Chillin' at the Cabin

We took our 3rd annual trip to the cabin a little earlier this year. The next weekend after the 4th felt a little soon to get away, but of course it was still so nice to get-away. No TV, no phones and no computer, just a whole lot of nature and relaxation. I haven't slept that well in a long time! The minute we pulled into the driveway, Trent was begging to go Turtle hunting. We unloaded the car, and Marshall brought the fishing poles down to the lake. Callie took her first cast and caught her first bass. She even knew that's what it was! As she commented, it really is "just her size!" Trent had a sucessful turtle hunt. We caught 5 turtles - 3 big, 2 small. We separated them into two buckets. I carried the little turtles up to the porch. If you've read any of my frequent animal antics post, you know we do follow the catch and release (after a day.... or two) program. Unfortunately with the distraction of Trent falling into the swampy water off the pier yet again, we left the turtles defenseless down at the lake to be pilfered by a lazy predator during the night. You may have heard the term shooting fish in a barrel? I was really disappointed in us, but it was a good lesson. There was only one "body" so we had hope the other's had escaped. We gathered up the remaining little turtles to return them to their home. Every place we go up-there has a nickname. I think I will call the turtle swamp, Trent's Bay. We released the turtles in Trent's Bay and Trent convinced me since we were there we might as well try and catch a couple more since his buckets back at the cabin were empty. We were really in hot pursuit of this particularly elusive turtle. I mean it was a real chase! I perfected a new style of paddling the canoe. Picture me standing gondola style in the front. Who says you should never stand in a canoe! If I didn't think at any moment I could be swimming in muck 5 feet over my head, I would consider bringing a video camera, because it is America's funniest home video material for sure. We have more fun doing this! And I get the best work out chasing swimming turtles all over creation! Anyway, we finally caught the turtle, and realized, it was missing its back foot. Totally open wound. At this point I was ready to ban the turtle hunting for life! Ugh! How could we have been so irresponsible! Again, a good lesson to learn. With as much fun as it is, I could hardly deny the pleasure, and we caught many more which we did keep safely. We even caught one that we caught last year. I know because it has a tumor like thing on the side of it's head. I'm hoping next year we will catch "stumpy" again, then I will feel a little better about the whole thing. On a side note: I didn't take it, or even look at the results, but there was a poll on facebook that asked, "Should hunters be able to put their hunting pictures on Facebook?" I thought it was the lamest question. Anyway I hope I have properly conveyed the fact that I accept complete responsibility for the turtle casualties and vow to never let it happen again. There, my conscience is clear.
That first day Trent professed his love for turtle hunting, and pretty much said that's the only thing he likes to do up at the cabin. This made me nervous, because although we do a lot of turtle hunting, we do a lot of other things too, and Daddy and Grampy really like fishing. He did say he liked skiing. For as many turtles as Trent caught, Callie caught Bluegills! SHE just might be the fishing buddy. Every time she would cast out her line, she would pull in a fish. Grampy would cast it out for her, nothing. Callie would cast it - FISH ON! She would get so excited, and Trent so jealous!

Trent did catch the biggest one, but Callie caught the most! I've always considered myself to be a good fisherwoman. I didn't fish much this trip but I did catch two fish, and a lot of Weed Bass! I put my pole down, bait still out, to take a picture. I looked over and my pole was bending into the water, I caught a huge Perch, on accident! The other fish I caught while Marshall and I went out one night just before dinner. It was an "Evil Eye".

The most interesting thing we caught was a frog that still had it's tadpole tail. It was sort of creepy looking. Just not something I was used to seeing. The food at the cabin is so great. Especially eating the fish we catch. Lunches are particularly fun. We had a campfire lunch at the Third Island. Marshall made his speciality, "Camp Cakes" Sandwiches and dessert. Callie and Trent did a little "mountain climbing". Callie is such a little monkey. I can't believe how she made it up this hill all by herself! Our Picnic lunch is always at Leach Beach. Trent has his skiing down to the point of waving to the crowd. Callie took her first official crack at it up and down the beach.She loved it so much she didn't want to stop, unfortunately her daddy boat and grampy boat ran out of gas!

We are so lucky to have opportunites like these! Thanks for letting us use your cabin Mr. and Mrs. K!

4th of July - 2009

This year was a very different 4th of July for me. Sure we did the traditional things like fireworks on the lake:

Fireworks in our bay:
:
And the parade:
We usually have rain over the 4th of July Holiday. It this case it was raining CANDY!
Tip of the day: If you're not getting enough parade candy, bring a net. We've been doing this for 3 years and the novelty still hasn't worn off, the candy throwers can't help themselves, they want to make it into the net, and keep trying until they do! Candy everywhere!

Of course we celebrated a couple birthdays' and the girls had a fabulous spa day. The weather was so crappy we really didn't do much of this:
But we did a lot of this!:
Still my favorite time of year and lots of fun no matter what the weather.

Rain, Rain....

Rain, rain, go away, Jenny wants her fireworks today!
But she also doesn't want to have to water her plants!

The Moment We've All Been Waiting For!

SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE!
The kids and I spent the better part of last week in the water ALL DAY! There is no better place to be when the mercury hits 95 degrees and the sun is blaring! Add a couple of extra friends and the day is complete!

This week: The prelude to my most favorite of all holidays the 4th of July!
What fun we have in store!

Aye, Aye Captain

Trent sailed in his first race today. I signed him up for the "Fun" Regatta, which back in my days of being an instructor meant sailing around playing beach ball tag and throwing sponges and water balloons and picking rubber duckies out of the water. It wasn't really a race. Apparently things have changed.
This was a real regatta, with real starting lines and real races. It was a coaching regatta, so I at least took comfort knowing Trent would get the help he needed considering this was the first time he had ever taken his boat out.
Since I had totally forgotten how to rig the boat, we had already started out with a lot of help. Callie and I watched as Trent got further and further behind the group, all the while being followed by one of the coaches. I waited and watched, interested to see how this all would transpire. Did I just turn my son off to sailing forever or would he hang in there. It was a good while before Trent made any forward progress, and the minute he did, the coach left him. I watched as he flailed for a bit, and then I went over to him and took over the coaching, again interested to see how this would all transpire. I was so impressed by him. He was listening to what I would tell him to do, and he was actually trying to do it. I was amazed how all the verbiage came back to me. It took us 1.5 hours to finish one race while all the other kids started and finshed over and over all around us, but Trent never gave up on his focus for that one race. Sure he got frustrated about being passed or things not working, but he never lost his cool.

I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!

He only finished one race, but it was enough to get a medal. He knew he got last place, but I also think he knew he accomplished the goal we had set for him.

WAY TO GO TRENT!

Definitely worth a reward to our "special place"! We love this little mini-golf place.

You are getting very sleepy.... NOT!

Marshall's idea of a bed time rountine:
"She's ChaCha Banana and She's here to say, put some rubber in your blubber and you'll bounce away!"

Time to Catch-Up!

Tomorrow marks two whole weeks of summer vacation. I am finally ready to start the routine. I was pretty anti-any driving these past two weeks, but reality has set in again.

Trent's broken leg is officially, completely healed. His last M.D. appointment was today. Next week he starts hockey. That will be two days per week. He'll also have Sailing School two days a week. Fortunately they both happen on Wednesdays, so that will be all one trip. I am hoping Marshall will be able to take him to hockey on the other day sometimes. Callie will continue with her gymnastics one day per week, and they will both do one week of day camp. That about sums up our regular weekly commitments. Additionally, we will of course be hanging out at the lake, the park and anywhere else that provides fun!

I know I've been away from the blog for a bit, but I am committed to being more regular again this summer. Here's what you've missed while I was away....

Marshall has been very focused on his work-out routine. He has been running on the Lake Trail every weekend. For two years he's been wanting to get out on the trails that go around the whole lake. He and I took a nice walk together and the kids and us went once together.
He decided to try the Lake Geneva adventure race. 8 Mile Run, 12 Mile Kayak. I was so proud of him doing it, and he really liked it. Signed up for another race a month later and has since bought himself a racing kayak. No more adventure races on the schedule til the fall, but I think he's checking out some more runs. (This is the kayak we borrowed for the first race.)
He did the second race with some friends, so I don't have any pictures. I was responsible for the Bloody Mary bar and breakfast afterward.

The last day of school is a family picnic. Always a memorable event. This year marked the end of an era. Trent and only one of his friends will be staying at NCM. His other three good buddies are moving on to other schools. I was a little bit verclempt.
Look at these boys through the years. What memories they have together. Last Day 2008-2009 - 7 years old (I think it's time to retire the t-shirt!)

Last Day 2007-2008 - 6 years old

Last Day 2006-2007 - 5 years old

Last Day 2005-2006 - 4 years old.

Here is the first of Callie's series of Last Day pictures.


As you know, last summer Trent was the beast master. Frogs and Turtles galore. He always wanted to keep one for a pet. I was always hesitant to take something out of nature and have it croak, and I don't mean in a frog-noise sort of way!
Marshall found this little friend hopping around in the yard.
It started the asking all over again. "Can we PLEASE keep it!" Not wanting to face another whole summer of this question, I reluctantly agreed. We got some live crickets from the pet store which the frog happily ate, and I felt good knowing he wouldn't starve. Every night this poor thing would call out to it's friends. Every night I would feel guilty about taking it out of it's environment. A week later, we went back to the pet store, bought a pet store frog and released this guy. We are now the happy owners of a Firebelly Toad. Normally I wouldn't go near a toad if you paid me, but this toad looks more like a frog, and swims. I am a fan of anything having to do with water.
Trent was the one pushing for a pet, yet Callie spends the most time interacting with it. Every morning she wakes up, the first thing she does is hold the toad. One day she put it in her Diego Rescue center and then decided to go play with something else. Luckily not much time had passed and Trent realized she had not put it back in the cage. We tore apart her room with no success. Marshall had long ago condemned it, I was about to throw in the towel, when Trent announces from the living room he found it! That was a lesson learned for Callie.
Having the pet at home has stopped the, "Can we keep it question", but the quest for capturing continues! Right now there are two turtles in a bucket by my door. They however, are just sleeping over.

Marshall's parents have a little pond with a bullfrog nirvana. They easily catch 20 frogs, some the biggest we've ever caught!
Callie's a girl after my own heart. Not afraid to get her hands dirty! These two frogs were having a "piggy back ride!" OR.... The answer to the question, "Mommy, where do tadpoles come from?"

Yesterday was the most exciting catch by far. Trent caught a HUGE snapping turtle. This thing weighed as much as Callie, I am not kidding you. He basically trapped it in the shallow water between the pier and his net.
He called me over to help him get it out. I didn't realize what it really was. All I saw was what looked like a huge log with the bark still on it. I said, "Where is it?" "RIGHT THERE!" He said in a panicked voice.
I about died when I realized I was going to have to figure out a way to get a 30lb snapping turtle out of the muck, so my son could celebrate the catch of the summer! The things we do for our kids!
I took a deep breath and made a conscious decision to go for it. It was like being on fear factor or something! I grabbed the thing on both sides and pulled it out. Perfectly clear of its huge head and giant claws! The surprising thing was it didn't even try to snap at us.
The first thing Trent said is, "Mom, take a picture!" I didn't bring my camera! No photographic proof, but trust me, this was awesome!

I played tennis for the first time. Not sure how this summer will pan out. Last summer I was playing 3-4 days a week. I loved it. I don't see that happening this summer at the club, but I'm hoping to find someone to play with at our park court.

The weather is finally starting to cooperate. Before we know it half the summer will be gone. Scratch that, focus on ENDLESS SUMMER! I can't wait! I will be sure to regularly keep you up to date.