Spring has Sprung!

Spring has Sprung in Northern WI.  We stayed busy as we are wont to do.  It has been fun to see our Donks grow into board gaming age.  Catan has been a big hit this Spring, igniting a family craze!  The Kid has proved his genius once again often convincing his siblings into joining with him in an "alliance".  One in which he inevitably wins ;)

We took our yearly trip to the Wisconsin Dells.  We tried the Wilderness this year and the kids loved it.  Though I think the biggest hit was Paul Bunyon's Lumberjack Shanty!

The Kid has officially joined the ranks of competitive Warhammer 40,000!  He joined the TDR league, and man did this kid have a gauntlet to run, he faced off against 6 of the best players in the area!

And then we jetted off to FL!  This was our third year in the Orlando area, and I believe, our best!

Having sampled some of the best of Orlando during our last 2 trips, we got ourselves back to Volcano Bay!

Lovey just can't help herself, she just had to collect some leaves and flowers.

We stayed back at Champion's Gate this year - and it was a fantastic time.  Probably our best stay.  The kids loved the resort pool.

We made it over to Cocao Beach!  We had never been there, and we had a blast.  Met up with Bampa Butch and Gamma Janet.  Lovey was thrilled, her greatest hope for the whole trip was to go to a "Seashell Beach" and recreate her experience from 2 years ago when she got to hunt for seashells with Gamma Janet.  And so she did!

Babo loves that Carousel.

We also went back to Disney Springs.  Let me tell you folks, this is the BEST Disney Experience.  Free parking. Free admission. All the Disney polish, and half the crowds.  Also has great food, and tons of fun stuff for the kids to see.

Our trip wrapped without a hitch (excepting a lot of traffic)!.  Loved this evening pic of Lovey finishing up at the pool.

Welp, we didn't get our squirrel feeders down in time, and we had a new family visit us!  This momma bear had three cubs!  She paid us a visit several times over the course of two weeks.  We got to see the cubs climb the tree, and the momma lounge and lap up some squirrel feed.  Chinch was less than thrilled.  Was a little sad, as she did lose a cub at some point, and was down to two the last time we saw her.

The Catan Crazy spread to Bampa Gegg and Gwamma Powwy!

Ice is off! Time for the first dip :D

Out with Grandma, she needed to let Eddy and Nick know who the number one favorite Grandkid was ;)

Went to Spooner one day to pall around with Funcle Jack.  My little brother Jack and I don't go out too often, but when we do its always fun!

Sad day for the Sawlaws.  Our White Van was finally giving Chinch "fits".  Check Engine lights and threats of expensive repairs. Given our multiple trips South planned, it was time to go.  This was right before we traded the Ole T&C in.  Our new Chrysler Pacifica is in hand, and has earned the name "Black Beauty".

Chinch headed South for her yearly solo trip to visit with her Mom.  What does that mean for the Donks and I?  Why, breakfast at Wendy's of course!  This is a tradition stretching back decades in our family.  Wendy's was always a favorite of my Grandfather's.  Fun to keep that tradition alive.  AMAZING waffles.

When Chinch is away the degens will play!  The TDR boys and I held our Grillhammer 2025 Beta.  Was a great time even if the weather pushed us inside.  Had 5 tables going!  The Kid even joined in the fun.  And he got to see his old man go undefeated 😎

Well thats all for now, Stay Healthy!

Winter in the Northwoods

 Winter has arrived.  And what a winter it has been!  So far temperatures are colder, and there is more snow than last year, though that isn't saying much.  Our big project is finished, and we are settling into a routine again.  While grateful for that, M and I do often find ourselves restless, looking for that next horizon. I can't help but think this is part and parcel to mid-life in the 1st world.  We are afforded the luxury of anxiety over what is coming next, by having so little worries of today.  We do remain grateful however for so much.  Root ourselves in gratitude for those few blessings we deserve, and the many given which are undeserved.

Sunrises over Lake Superior are one of the perks of this job and the early start time.  Most people love the sunset, and they can be nice. But there is as much beauty, and so much more hope in a sunrise.

In the strangest of occurrences we had this lonely petunia grow out of a barren sand hill during our construction.  This flower somehow found a way to not just survive, but thrive in nothing but sand and rainwater... springing up from nothing on a property where petunias had never been planted.  How it got there, no one knows, and how in the world it survived without being watered, and without real soil only deepens the mystery.  But it sure was beautiful, and made me smile every time I saw it.

The donks and I tried out a new local spot, and it was great!  Riverside has some fantastic food and a great atmosphere.

And the best part?  Its right next to a fantastic State Park.  Waterfalls and hiking.

The whole family pooled our efforts and hauled a load of wood over to my Mom's for her birthday.  She was thrilled!

My biggest little sister Bey moved up North!  We got to catch a Hockey game together, and now she's a hockey fan!

This fall was full of the beauty of this land.  From the Aurora Borealis, to fall sunsets and colors.  We made the best of it, taking some day trips, and staying up late for the lightshows.

One of the fun highlights of the fall was a trip to Bayfield with LG (Grandma).  LG hadn't been up there in a few years, and it was the perfect weather, and perfect time of year.  Colors had just peaked, most children are back in school, and so the streets and paths were ours for the taking.  We did miss out on pear cider, which I was a little bummed about.  We plan on making this a yearly tradition!

We had some Halloween fun this year too, once again our donks braved the snow to go house to house at the closest real neighborhood to our country home.  The Kid showcased his skill as a Wizard, Lovey was a Fairy, and Babo went as Link from the Legend of Zelda.

Though he missed his calling I think... check out this kid's talent in costume making!  Or as he said it: "Behold my barbaric splendor!"

M and I made it to Minneapolis for a weekend getaway.  Mom watched the kids.  What a fun escape for our Anniversary.

Brother Jack moved up North!  Another huge blessing.  He is so helpful with LG.  We are blessed to have Funcle-Jack around.

Like I mentioned, our project is finished!  Well mostly finished, we need to get a couple of decks put on, and of course the landscaping. But its getting there.  The addition of the wood burner is a great quality of life improvement :D

We rang in Lovey's birthday, Christmas, and the New Year with LG for her first full winter up North.  Her place in Englewood was wiped out by back to back hurricanes, but she doesn't seem to mind.

Merry Christmas!

The donks put on a Christmas Program.

Took a trip down to Monticello, and in a wild coincidence my stepdad Greg dropped by to pick up a Pizza.  The craziest part?  He rarely ever gets Filippos and this is the second time I've run into him here unexpectedly!

Even went back another time to get together with "The Boys".  Michael, Matt, and Luke (R->L).  These are my best guys from High School, and I miss them terribly.  Glad to get to see them all together.

Well that catches us up for now.  Until next time!

"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go"

Joshua 1:7

Time Flying.

 How in the world has another year come and gone so quickly.  Summer is almost over here in the Northwoods.  It has flown by.  And not just gone by faster, but feels like fewer days.  Fewer flotillas.  Less time out on the lake.  Hard to tell if this is real or perspective.  Either way it has been a great year so far.  here are some highlights

This was the last "real" swim of the year in 2023.  It was October 29th, and it was COLD.  Glad I got this in, because here was our deck just two days later! 

Halloween Blizzard!  Kids didn't seem to mind, and trick or treated through it all.

We had a lot of fun in 2023 heading down to Spooner for Wisconsin Lumberjacks games.  Even took some friends from Church.  I'm a little sad they left Spooner, but we have a new team arriving: The Northwest Express!

It was a big year for TDR, we attended several tournaments including Adepticon (skipped ahead on this one a tad, forgive me).,  Always good to represent our set with the boys.

Christmas time was lovely in the Northwoods, with lots of classic carols and Christmas hits played on our record player, and time around our tree.  We made it down to Orion as well for time with Poppi and GiGi.  We also enjoyed a Duluth staple this year: Bentleyville!  Our kids had greatly missed "Unbuckle Christmas Lights" in Peoria (Festival of Lights).  This was a way to harken back to those good old days and experience something new-to-us and classic for Duluth.

2023-24 has been a great season to witness Lady A.  Lots of high GP nights with clear skies for viewing.  A few highlights I managed to capture with my phone.

We had an amazing trip to Florida this year.  We decided to run the play back again and hit up a planned community near Orlando.  We have found that the resort life is the life for us!  This year's highlights included a trip to Lego Land!  A real thrill for our Pirate-Lego loving donks.

Our other big Spring event was Lovey's first communion!  What a joyous celebration, so glad that it was with Father Bala too, he left our parish a few months later - and we miss him!

I made it down to Illinois for the wedding of my good buddy Dakota (center).  It was a great time, made greater by the presence of our mutual friend Wes (left)!

Before we knew it LG had returned from Florida.  Thats how we know Summer is truly coming.

And oh what a Summer it has been.  My Mom moved up last year, and my kids LOVE having "Gamma Powwy" around.  And extra fun, my Sister Bey, and Brother (Funcle) Jack have also moved up North.  More time with family has been an amazing blessing!

Was super fun to have Dad and Janet visit for the first time.

Lovey and I got the canoe out :)

We had a really fun trip to Midieval times, thanks Poppi and Gigi!  Go Yellow Knight!

Nichols Week!  Had an amazing time with Nick and his family during their annual visit.

Mandi and I made it over to Amnicon on one of our few dates.  Great to stop and grab a pic just the two of us.

Here Jeff and I are trying out his new boat motor.  That guy loves his lake toys.

Lots of Pontoon time this year on Ol' Red, though it never feels like enough. And definitely feels like less than last year.  Here's hoping there is a little Summer left to squeeze out of September, and maybe even some to steal in October!

To wrap up this point I have a picture of my Aunt Aimee and I in downtown Monticello.  I was down to visit Grandma and Grandpa - and had a wonderful visit with Aimee.  She's lived in CO for most of my life, but recently moved back to Monticello.  So glad to get to see her more.

Thats all for now!

"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go"

Joshua 1:7