summer lodge trip wrap-up

This is going to be a massive post, but I need to get caught up with all the pictures. I'm going to rapidly try to wrap up last month's trip to the Lodge. Thanks much to AJ for taking and sharing most of these pictures.

Hallie had a great time at the Lodge - she took all kinds of different naps.

She didn't sleep all the time though, she was her normal sweet self when she was awake too.

Erin brough her various swimsuits to wear and she looked very cute in them (here's another one).

Meanwhile, Will spent nearly all of his time playing outside, usually naked and holding a sword. He had a fascination with oars, probably due to their swordlike nature. he had his own mini-paddle that he hauled around with him and used when he and grandpa pretended to take the canoe out. Also there were a couple of toy oars that he liked to use to splash in the water (which sometimes resulted in splashing mud)...

We saw our share of wildlife. In addition to all the awesome fish we caught, there were eagles, loons, snakes, and this big dang snapping turtle which was hanging out by our firepit one evening. Grandma and Will discovered him.

This is Grandpa's Mario Car (Will named it). It is red like Mario's car in Mario Race. It's a large four-wheeler that Gramps got primarily for hauling boats and equipment (snacks) to and from the lakeshore. But as a bonus, it is also fun to take it on adventures through the forest. Will got to go on a few forest adventures as rewards for peeing on trees.

We didn't spend all of our time outside. There was some Wii playing. Also Will had to occasionally put on clothes, such as this hat and mittens Grandma worked on for him. He got some sweet new socks too.

(this picture on the right is one of my new favorites, poor Hallie is so mad because it isn't her turn to play...)

Will got his own big boy bed (his own room, in fact) to sleep in. Grandpa and Grandma and AJ read him lots of stories before his naps and bedtime. Grandpa also gave him this headlamp to wear so he wouldn't be scared at night.

Look closely at the picture below, announcing the return of mom & AJ's favorite inspirational singer (he inspired Will anyway).

We went out to eat one night at the "Black Bear" - a local backwoods tavern. It's a great place, very comfortable and authentic (they have bears inside). Also it has a playset in the back, and since we ate outside, Will got to climb on it quite a lot while we ate.

Our friends Joe and Sabina joined us for dinner and were kind enough to hold the baby while the rest of us ate Will's dinner. They are expecting their own baby soon!

The drive home was fun. I was pretty sleepy but AJ and Will acted like goofballs all the way back to the Lodge...