Summer 2025 Come and Gone!

 Time flies.  Faster and faster every year.  In a blink Summer in the Northwoods has come and gone.  We made the most of it this year to be sure, and readied ourselves for the fall to come.  Now in full swing.  Here's a glance at our sweet seasons of 2025.

Spring started off with a trip to IL to see relations in Monticello.  Always a pleasure to see Great Grandpa and Great Grandma.  As well, Lovey got to really get to know her great-Aunt Aimee.  They had an instant bond, which is a giant surprise to no one!

It wasn't just a family reunion, it was a Little-Bluestem Montessori reunion too!  The Kid caught up with his childhood friend, and Chinch with her first Momma-Friend, H..  H. and Chinch were fast friends, and peas in a pod back in our Monticello days.  So good to reconnect.

And we ended the trip with another reunion.  From left to right we have Chinch, myself, Scilla and Michael, Wes, Matt, Squeege and Rachel.  Michael, Scilla, Matt, Squeege and I were the apostrophe in our High School class photo "'01".  Fast friends from Junior High, it was great to reconnect over our favorite pizza, and let the kids play.

Before we knew it one of our favorite weeks of the year arrived: Nichols Week!  The kids had an amazing time, albeit too short, playing with their cousins.  We tore up the greater Gordon area, hitting all the main attractions and getting plenty of tubing time in.

A ride home from Circle Pines in the back of my truck... during a thunderstorm was a highlight for everyone involved.  A memory I imagine they will keep forever.

And just like that, Nichols Week came to an end.  Until next year family!

July held more visitor fun though, with the arrival of Wes!  Up for a few days we enjoyed the various manly endeavors as shown here.  Wes very much appreciates the finer points of Wisconsin Lake Life.

And right on his heels was a visit by my newest Nephew JJ!  He was a big fan of my Truck and the Boat.

Always a sucker for summer nights.  This might look like sunrise... but no, thats the full moon!

We took our family trip up to Two Harbors.  The kids always like playing in the lake.  Stopped by Canal Park for some Vitta Pizza, always tasty.

TDR showed up to absolutely DOMINATE the NSO.  With contestants from as far away as Illinois coming up.  We took 1st through 6th!  I took 3rd.

The Kid and I have made a tradition out of going to Anchor Bar after our events.

We also made it out to Bayfield with LG again this year, to pick apples and see the sights.  As a bonus, Poppi joined us.

Come October we took a trip down to Lake Geneva for Dragonfall Con.  I don't know that we would stay at the same hotel again, but it was a nice time had by all.  Poppi and Gigi came up too, and Vanilla Bean Counter with her kiddo.  Always good to see cousins.

The kiddos joined HACIL this year, offering us weekly trips to Hayward for enrichment day.  We usually cap these days off with a visit to the ice cream parlor.  Funny enough I'm writing this post during one of these trips right now.

Had another trip to IL, this time for a more somber reason.  My good friend Michael lost a brother this fall, we tried to gather to give him what support we could.  And true to our style we did it over pizza.  Pretty sure Michael wouldn't have it any other way.

Alright, thats it for now.  As always I'll endeavor to post more regularly, but also as always: no promises.  Life is so short, and goes by so quickly.

Well thats all for now, 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