Last year we made a trip up to the Gunflint Trail and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters for Brooke's birthday. Due to a faulty pump the VCO folks provided us with a complimentary stay in 2026. So with the kids off in mid-January we took them up on that. We stopped for the night at Blake's house on our way to the Gunflint. He had recently acquired my Grandma's old Apple computer.  The kids were blown away by the old style computers. Then they decided to write a story and were sad that it couldn't be saved.  Blake's winter project this year is working on his library. 

So it was our 15th Anniversary this year. I tried talking Brooke into coming with me on my longest work trip of the year, but we decided that the whole family would travel to Washington state instead.  So I was on my own for a week or so starting in Burlington, Vermont. My actual first destination was Potsdam, New York, but it was either a flight into Syracuse or Burlington and my schedule worked better to fly in via Vermont.  After getting some ramen at Burlington's Ichiban I made my way up north around Lake Champlain to New York state. My route took me through Rouses Point, New York. I had crossed that invisible line that separates New England from New York. I'm not sure I'd ever quite seen architecture quite like this. It felt like a yankee take on New Orleans architecture.

While Scott was exploring ( I was working...) California the kids and I were back home. Porch breakfast and planning for our upcoming Washington road trip. Today we had plans to go apple picking and hiking. I packed us a picnic lunch for our day. Meadow had earned some money recently and with her money bought herself a music stand. It arrived today. Then the kids and I drove to Whistling Well Farms to go apple picking. We had been here a couple times in the past few years. 

This year is my 40th birthday. We originally thought we'd go to Mackinac Island and also played with the idea of going to Montreal. With a spring break trip coming up we settled on a cabin on the Gunflint Trail. The Gunflint Trail is one of our favorite spots in Minnesota. So, why not? We'd also decided to go on another campervan/RV relocation adventure at the end of the month. So don't act like I don't treat my honey. On our drive up we stopped at Tobie's to get cinnamon bread for french toast.  Just like a few years back we stopped at Hungry Hippie Tacos in Duluth. I feel like we have to document whenever these kids get along as it's a rarity these days. 

Every morning must start with Nintendo Switch time.  Every morning must always start with porch breakfast.  Theo told me he wants to start learning how to cook and bake. We started our first lesson with making scrambled eggs.  Also Theo decided earlier this week he wanted his haircut. He was sick of his hair blowing in his eyes and touching his neck. He also mentioned that a couple kids at school asked if he was a boy or girl. 

And just like that we were on the road again. This time back to Duluth. I was spending the next few days getting drone shots for the Lift Bridge Lodge. Which meant that Brooke and the kids could tag along. As we were staying in Canal Park again, we did what tourists do. Not cool, taggers.   Once I was done for the night we walked over the Lift Bridge to Park Point. The weather was so beautiful, too bad we didn't get here sooner to go swimming. Brooke more or less did go swimming. I remember being young lovers cuddling by the Lift Bridge.

After being away from home for eight days we came home for one night and left again the next day. This time Scott had a job in Madison.  Before my job at a hotel on the outskirts of Madison, I thought we could have breakfast as a family. We found this breakfast spot near our hotel called the Jet Room . You get to watch the airplanes take off and land. The kids got little airplanes too.  We only saw private planes, but it still was fun.  Somehow there's no pictures of the food, but the breakfast was quite good. While Scott worked, the kids and I went to the Madison Children's Museum. I had been wanting to take them to a children's museum for so long so it was fun to try out this one. I was pleasantly surprised to see a whole exhibit dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright.  A side note. Many of the great architects of modernist movements started by playing with f roebel blocks . They were the heart of early kindergarten education. I loved all the details of course.  Then...

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.

This weekend called for summer temps. I looked at going camping but most places were already booked or not open yet. Last minute I decided to go to Duluth. Once Meadow was out of school we headed up.   I had asked Brooke if it was OK to go to a MN United soccer game with my buddy Nate on Saturday. I didn't think she was gonna go to Duluth and the North Shore while I stayed home! Ruthie needed to go on a walk so we tagged along.  

  With our busy schedules and the sun setting so early I feel like we hardly get outside when the sun is out. Today our goal was to spend time outside. We decided on Coldwater Spring as we hadn't been there in a few years. We weren't the only ones with this idea as the road was lined up with cars.  This is the opposite of our typical avoiding people during COVID mantra. But we were still able to generely avoid people. I convinced Theo to bring his doll carrier. He liked the idea once he figured out he could put his hands in his pockets while still holding his baby. Coldwater Spring was nearly empty, it seems every one else was at the off leash dog park.

Back when we were in Texas, Anna asked if we wanted to go to Paul Bunyan Land in August. We picked a weekend that worked for both of us and decided to stay a night at Crow Wing State Park. We were supposed to meet her and her friend Lauren at Paul Bunyan Land on Saturday morning. We figured it would be easier if we were already up that way.  So we drove up on Friday. We left early in the afternoon and headed towards Mille Lacs. On the way just so happened to be a historic site that we could visit. The Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post , which also just happened to be across from a casino buffet. After lunch we headed over. Meadow and I read about foods found in the woods that can be used for food and medicine. 

Saturday It's become a yearly tradition to stay at a cabin for my birthday. Since Saturday night was the only night that worked for us this year, our locations to stay at were slim. We had casually checked places all week. We hoped to stay somewhere with snow, but all those places were far away or booked. We decided to wait to see what was available on Saturday.

Friday I'm having surgery later this week to remove a giant abnormal mole. This weekend is dedicated to adventures since I won't be able to do much next weekend. And it could be the last nice weekend for a while. First stop, the library for storytime. After picking out a stack of books we were hungry. I suggested we go over to the Broadway Bar and Pizza for a lunch buffet. Pizza and pasta? Heck yeah! You had me at buffet. We have been working on phonics with Meadow lately. When she got her spaghetti she said, "Ba-sket-ti starts with B!"  We have a Wisconsin State Park pass that we really hadn't used as much as I thought we would this year. Unlike Minnesota State passes they are good for that year only, no matter when you buy it. Where as Minnesota is good for a year after it is purchased. So we decided to go to Interstate State Park on the Wisconsin side. While Scott was busy painting the car Meadow and made leaf piles. ...