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

Winter 2025-2026 and Spring 2026 Coming to a Close

2025 has now come and gone.  It was a great year, and I often wonder how many more years can be this great.  I am sorry, mostly to my children, who I hope will one day read this that I haven't updated the blog more frequently.  And I suppose if there are any other readers out there in the dark, hollow void of the internet I apologize to you too.  As always, I'll try to do better.  We last left off in November of 2025.  So thats where we will pick up...

Chinch and I celebrated our anniversary in style this year with a trip to Stillwater MN.  We walked the downtown, and stayed at the Water Street Hotel, a historic site.  Lots of fun, great food, and great scenery.  So blessed to be married to my soulmate.  Love you Chinch!

Poppi and Gigi came up for a visit, and we all trucked over to The Ranch, a classy local supper club.  As I get older, my tastes converge more and more with Poppi, so it was a good time had by all.

And wouldn't you know it, its Christmas time again!  We celebrated both at home and in Orion, as usual.  Kids were grateful for their gifts, one and all.  They are especially excited for the Drone.

A rather goofy highlight from the winter was Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel!  The Duluth Ice Fishing show had Twiggy as their special guest. The kids already love squirrels, so this was a natural must-do activity.

The Kid and I hit up Gronks after one of our tournaments.  The dinners out after our events are always the best part.

As one would expect, it was a cold winter.  And we went through plenty of firewood.  We even needed a refill, thanks to Les Chandler we made it through and then some.  This was me splitting some of the larger logs.

For Valentine's day Chinch and I trucked on down to IL for a romantic... quadruple date with some of my best friends from High School and their wives.  Oh and Wes.  We went to the most romantic spot we could think of... Papa Dels.

One may ask how we fill our time during these long winters?  Why board games of course!  Grandma Polly has become a HUGE fan of Catan.

The whole family trucked down to IL again in April for Glamma Glogg's big 90th birthday party.  While that was a glad occasion (and fun to get two of my sisters in the same pic) it was also slightly sad.  Grandma Rosemary is sick, and getting sicker.  By this time her appetite was dropping and she was growing more confused by the day.  We went for what we thought would likely be our last visit to see her.  I am glad the kids got to say goodbye.  I wish I had gotten a picture, but I have been out of the habit of getting pictures on my phone.  Trying to be more "in the moment".

That isn't to say that we didn't make it as fun as we could for the kids.  Including stops at some of our favorite places (Pizza Hut Classic, Lil Porgy's, among others).  And they got to play with those Nichols kids!

Got to go out with the boys for Devin's last hoorah in the midwest (shipping out East for Residency) after the NSTT.  TDR!

In amazing news, Mandi has been confirmed! She has now joined us in communion.  So excited for her.  

I had come to realize that while the Kid had quite a few road trips with me, and Lovey got to go to Texas with Chinch, our third kiddo Babo hadn't gotten a trip.  I found a free weekend, and we set off for the Windy City!  These are some of the highlights: Deep Dish Pizza, Willis Tower Skydeck, Navy Pier, The Bean, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and (Babo's Favorite) a trip out to Oak Park to see the Nichols' kids.

Well, maybe you gathered it from reading above, but we lost Grandma Rosemary.  She passed the Saturday of Babo and I's trip to Chicago.  I was pretty heartbroken.  Grandma Rosemary was one of my biggest fans.  I treasured my relationship with her, and miss her dearly.  I still have some old voicemails she left me that I've been listening too from time to time.  I wish I had spent more time with her.  And that is probably the lesson in all of this.  Spend time with those you love.  The rest is all superficial.  The family trucked down to IL once again, this time for the funeral.  I'll spare everyone the tears, and leave you with this happy picture: all of my Dad's grandchildren in one picture.  

Mandi took off for her yearly "sabbatical". She likes to take a Mother's Day trip down to Orion to visit with her Mom, sans me and the kids.  And I respect that.  Everyone can use some time away.  But while the zookeeper is away... the animals play!  Dad-mode is a little more loosey goosey than Mom-mode.  We ran all over the Northwoods.  From Spooner to Duluth.  Kids got to have fun with friends, and even scooter the bike path!

As summer nears and Spring has shed its chill, Garagehammer is back.  11th Edition Warhammer is coming, and the boys have been preparing using my garage setup.  Always happy to see them using it.

Well that is all for now.  Again, I'll try to do better.

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