Booted from the boot....

The Boot gave us the boot....we booked off a nine day trip at the cozy little lake in North woods and we did all of the standard boot lake camping traditions.  Including a new spin on smores...campfire eclairs.  Bob and Nancy even joined in the fun for a few nights of soggy sleeping.  It rained or was cloudy most of the time and the heat kept building.  We found time to fish, kayak and swim but a storm was brewing.  The storm ended up as a tornado and we sheltered it out at the last minute with a drive to Dave's Hide Away bar.  Kids slept on bar stools and pool tables as the storm blew out and we were left to determine how to navigate the tree choked roads.  Kevin and I made it back to the campground near 1 am and it was almost unrecognizable.  There was no discernible difference between the road and the woods.  We filled backpacks at our campers with snacks and drinks and hiked back out to the main road through an apocalyptic set.  Amy's car was crunched by a falling tree and we left the roof vents open in the camper so there was plenty of water that would eventually dry.  Ella brought a friend and it was quite an eyeopener into camping.  We were all safe and there were no injuries in the campground...amazingly.  Amy and I would spend the next week and half driving to the campground to haul out our gear in a makeshift wagon.  The rangers chased us out at one point and the whole campground was shuttered for the rest of the season.

berries and boats

 

The strawberries are full sweetness, ripe and red and we headed out to fill our buckets.  We picked the morning and left before the summer humidity overtook us.  We headed for cooler places both for views and for temperatures.  Cave Point Kayaking seemed like the perfect place to paddle along the ancient dolomite cliffs and sea caves.  A six mile out and back along the shore line and then a little Door County shopping was a pretty good way to spend a day....much better than the three in a canoe that we watched dump.

Sweet 16 for Sophia

Sophia hit the legal driving age and will get her license in a couple weeks.  It was good haul for her with shoes and clothes and some chocolate cake thrown in to sweeten the pot.

Settling into June....

 

 

The school year is done and the soccer and basketball are getting closer to wrapping up.  Grace had a Milwaukee tournament to end the season and Merrick played in a two day tournament near Howard.  We are spending plenty of time close to home as well with evening fires and general relaxation.  Grace and I made a drive back to Eau Claire and stopped to hike Granite Peak on the way.  Nice trails and we will plan on getting over there when the leaves are full peak autumn colors.

Memorial Day and More

 

Memorial day has been a little cool and overcast but the band marches on.  Ella Performed in the downtown parade and it was a substantial parade at that.  Grace played in the Appleton tournament and we wove our way over hill and dale through a maze of construction to get there.  Sophia finished off her High School Season and was named mvp for the team.  The overcast days eventually gave way to a rainy Saturday and keeping a promise we headed to the Chatterbox for some pool and pub grub to pass the afternoon

Ella ages...

Ella's friends came over to celebrate her birthday and another successful year.  She willingly supported Grace at a tournament in Madtown.  The tourney was great and Grace rebounds like an animal...the hotel was just described as an adventure.

Spring in our steps...

 
 Spring is here and the weather has been cooperating.  It is time for Spring concerts.  Merrick had a drum solo and Ella is in charge of tuning up the whole band.  It has been fun watching them progress.  Ella and Grace headed to TR for a color run with Amy and Hazel spent a day at work with me.  Merrick's soccer team is playing around the area but it seems this will be his last season with the club as he plans on playing for the school team in the fall.