This year we came up the night before the 4th. By the next morning it was already parade time.  I was excited for the parade, but feel like we missed out by arriving at the last second. (I'm always making this face when it's sunny. I blame my glasses). No Chelsea this year as she prepares to have a baby. Also I guess everyone is over the matching tie dyed shirts.  Or me since I was taking the picture.

A week later and it was cottage time.  4th of 2023. It may not be New Year's Eve, but it's another highlight each year. This is the one time of the year that our whole family is together.  Scott and I arrived late at the cottage. As it was Meadow's 10th birthday we let her open presents right away. More Lego's from Scott.  Brooke doesn't get them. Once they're built, they're done. Well, someday she can make Frankenstein buildings with them once she's bored with her creations. And lots of new books and dresses from me.  When you leave your child with our parents he may come back with all his hair gone.  What the heck, I was a bit miffed. Theo's rad curls won't be back until Christmas. The 4th always means lots of swimming in the Lake.

Friday We finally got around to carving pumpkins. It would've been more fun with G.G. and Grandpa, but it would do. We had a few days to spare before Halloween, anyhow.   I love the light shadows from our leaded glass windows.  Brooke and Meadow teamed up while Theo and I tried our best. The kids added their pumpkins to our stoop. Thanks previous owners for leaving the giant pumpkins for us.

For Meadow's 8th Birthday this year she asked for mermaid cupcakes for her birthday dessert. Sadly with all our traveling I didn't have time to make it myself this year. Luckily our local grocery store had some.  A few days before her big day I asked her what she wanted to do for dinner. She said, "I want to go out, but you might not like the place I pick." I totally though she was going to say McDonalds and was shocked when she said Subway. I don't even know the last time she's had Subway.  Her birthday gifts this year were a Jarrito, Harry Potter legos from Theo, Super Mario 3D World and Yoshi for Nintendo Switch and a new unicorn bike helmet.  We began our 4th of July weekend a little early with a trip to Marshfield, WI. I had to shoot a cable company store and I didn't feel like going back and forth from Wisconsin to Minnesota and then back again. Meadow found something shiny at the bottom of the hotel pool and I went diving for it.  We got to the cott...

One of my coworkers always comes up to Duluth for their Christmas parade and Bentleyville opening. I said we should check it out this year.  We arrived in Duluth a little earlier than expected so we stopped for dinner at Duluth Grill.

I was making cardamon and sour cream waffles when I hear my camera go off.

I think Meadow was still tired from our Appalachian road trip, but we had a Mayday parade to check out. 

Thursday I biked to work and had Scott pick me up so we could leave immediately for the long weekend. On the way we stopped for dinner near the Wisconsin/Minnesota border. We saw a Mexican place on U.S. 8 and when we turned picked another. Chiko's was pretty good. I had a good torta and Brooke had fish tacos. Only they had tartar sauce on them. We were a few miles from the cottage when, typical, Scott was pulled over for speeding. Since he only gets pulled over once a year he usually gets away with a warning. I'm that good. Besides I was driving slow the rest of the way. Of course they'd catch me at that one moment I was blazing a trail for the cottage. Friday We were the first ones to arrive. Scott made strawberry pancakes for breakfast. From the box with Costco organic strawberries. Meadow and I wanted to go fishing, but Brooke had other plans. I was more excited to go for a bike ride.  We biked all of Chicken in the Woods ...

An early rise at the cottage is antithetical every day except the 4th of July. Meadow was really out of it. She's not used to getting up before eight. We were a bit late to rise, but we arrived just as the parade turned the corner toward Superior St. The streets were already closed off. We had to park a mile away.