Family Vacation

As a family tradition our family has gone up to Cable, Wisconsin to The Birchmont for our vacations for 20 years now and we have a lot of great memories. Our vacation is very relaxed. No phones, computers or other media devices. Someone may have a cell phone but we rarely use it. It is so peaceful here and I just love coming up and spending time here. It rejuvenates my soul. Here are a few of the pictures from our vacation. This is the view from the screened porch where we stay.

We attend church in Hayward on Sunday, they have a small branch. We met this young woman from Russia, her name is Alana and she was in Hayward working for the summer trying to make money to go back to BYU in the fall. I think she was a little homesick and felt a little better around us.

Our first breakfast together. Blueberry pancake and sausage a favorite of everyone except Addison she likes her pancakes plain. During vacation we usually have breakfast and dinner as a family anyone can fen for themselves for lunch. We usually ate breakfast between 7-8am and had dinner at about 5-6pm. Left overs and snacks were in plenty of supply for those who needed or wanted to nibble between those meals.

 Swimming is one activity the whole family loves. Addison was so brave to walk right in since the water was only about 60 degrees, When Kimberly asked her how the water was she replied, "A little colder than I like"

 For me it was painful one step at a time is truly Chinese torture. Once you got wet and swam around to get your circulation going the water was great.

 Don found several clams in the lake and Addison was enthralled by them. She wanted to keep them but we convinced her to throw them back in the water.

 John and Brittany having fun togehter.

 Making a father's day card for Daddy.

Felix and I were playing and I was trying to reach him and tickle him He was having a good time just like me!

 Kimberly and Tony just before dinner one night.

Don loves to do this with the grand kids. He holds them up and turns in a circle as he moves them up and down as he sings. we all enjoy watching this too. Felix is so happy!

 Olivia taking her first dip and finding the water is too cold.

 Not Felix he's just fine with the water temperature. He's a moutcho man already!

 John adores his nieces and nephew. Here he is with Olivia.

 Feeding Felix so he doesn't get too messy. It takes a village to raise a child!

 On vacation everyone takes turn setting the table and doing the dishes. This is proof that John and Brittany took a turn.  Don's turn was on Thursday before everyone left for home we had made up all the leftovers and Don was busy for a long time with the clean up. Jason kept finding dishes to bring to him just as he thought he was coming to an end. I think everyone tried to dirty a dish or two just to tease him. He was a good sport!

 This is the way Don gets Felix to sleep. He calls himself the whisperer. He holds Felix like this and whispers in his ear and he does actually fall asleep.

 Always into something. Felix knows how to entertain himself with practically anything, even a plastic bag.

 Felix doesn't like to sit still even for a diaper change.

 We are trying to help Addison dress her Polly Pockets doll.

 Gathering for family prayer and scripture in the morning was tough work but we found it best if we could do it right after breakfast before everyone took off for some activity or another. And after we usually spent time just talking.

 A day into Hayward included Go-carting, the Candy shop, the Bakery and Cheese shop,and the Ice Cream shop and finally but not least a trip to the miniature golf course. These our some of our favorite traditions when we go to town. Hayward is about 25 minutes from our cabin and we usually only go once during the week so we make a day of it.

Addison was tall enough to ride with her mom and this was her first experience in the go cart. 

She sure seems to be having lots of fun.

  

 So much to choose from yet everyone picked something different and it's always fun sharing.

Kimberly and John always buy mozzarella sticks and sausage and cheese variety of cheese for everyone to snack on from this bakery and cheese shop right next to the candy store.

Everything they have at this bakery and cheese shop looks so inviting

I wonder what Jason has in the box?

This ice cream shop is just around the corner at the other end of the street. They have some really good flavors to choose from. I got a blueberry cheese cake flavor John gave to me. It was scrumptious and huge

Miniature golf is always so much fun and these guys are really competitive. 

I don't worry because my score because it is usually the lowest 

but I have a great time just being with my family.

 Don had the course record so he won a free game.

 As we waited for everyone to arrive at the golf  course Addison was busy picking flowers, one of her favorite pastimes. She just loves flowers

And just who is the recipient of all of this beauty Why her Mom naturally!

 The cones from the cone shop were so big and when I got mine down a bit Addison wanted to trade.  

 Getting Started

  

 Julaine and Jennifer watched the kids so the rest of us could play.

 Addison was told to put the rock back but she wanted to take it home. She did put it back but she wasn't to happy about it. Her face says it all!

 Water, Rocks, and Flowers what more could a girl want. Addison kept herself pretty busy while we played golf.

 Even on vacation I get to give baths to my little sweeties. First Felix than Olivia. They both like their baths!

 We always play board games on vacation and we had a rain day and there is nothing better than to play games. I brought a few of Addison's favorite to play with her and as you can see we both enjoyed the time together. Julaine is always saying they just don't make fun games for little one but I have plenty to play with my grandkids and it's just as much fun as it was when I played with my youngsters.

 Olivia having a bit of rice cereal

Jennifer sure loves her nieces and nephews. She a good auntie too!!!!

 Don likes to have the kids be Michael Jackson. He has them do the moon walk. Olivia seems to like it.

 One of our last breakfasts together. It was too cold outside to have it on the porch so we ate in the kitchen. John and Brittany left after dinner on Wednesday because she had to be home for work. We sure missed them the last two day.

 Don took the family canoeing, it is one of their favorite things to do together on vacation. Addison went along and I stayed home with the babies. I had my hands full but one of our friends who is usually up at Birchmont came up to our cottage and helped me out

 Addison looks like she's planning some mischief !!! What a little stinker!!

What a beautiful scenic view of the Namekagon river.

 There are always those moment to reflect and to rest.

 Thursday evening was such a nice night Kimberly decided to take her Dad golfing. tony and Kimberly and Don and Jennifer went. They had fun but I won't tell you the scores. We just know Don was way ahead of the pack. Just the way he likes it.

I should have taken a picture of the girls cleaning before they left. After Don and I were done with the cleaning he went for a hike in the wilderness while I packed a few more things. He got back at 6pm and we went swimming together but had no one to take a picture. In the morning we packed the car and headed home about 11am. We got to the Stevens Point area and Don wanted to drive through the campus. We both went to school there so we both have fond memories of those college days

Old Main was across campus from either of our dorms and we had classes here

Lake Emily was a lake I use to ride my bike to when I went to school over the summer months at Stevens Point. It's about 11 miles from Point. Once I got there I would swim across the lake a couple of times and then ride my bike back to the house I was renting. I did that quite a bit over the summer months. As we got near to the turn off Don asked if I wanted to see it and so we took another detour and checked out the lake.

This is a long lake but narrow. I swam the narrow part

After our visit down memory lane we headed home and arrived safe and sound about 5:30 pm.

It was a wonderful vacation for me and I really enjoyed every moment I spent with my family.