Scott had a job in Rochester so we decided to make a weekend of it and go camping. Was nice to finally get out of town with Brooke and the kids for the first time since the 4th of July.    Before we left on our little trip, Scott and I scored a deal for a porch swing on Facebook Marketplace. Our porch is my favorite room and now it looks even better with the swing. I'd like it better if it didn't have storm windows and was open air like it's meant to be. After Scott's quick shoot in Rochester we were ready for lunch. Every time I go to Rochester, I eat at Al Madina . Apparently if a Middle Eastern restaurant has that name it's good.  You also know a restaurant is good if you're the only white people there.  It was fun to share this place with the family. These kids can be super picky but are also little foodies.  You just have to know their favorites. They absolutely love gyros and falafel. We stopped at the local library quick so Scott could use the wifi. This ...

It was Brooke's birthday cabin weekend. We were going to the brand new camper cabins at Soudan Mine-Lake Vermillion State Park, but decided to break up our drive in Duluth. Remnants of Boubville still stand in Blake's backyard. Scott and I wanted to get breakfast at Duluth Grill but the kids won with their request for Superior Waffles . The place is pretty good to be honest. Blake has made progress since we were here last. He said he was trying to get it all done before Easter and was then disappointed to learn we wouldn't be coming for Easter this year. Sorry Blake and Daniel. If we had more room in our Roadsufer campervan rental , we'd bring you along next month. This years birthday cabin brought us to Lake Vermilion State Park . My original plan was to go to Winnipeg, but knowing this mild winter, we didn't think that would work. We even talked about going to Arkansas. With a spring break trip coming up we decided to stay close by. The Minnesota State Park camp...

Another June means another visit to Detroit Lakes while I work at nearby New York Mills' Lund Factory. We arrived late, but that didn't stop us from taking a walk down Lake Drive.  Because of the teacher strike back in March, Meadow is actually still in school. We pulled her out for a few days so we could come along too.    I had to wake up early the next morning for my shoot back in New York Mills. We stayed at the same cute motel we stayed in last year. While Scott worked, the kids and I walked to downtown. Last year Scott took the kids downtown while I worked. I hadn't been there yet.  After going last year, the kids wanted to go back to the Toy Finder store. It's a store full of discontinued toys. I was excited to find an old Battleship game. I hate the new ones that make noise. I had been looking for the same style I had growing up.  I also got a travel Guess Who. Meadow chose a small Brewers hat with baseball cards and Theo picked out an oil truck.   ...

I had to get back down to Mankato for a quick shoot. Instead of driving back and forth we decided that we ought to go camping nearby. We settled on Flandrau State Park in New Ulm.     The fireflies were amazing at night. It was pretty cool.   We of course only stayed one night before moving on to a second camp site, because that's what we do.     As an early birthday gift for Meadow we got her her own backpacking pack. Now she's old enough to start carrying her own things.

After we dropped Meadow off at school on Friday morning I made some last second plans to camp in southern Minnesota this weekend. Once we picked up Meadow we headed towards Red Wing. Red Wing Brewing has some really great pizza. The crust is something special. So we stopped there for dinner. Getting back to pre-COVID life is a bit strange, but we're getting used to it.

  We had a random warm day, Scott got new hiking boots and I love waterfalls. So a trip to Minnehaha Falls we went.   Will she ever get bored with waterfalls? Probably not.   Getting down any trail sure takes longer than before we had kids.  

  Another weekend, another hiking trip. This time Minneopa State Park. We started with the Hiking Club Trail . The Hiking Club is a great way to get the kids excited about our hikes. Rather than just going out for a hike they're searching for the secret password along the trail.   Where there's rocks Meadow will climb.