2nd of July Bike Ride on the Three Eagle Trail and 3rd of July of Fun

I swapped the day I nanny for a different day so we could head up to the cottage early. I'm glad we've figured out a way to bring the kayaks with us.

We bought a pair of pool noodles and use the straps from a normal kayak carrying kit. It does the job.

On the way we stopped by Casa Mexicana, our favorite restaurant along US Highway 8 in Ladysmith. Meadow chowed down a quesadilla. She's been favoring carbs recently. I guess that runs in the family.

This was the first time we ordered her something off the kids menu.

We unpacked and blew up Meadow's new swim toy as soon as we arrived.

I was excited to go swimming with the mead dog.

After Meadow went to bed we watched the local news.

She forgets to mention that its quite entertaining with all the recent journalism school grads.

I'm excited to have more people coming to the cottage. I'm starting to get bored coming up here just the three of us.

Scott made us blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Meadow loved them.

Today and tomorrow were supposed to be cooler so we I said we should go for a bike ride and try out the Three Eagle Trail that goes from Three Lakes to Eagle River. I assumed we would drive downtown and start from there, but Scott wanted to start from the cottage.

This was probably a poor decision since I had Meadow in the trailer.

Everytime a car would pass us they would go all the way in the other lane. I was nervous that someone was going to get in accident.

Driving through Three Lakes we biked by a flea market. One of the vendors there adored Meadow. 

We walked over to the playground to let Meadow swing.

This whale was a little too big for her. I can't wait until she can do more than just swing.

We were surprised to see that the trail wasn't paved. I guess that makes sense since it's used for cross country skiing in the winter.

Things got more scenic as we veered away from the highway.

This part of the forest was eerily dead.

We had hoped to eat lunch in Eagle River, but there was still quite a few miles to go. Twenty-eight miles roundtrip with Meadow in tow was enough.

As we were biking through town a car passed us and said, "Hello Meadow!" At first I thought it was my sister Chelsea because who else knows Meadow. Then I realized it was the lady from the flea market.

She must have really like our little bear.

I was super hungry and Scott wanted to get beer. We stopped at Baker's. I waited outside with Meadow and told him to get something to eat. Scott comes back with cheese curds and Gatorade.

There wasn't much food at the cottage so we had frozen pizza when we got back.

I think we would've ate anything after the bike ride.

It was warmer than we'd expected so we took Meadow down to the lake.

The shore was full of lake debris. I thought Meadow would want to go in if it was cleaner. When we were kids this was all sand. I think my dad needs to put sand in again for his grandbabies to play.

Then Chelsea, Dan, Brayden and Nolan arrived.

We hadn't seen Nolan since Marina's birthday. I couldn't believe how much bigger and grown up he had gotten in those few months.

He's a big boy indeed.

She wasn't upset at the water like she was in Duluth a few months back.

We thought we would let Meadow go swimming for a bit. She loved touching the water in her little float.

Chelsea finally got to open her Christmas present: glitter art.

This must be my Nolan is quite heavy face.

When we thought a lot more people were going to be coming up here for Meadow's birthday we were trying to decide where everyone was going to sleep. I said to Scott I was surprised Chelsea and Dan didn't have a camper. As it turns out they just bought one and Dan picked it up on his way up.

We all crammed in there nicely.

We had to break the place in.

We were each going to take turns making dinner while we were here. Somehow we decided we would make dinner Wednesday and Saturday.

I made beer battered summer squash and zucchini and way too much pasta and sauce. Chelsea even liked it despite her disgust for squash of all varietals.

Meadow has been so picky with eating lately. Foods she used to gobble down she just throws on the floor. I think if we let her she would live on fruit, carbs and water.

Dan got a little dock fishing in before sunset.

After the kids went to bed we had a fire. Scott and I never have a fire when its just us.

We kind of suck at making fires.

S'mores are a must.

To get Meadow to eat more vegetables I sautéed some random veggies with eggs for her breakfast.

Chelsea and Dan made biscuits and gravy for everyone for breakfast.

Despite all the shopping we did before we arrived we still had a bunch of stuff to get. We apparently weren't the only ones.

It was annoyingly busy. I had to constantly go around people.

There was no way we could've brought more stuff from home. Our car had been packed to the brim. I ended up getting some more beer, Capital Brewery Washington Island Wheat, so this was totally worth the long line.

It's nice having other people around. When Meadow takes a nap or wants to play with her cousin we don't have to stay close by.

I'm not sure I could carry both babies.

These kayaks would be quite popular the rest of the weekend.

Brayden loved the kayaks. I think his parents are going to have to get him one.

I decided to go for a little ride. A spider was crawling over my yak so I had to swat it out.

I think Nolan loves swimming more than Meadow.

Chelsea and Dan brought up a turkey that was in their freezer. I wish we had thought of that.

I think we have two.

I did some knitting on the porch. I tried to teach Brayden how to spool knit, but he didn't want to try.

Then dad showed up.

Whenever Chelsea sets Nolan down he stays standing. Whenever we set Meadow down she crouches down right away. Chelsea tried to teach Meadow not to bend her legs.

We were comparing moles.

They also painted their toe nails identically.

While we all kayaked and lounged around Dan grilled the turkey on his grill and made corn bread.

I gave dad his birthday and Father's Day gifts. A stovetop waffle pan, pancake batter dispenser, ove gloves and a ground meat chopper.

I'm not sure what this was about, but Brooke was really excited.

I think I was copying Meadow.

Then more people arrived. Tyler, Emma, Olive and June.

We thought they would want to sleep in the trailer, but Olive wouldn't have it.

I think she would've been fine sleeping in the woods instead.

The other night Brayden was telling us that my dad put fish guts in the fire and bears came so he built a pit for the guts. None of us knew what he was talking about. It turns out my dad really did build a pit for fish guts behind the tree house.

It's funny that we'd never noticed this all these years.

This was first time I'd ever had a grilled whole turkey. Impressive.

It's fun to see kids running around the cottage again.

It's funny that I said the opposite. I go to the cottage to relax. Not anymore.

Even Blake showed up.

I guess it was more fun than just being by ourselves after all.

As there's no bathtub here Meadow gets another sink bath.

Mr. Mike, Brayden and Dan caught one fish. It didn't look like we would be able to have fish for everyone on the 4th.

With the little ones in bed we shot the shit, roasted some marshmallows and stayed warm by Dan's impressive fire.