip we were certain that we needed a Kayak. Now!

Being that it was Labor Day weekend they were on sale. Too bad we had no where to put them on our car. 

Instead of driving all the way to our destination we stopped at Amanda and Jeff's place. We were obliged to accept some beer and pizza.

I asked Amanda right as we were leaving if we could stay with them. I'm glad they were available. 

We shared a twin bed for the night. Our first year of dating we slept in a twin bed together so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Day 16

The next day we left early and made a b-line to Redgranite or Redge Ranite as I like to call it.

Since when? I never heard you say that before.

As we drove in. Short-term memory loss I guess.

Nobody knew we were coming so it was a nice surprise. 

This was my first time at the Redgranite Labor Day Parade. Even I got a t-shirt.

My whole family was there this year except for Blake.

Jack and Jill played themselves.

I played with my phone. 

Every year there is a theme to the festivities and this year was a water theme as the town pump was having an anniversary.

Thus Jack and Jill.

Brooke was pumped for the parade and Jack couldn't keep still.

Brayden kept an eye on the candy.

Somehow Scott was nominated to drive and lead us in the parade.

I was really nervous to drive the truck. I was afraid I'd run a kid over.

As the driver I had the perfect place to snap quick shots. This family didn't like that.

While Scott cruised in the truck the rest of us threw out candy to hyper children.

Somehow I avoided every kid along the route. I'm going to drive every year.

It's always tradition after the parade for us to have lunch in the park. My grandma always pays for everybody. That's around 14 of us.

This was so good!

Jill said I was a better float driver than her husband.

We were so excited to check out Mosier's that we didn't wait for anybody else.

We love coming to this store. A lot of it is junk but sometimes there's something we actually need for cheap. This time we got a 12 pack of recycled toilet paper (ha that sounds gross), a gallon of Dr. Watkins body wash and orange hand soap for only 16 dollars.

I want to start fishing, but I stopped myself from buying a pole. I think I have one back at my parents.

Brayden loved all the wooden toys. I need to come back here when I have kids. 

We took a quick round through the craft fair.

Everyone was at Mosier's by then so we went back.

These knives looked awesome. Who doesn't want a briefcase for their cutlery?

We crossed the street back to the fair for some ice cream.

Brittany informed us that Ice Cream was only $1.

Then we found out that the county dairy board had a scoop for 50 cents. So, we got some more.

Brayden held out for a Hawaiian ice.

Must be the Hawaiian in him. 

Brittany was still hungry so they headed home.

We showed Brayden the famous Redgranite Quarry. 

I was surprised it wasn't that busy. I would have gone but Scott doesn't like it.

Again she's making stuff up. We didn't swim because we didn't have our suits on.

Brayden was allowed to pick out one toy from either the craft fair or Moisers. While at Mosiers he said he didn't want any of the cheap plastic toys from there and would rather have a toy from the fair. He ended up choosing a rubberband gun. We were all sitting inside when I asked Brayden if he wanted to play outside. Eventually everyone else followed.

We wandered around my Grandpa's land. My mom would tell us stories from her childhood.

After finding this sign we decided to check out the old junkyard.

Behind my Grandpa's car lot used to be the junkyard. Before he cleared it a few years ago he had cars back there from decades past. Now random pieces of car parts can be found throughout.

Though most of it was cleaned, some parts have become one with nature. Mr. Mike found an entire windshield.

I wasn't wearing shoes so I ran back to get some. Don't want to get tetanus.

Chelsea took this cap home with her.

Everyone was very impressed by the tree with three tires at its trunk.

A bottle of Pepsi.

Scott had never seen this house (my Grandparents have two of them) so I asked if he wanted to see the upstairs. He refused so I took pictures of it. Sorry Grandma.

Grandma said it was messy and I obliged by staying downstairs.

I always loved that the beds were in the wall.

Very 90's portrait from before Blake was born. That's me in the blue stripes.

Scott hadn't seen my Grandpa's cabin either. He drove us there down the road from their house. When we got there my parents were there too.

My grandpa uses this land only for hunting these days.

Chelsea is the only girl that goes hunting. She thought the cabin was stinky so back in 5th grade she made an air freshener out of an orange and cloves. Apparently no one ever took it down.

My grandpa dug out this pond to make it bigger. He had plans to build their weekend home (remember we are just down the road from their house) here, but changed his mind and bought land on Lake Poygan instead. He even raised fish in here to go fishing. He would feed the fish chunks of bread so when we swam in here as kids the fish would bite our toes.

Cute story Brooke, cute story.

I guess car dealers get special plates.

We took a walk back to the creek that connects to the pond. I had no idea he owned 54 acres of land over here.

On the way to their other house we saw this X-Wing in someones yard.

We then headed over to their weekend house on the lake for the night.

It looked like it was going to rain so I wanted to swim quick. My grandpa joined us also.

We made dinner. Cheese tortolini soup.

We used some really old chicken bullion.

After dinner my grandpa told us stories of his youth for a good 3 hours. I don't know how long my grandpa will be here so I treasure these moments.

One story he told was that up until he was 79 his brother-in-law and him would go fishing up in Canada. They would pick a lake on a map and tie their boat to a small plane. The plane would drop them off and come back a week later to pick them up. All they'd bring with them was a bag of potaotes, some oatmeal and their fishing poles. He said they would drink the water in the streams with a drop of bleach (not sure I would do that) and eat the fish they would catch. He hasn't done it since his brother-in-law passed away. I told Scott him and Blake need to go with my Grandpa next time.

I'd like to do this with Blake, but we couldn't leave behind Brooke.

The next morning we headed back to the Cities and our awesome vacation was over.