We enjoyed a few days with away from the end-of-school rush at the cabin over Memorial Day weekend. Our friends Jess, Murray, and Olive joined us. (Sadly, Kevin couldn’t make it this year.)
The trip included a number of notable events:
Oliver’s first trip to the cabin, including relatively long drives, unfamiliar sleeping arrangements, and a wacky schedule. He was quite flexible, though he did complain that we were letting him freeze during the first night (temps dropped steeply after dark). We nailed it on the second night.
Oliver’s first kayak trip.
Maggie’s first time paddling the canoe and sitting on a proper bench.
Griffin and Murray’s first time being largely independent in the kayaks. This was not exactly our intent, but they got them in the water before the rest of us were ready and before we knew it they were across the lake, exploring the island. (Definitely wearing life jackets!)
Griffin caught a frog.
Relatively close encounter with a pileated woodpecker on a birch by the cabin. The photos, at the end of the set below, are blurry phone pics, but this sucker was huge.
Two new eggs in the loon nest. We weren’t sure if they would use the same nest site for a second year running. Last year one egg did not hatch. We’ll be checking back on the nest at our next visit.
Thunderstorms and hail kept us inside on Sunday afternoon, which allowed for a smashing D&D game. (Griffin’s elf wizard was nearly killed by an evil skeleton, but Maggie gave him one of her healing potions.)
Oliver enjoying the view from the porch.
Oliver’s first time out in a kayak.
Maggie’s first time paddling (occasionally) the canoe.
Griffin and Murray zipped all over the lake.
Two fresh loon eggs in the same nest that we found last summer.
Oliver working on some teething issues (and boosting his immune system).
Bedtime reading with Jess.
Pileated woodpecker is on the trunk of the tree above the cluster of green leaves. (This was the maximum zoom with my phone… alas I didn’t have time to get the telephoto on my camera.)
Profile of the pileated woodpecker on the large branch to the left.
So I know that I’m probably cursing myself by writing this down on FB, but I’m dancing around my house because I just put ALL THREE of our children to bed AT THE SAME TIME in the SAME ROOM. BOOM.
I was helping settle Oliver into his crib when Maggie got up to get a drink of water. She got back into bed, then sat up and stated, matter-of-factly, “I don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead.”
“Um… what?”
She repeated herself, enunciating carefully, “I don’t believe that Jesus rose from the dead.”
Andrew and I were talking after dinner about my experience with why girls or young women might be sitting on the sidelines of pick-up sports games, and Maggie was seemingly not listening, singing *loudly*, next to us. She kept getting louder, so my voice kept getting louder as we talked. I said, “You know? I just didn’t want to play with guys who were being all macho and major douchebags!”
Without skipping a beat, Maggie yells out, “DOUCHEBAGS! Yeah, they’re douchebags! D O U C H E B A G S!”
Thus we added another word to the, “don’t call anyone this” and “don’t say this outside our house” list.
Andrew, going nuclear: “If you two don’t knock it off and go to bed, I’m going to take a screwdriver and take that door right off and throw it away.”
<large pause>
Maggie: “You can’t even do that!”
Andrew: “Oh yes I can!”
I’m downstairs giggling even though I shouldn’t be. Giggling, that is.
We celebrated Maggie’s fifth birthday today at Highland Park. Maggie is a brash, confident, dynamo at this stage in her life. Her party, at her request, featured rampaging around the park, pin-the-horn-on-the-unicorn, various unicorn- and rainbow-themed crafts, cupcakes, and then more rampaging. I love this firebrand who believes absolutely that princesses can save themselves. Happy birthday, Maggie!
Maggie: MAMA! THESE ARE GIANT BUNNIES AND…
Me (whispers): Can you please use your quiet voice?
Maggie: THESE GIANT BUNNIES…
Me (whispers): Maggie, please use your quiet voice.
Maggie: THIS *IS* MY QUIET VOICE!
Me: 😳🙄
Maggie: “Oliver, you’re the best person in our whole family. I love you more than Mama. I love you more than Daddy. I love you more than Griffin. You are better than anyone.”
