Glorious Summer - 2026

 

Summer is here!

And oh what a summer is has been.

But before we get to all of that, we had a big day in our family. Babo's first communion!  This was a big day for us, because now the whole family is in communion.  It was a joyous day, prayers of thanks all around.

I had to chuckle that here we were, at the start of summer, and yet Babo and Lovey still couldn't resist getting the Christmas train out of all things.  Fun to see these two circle back around to some old favorites.

Grandpa Forrest has a tough time hearing these days, so the kids made him this special sign, and took this handsome picture.  

The boys and I had a fun night out with Grandma Letty one night, and took the scenic route home.  Snapped this amazing pic over the Namekagon.  And it wasn't but a week later when...

... COUSINS WEEK!  This is my kid's favorite week of the year.  Our cousins come up from Illinois, they are all fast friends and love spending time.

Here Lovey and R. are fishing off the end of the dock.

Our cousins are pros at the Quads, and taught Lovey and Babo how to get going!

Here you see my Cousin claiming he's the Number 1 Grandchild.  But I mean, look who has the tongs... 😏

After a day on the lake, most kids were ready to rest and recharge, but not Babo, who was right to the Nerf Guns for more battle.

Kids had a ton of fun tubing, an activity they would do any time but is most fun with our cousins.

These evenings always flash me back.  That picture of Babo might as well be a picture of me in the same seat, across from my cousins.  So fun to see our kids come together.

We made time for an adventure, one afternoon we made our way down the Namekagon by Tube!

Tired as we we were after that, we were even more hungry.  Webb Lake Tavern was happy to ablige our rowdy crowd.  Pizza party style.

Cousin Nick caught this beauty right off the dock!

M & R took a trip out on Ol' Red, and even went off the top!

4th of July couldn't pass without our annual tradition of jumping off of Finstad Bridge.

Before we knew it however the best weekend of the year was ending.  As is tradition, we got a picture with Grandma Letty before our Cousins headed out.  What an amazing week.

As always with these visits, the quiet that sets in after gives a certain kind of melancholy.  I don't know how many more years we will get of this.  But I know I am grateful for the years we have had.  All the way from Nick & I playing as cousins in grade school, now to our kids playing together.

Lovey, Babo and I took Grandma Letty to her eye appointment, and enjoyed a gorgeous day in Duluth.

Evening boat rides have a special kind of magic.

As we approached The Kid's birthday, we had to head up to Two Harbors for our yearly dip into Lake Superior.  Grandma Letty came with!

As the summer comes to a close, this momma and her two fawns have discovered Chinch's native plant garden... and begun to forage.  These deer are just so Hungry!  They also demolished my pepper plant, but that's okay.

Summer is wrapping up soon.  The season of sweaters, fires in the stove, crisp mornings, and hockey games is coming!  Honestly, that is OK.  Summer 2026 was pretty amazing.  We are so blessed.

Stay Healthy!

"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