Bear Lake

My one goal each summer is to find some space of time where we can get to the cabin for more than a measly weekend (like we seem to be limited to much of the rest of the year). It's just so lovely to have multiple days of waking up there ... without any of those days being the one where we have to clean and pack and get everyone back home. 

And this trip not only allowed us that, but, for a portion of the time, there were cousins staying nearby as well!

On one of the days with just our family, we finally made the drive up to Bloomington Lake. Mike has wanted us to go there for some time, but Bear Lake -- the lake only a few moments away -- has, time and again, won out over the lake an hour-plus drive away (primarily up a very bumpy and rutted dirt road). Somehow, I'm ashamed to admit, the drive put several of us in a bit of a grumpy mood. But there was absolutely no denying -- even in the biggest of funks -- that it was beautiful! So much prettiness the whole drive, the short hike in, and all around the lakes. 

There wasn't any beach area to speak of around the main lake, so I stayed with the younger kids a short walk away in this pretty, shallow lake while Mike took the older ones to do the rope swing (which seems to be what draws everyone to Bloomington Lake). Sadly that means I wasn't able to take any pictures of them as they took the brave leap from rope to water. But! I did get these pictures! (Especially impressive since the wind had blown dirt all over my contacts and I couldn't see anything at all very clearly.)

And then we had several beach days with the cousins. There was our wave runner of course, but then also paddle boards and rafts and our tiny kayaks. Mike's oldest brother even rented a boat. And all of those fun things were still just frosting to the real fun for our kids: cousins. 

Starling was being particularly needy (which meant lots of holding her in my arms), and, when we are with lots of other people, I am, of necessity, on more constant, kid-counting high alert, so I only got my camera out for a minute for photos:

Luckily there were others with their cameras out, and I was able to get these photos from Mike's sister-in-law Rhonda and his brother Jeff:

Anywho ... it was a perfect stay! And, in general, we have made good us of our cabin this summer. We had this trip and a family trip before Abe left; Abe used it for a biking/wave-runnering trip with three of his good friends, Daisy had a senior trip up there with her friends, and Mike and I even had a small get-away with just the two of us.

The trip with just Mike and I was so relaxing and not nearly long enough. (Though I'm sure it was more than long enough for the girls tending back at home!) Here are a few pictures from riding four-wheelers down for shakes.

At one point I said to Mike, "Marriage has sure been happy for us. Just think, we've been married over 20 years and only had a few times of being a little grumpy with each other." 

"Yes," he replied, kissing me on the head. "And they were all your fault."

Life is pretty good. :) (And I'm grateful for this place tied to so many memories from the past and still available for us to keep creating so many happy new ones!)