little black journal

One last homage to the 2023 holidays!  We arrived home from Portland the day after Christmas, quickly unpacked then repacked our bags, then headed to the airport early the next morning to catch our flight to Minnesota.  Schnell clan, here we come!

We had asked Shane’s parents what they wanted for Christmas and when they said, “Just a hug from our grandkids”, it felt awfully good to respond with, “YOU GOT IT!”.  Isaac and Juliette made themselves right at home.

It was a bit too cold to do a lot of playing outdoors, but we managed to get out for a walk to the mailbox on Thursday.

Isaac appreciated the chance to get some wiggles out.

Buddy refused to keep his mittens on and bravely rolled a snowball with his bare hands.  He’s tougher than I am!

I was hoping for a fresh couple inches of snow while we were there, but Juliette made do just fine with the dusting that was left from earlier in the week.

The rest of the day was spent rolling matchbox cars up and down Isaac’s makeshift box ramp, baking Grandma’s famous sour cream cookies, and playing cards with Aunt Tiff and Uncle Jason.

The sun came out on Friday and so Isaac and I hopped in the car and drove to the park while Juliette and the other grownups went to see Wonka.

It was a beautiful afternoon, but still frigid, so we did a quick tour of the playground equipment, ran a couple of laps on the lawn, and then bolted back to the car.

We warmed up at Caribou Coffee with a steamer and a latte and I very much enjoyed sitting across the table from Isaac and just taking in his array of facial expressions as he sipped his milk (mmmmm….nommy!) and flipped through his animal flashcards (lion…roooooaaaar!).  This felt like one of my first real sit-down dates with my boy and I believe he’s on the way to becoming a pretty respectable cafe companion.  Oh, the places we’ll go, Bud.

Back at the Schnell homestead, we walked through Grandpa’s corn field and then the kids took a spin with him in the side-by-side, which Isaac lovingly calls The Tractor.

We eeked out one more Christmas lights visit that night and walked through a display in town, stopping to pet the glittery deer and pose with blinking Santa.

Back at the house, we ate fried chicken and wrapped our arms around Hayden, who had just rolled into town with her boyfriend.  Cousins together and it felt so good!

Saturday was wide open – plenty of time for card games and matchbox cars and laying low with loved ones.

And laughing.  These three had the giggles.

Shane whupped us at Polish poker.  And was not so humble about it.

Juliette stopped laughing!

After much pleading from Isaac, we got out for a family ride in the side-by-side that afternoon.  We just went up the street and back, but Isaac treated it like the adventure of a lifetime, grinning throughout.

We made a quick run into town to peruse the toystore – Grandpa had slipped the kids some Christmas money and we picked out a sweet stuffed deer for Isaac and a stuffed fox for Juliette as mementos of the week.

Ok, I thought we were done with lights for the year, but Tiff pitched a visit to another big display outside town and you know I’m a sucker for the twinkle!

Back at the house, we played more games, ate more cookies, and savored our last snuggles.

We got an early(ish) start on Sunday and said our sad goodbyes to Denny and Pat, but then said a happy hello to Shanay near Minneapolis before checking in at the airport.

We’d done a lot of coming and going that week, but Isaac and Juliette were such troopers.

This was Isaac’s best flight yet – he had a snack, ran his orange Hotwheel car up and down my arm for a few minutes, and then crashed out on Juliette’s lap while watching Star Wars.

MADE IT!  Happy New Years Eve, folks.

Our NYE evening was quiet – we were tuckered and turned in well before midnight.  Felt good to wake up at home on New Years Day, turn on the fireplace, and bust out the train set.

That said, we did have places to be later that morning.  These two were polar plunging!

Juliette nearly bailed at the last minute, but I pep-talked her pretty hard and she peeled off her sweatshirt and beanie just as the first folks waded into the freezing water.

Isaac looked on from the shore, intrigued and a little bit concerned.

Wouldn’t be a true polar plunge without a few tears!

I’m sorry she cried, but I’m proud of her for pushing through.  You’ve got more gumption than your mama, Juliette Grace!

Isaac asked to go in the water, so I peeled off his shoes and socks so that he could understand this wasn’t really a Maui situation.  One toe in, and he got it.  “No thank you, Mama!”

For the record, she was quite proud of herself as well.

We’d had rain-checked our family brunch with the Chens and Rusts due to Isaac being under the weather in mid-December, so we gathered after the plunge for our makeup festivities.

After tucking into Nancy’s famous almond torte, the kids did some very serious house-building with gingerbread and frosting.

And then, presents!  Always so much laughter and gratitude when we gift-give with this crew.  Isaac got to go first, as we went youngest to oldest, and he was thrilled with his squishy dinosaur from the Chens.

No stuffies for these teens…skate shop gift cards and light-up drumsticks it is!

Ahhh…cheers to the coziest of kick-offs to a brand new year.

 

Thursday!  The day dawned sunny and bright and I sent the kids across the street to chill on Grandma’s porch while I showered and dressed.

Coffee delivery a la Tiff!  Have I mentioned how much I adore my sister-in-law?

We spent a lazy morning on the porch, thrilled to have the added company of our niece, Shanay.

This truck was Isaac’s very best buddy for the week.  He spent hours opening the doors, putting the little plastic driver inside, closing the doors, repeat, repeat, repeat…

Tractor videos with Grandpa…

This kid’s hugs border on aggressive sometimes.

Isaac would stand at the top of the road here, spotting the water in the distance, and I knew he was making a mental calculation about whether or not to make a break for Grandpa’s boat.

Bring him back, Jules!

We headed into town late morning for the farmer’s market and doughnuts.  Walker is such a sweet little community.

Afternoon shenanigans on the golf cart (we hid the keys!)…

And corn hole!

Heads-up:  Isaac cheats.

We went back to City Park in the evening to do some swimming and catch a summer concert on the lawn.  The kids took a minute to warm up to the water.

But once they were in, the were IN.

We couldn’t keep Isaac from launching himself off the edge of the dock at every turn.

Lake baby!  Dream come true.

Eventually, though, his teeth started chattering, so I wrapped him in a towel, distracted him with a bowl of grapes, and sat him at the end of the dock to watch Dad and Sister swim out to floating dock.

It took some further wooing to get Juliette out of the water, but finally she emerged and we headed over to the main lawn for some live music.

We sat back and snacked as the band got going, but eventually, Isaac couldn’t help himself – Buddy wanted to dance.

Silly little goober…  He hammed it up big, pausing every so often to soak in the smiles from his adoring fans.

Face painting from the same kind librarian that led story time at the farmer’s market earlier in the day…

And then flower tattoos for Isaac.

Back for more dancing…

And somersaulting…

Oh, Isaac.  Way to bring the party wherever you go.

Friday!  A quick pop into town for coffee and milk…

A walk on the Walker dock…

And then we bopped around back at the resort, golf carting and meandering and playing cards.

Tiff’s sweet pup, Gunner, smiles bigger than I’ve seen any dog smile before.

After naptime, back to the pontoon!  Our happiest of happy places.

Best captains!

And more boat bops.

We anchored at a sand bar and pulled out the giant lily pad for the kids to play on.

Swim time with Auntie…

Isaac looks like a bug in these goggles, but you can tell they make him feel like the coolest kid on earth.

We hunted for frogs, but came up short.

And so opted to get our thrill from lily pad jousting.  Get him, Jules!

VICTORIOUS!

Grandma and Grandpa watched from a safe distance.

From jousting to gymnastics.

She’s such a summer beauty.

Time to head back…Buddy’s tired.

Or is he?!

Shane’s dad hosted a fish fry that night with the Walleye he’d been stockpiling in the freezer over the previous few weeks.  We hung out on the porch and the neighbors trickled over and we ate crispy fish and Tiff’s ice cream sandwich cake and reveled in our last evening of low-key camper life.

Tiff had bought Juliette a pack of those little capsules that expand into foam animals when placed in water and goodness, what a thrill!  It really is the little things.

Grandpa and Juliette conspired to squeeze in one last fishing trip.

Hooked one!

(But she’s not quite ready to unhook the fish herself.  That’s what grandpas are for!)

Juliette kept asking, “Just one more cast?!”  It was nearly dark by the time we headed back.  Another 5-star day.

Saturday was go-day, and the tears flowed as we hugged goodbye.  We’d been so spoiled all week, with love and lake time and food up the wazoo.

Isaac’s face here says it all…”You mean we’re really leaving?!  What the heck?!”

I know, Bud.  It’s an awfully special place with some awfully special people we were leaving behind.

I’ve got some catching up to do on here!  It has felt lately like we’re either living our best lives, out and about in the fun zone, or living our hardest lives, holed up inside as we struggle to recover from whatever version of the plague Isaac has brought home from daycare.  Neither state of being leaves much energy for blogging.

But I find myself coming up for breath and going through photos of our early-August trip to Minnesota.  Feels like eons ago, yet these snaps bring back all the feelings of anticipation.  Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Tiff, Uncle Jason…we’re coming for you!

Isaac did as well as could be expected on the plane ride.  He was busy, but generally in good spirits.

And oh, Juliette’s joy as we sped toward Walker.  Denny was waiting for us in the golf cart at the road leading to the resort and as we spotted him on the horizon, Juliette scrambled to unbuckle her seat belt, flying out of the car to wrap her arms around him the second we rolled to a stop.

We quickly settled into our camper, grateful for the well-stocked fridge and the basket full of toys and the cozy spot on Grandpa’s lap.  Those Schnells really know how to roll out the welcome mat.

We ate pizza and then wandered down to the lake, where Juliette tried her hand at fishing while Shane chased Isaac.  It always felt like that boy was about a step and a half from tumbling into the water.

Got one!  Hardly a keeper, but still a thrill.

Do you see why this place is called Moonlight Bay?

Tuesday morning was rainy, so we cozied in at our screened-in porch for Tiff’s breakfast casserole and a round of board games.

A break in the clouds!  Isaac was ready to run.

We went into town for late-morning coffee and got the scoop on the latest additions to bustling downtown Walker.  I made a mental note to come back later in the week to survey the new doughnut shop.

Naptime with Buddy…always a vacation highlight.

The sun came out in the afternoon and we bopped around the resort, golf carting and boating and rolling Tonka trucks around Grandma and Grandpa’s porch.

Isaac didn’t join us on our quick cruise around the lake, but he was ready and waiting to board the boat (and maybe swim some laps?) when we docked.

A boy and his owl…

I can hardly put into words how stinking happy Denny was with his grandkids tucked in next to him as he cruised around the campground.  Lucky gramps.  Lucky kids.

Wednesday!  A morning walk to check on Grandpa’s boat…

Toad-sighting…

Butterfly-sighting…

Shane, of course, had scoped out the pickle ball courts in town and we headed there before lunchtime to check out the scene and cool our heels.

A kind couple saw Shane and Juliette doing their drills and asked if they wanted to play a match.  Juliette’s first grown-up game!  She crushed it.

They make such a good team.

Pool time…

A post-nap plea of, Outside?  Outside?  Outside?

And then, pontoon time!  My very favorite time.  Tiff and Jason took us out on their new rig and we leaned in hard to lake life.

Cold drinks in beer cozies and Taylor Swift piping through the speakers and the wind in our hair…it was just all so good.

(Juliette was really feeling the lyrics to I Can See You.  It’s a bop.)

Denny and Pat cruised alongside us in their own boat and Isaac waved and shouted, “Hi PawPaw!” every 15 seconds.

More pontoon dance partying…

We anchored at a sweet little beach and got out to play and swim.

The kids fed each other grapes and pretzel sticks as we zipped back toward home and they were both just so giddy, laughing like crazy over the silliest things.  An afternoon on the water will do that to you, I guess.

I mean…

Tiff fed us all again on the porch that evening and the kids played until they could play no more.

Isaac fell asleep within seconds of being tucked into his Pack N Play and then Juliette and Shane stayed up late chatting in Juliette’s little sleeping loft while I drifted off myself, buzzing from a day rich with sunshine and smiles.

I took the morning shift on Sunday and popped Isaac in the car for a drive into town – Mama needed coffee.

We walked along Walker’s mini Main Street and then went down to the waterfront.

Isaac likes lake life as much as I do!

Back at the cabin, the kids cozied up while Shane and I pulled our things together for a day out on the boat.

Sometimes, when you’re trying to get things done, you just gotta put the baby in a basket.

We eventually pulled ourselves together, stopped by the lodge where Aunt Tiff treated Juliette to a sweet new hat, and got settled on the pontoon.  Make yourselves at home, girls!

Oh, Isaac.  While sister contentedly stretched out in the sun, Isaac crawled circles around us all.  We should have brought that laundry basket…

Shane and I did our best to manage his mayhem, but that kid is just uncontainable sometimes.  Snack, Ergo, drive the boat, snack, Ergo…

…and SLEEP!  Finally.

We pulled into the Marina to hop out for a bit and grab some goodies at the general store.

Juliette picked up a book of Mad Libs which made for some afternoon silliness…

So easily entertained – I love her!

And now look who’s awake…

We docked again at a small stretch of beach so the kids (kid, really) could swim.  Get it, Jules!

Isaac seemed undecided about getting in the water, but eventually I stripped him down and let him just go for it.

Water?  Two thumbs up.  Sandy hands?  Not a fan.

Once Juliette got her swim fix, we all hopped back in the boat and motored over to another beach to do some exploring.

I know, Isaac, I KNOW!  Lake life, right?!

By the time we pulled ashore, Buddy was ready for another doze.  I put him in the Ergo and quietly sang You Are My Sunshine about 80 times while the water lapped at my feet.  Naps are hard-fought sometimes, but the effort involved isn’t always so bad.

While I worked on naptime, Shane worked on frog-catching.  When he was kid, he and a friend caught 100 frogs in a single afternoon, put them in a bucket, and put up a sign on the street corner hoping to sell them to passing fishermen.  100 frogs!  A sympathetic old soul stopped by and gave them five bucks for the lot.  Juliette and I have heard this story several times and figured Shane could easily snag a critter for Juliette to hold.  It took a few minutes, but finally he delivered, in the form of a little brown toad.

Juliette wasn’t so sure she wanted to hold it after all, but since Shane went to all that effort…  Check out the play-by-play!

A little green frog, though?  He somehow seemed much less icky.

The frog was set free and we decided we’d had our fill of water and sun and would head back to the cabin.  But…wait!  One more dip.  These girls can’t stop, won’t stop!

We did make it back eventually, Isaac still snoozing as we disembarked.  Don’t mind if I grab a few Z’s of my own…

We gathered that evening at Grandma and Grandpa’s for a late first birthday celebration for Isaac and an early ninth for Juliette.

Hayden was heading back home that evening and we hated to see her go!  Such a fun couple of days with this girl.

Know what goes well with birthday cake?  MARGARITAS.

Isaac loved the ice cream cake so much that he bit a tine off his plastic fork!  Making a mental note to use real silverware next time this kid gets dessert.

Juliette got over her toad aversion…

And then Shanay taught her the Boot Scootin’ Boogie.  All in a day’s work!

There were some Funky Chicken lessons…

And gifts for the luckiest kids in all the land.  What a perfect Minnesotan day…

We laid pretty low on Monday.  Shane went out in the side-by-side with his dad while the kids and I bopped around camp.  Isaac had been eying the small playground and sandbox on our walks to and from Denny and Pat’s and finally I caved – get dirty, kid!

Meanwhile, my clean kid…

Can I still hold her on my hip?  Why, yes I can!

We went to dinner in Dorset that evening, making a quick pitstop in Akeley to say hello to Paul Bunyan.  If this isn’t midwestern, I don’t know what is!

We said goodbye to Tiff and Shanay after dinner, as they needed to get home for work.  Tiff had taken such good care of us that week, stocking our cabin with groceries and cooking us breakfast each morning and goodness, the way she and Shanay loved on our kids…  We missed them the moment they pulled away.

Back at camp, we settled back into the porch and tried to snag a family pic.  Look this way, Isaac!

Or…don’t.

Denny offered to take Juliette and me out for a sunset fishing session that evening and we jumped at the chance.  It seemed a perfect way to round out a week on the lake.

Juliette quickly got the hang of watching her bobber and reeling in any slack on her line.

Success!  One sweet little perch.  He was tiny, but I hooted and hollered like she’d just snagged a 10-pound bass.

And then a second one to boot.  It was thrilling, really.

We motored back to camp as the sun dipped below the horizon, Juliette’s hair whipping in the wind, Denny smiling ear to ear with his favorite first mate at his side.

The best dockside welcome wagon!

I took Isaac in for bed while Juliette drove her Grandpa back to his camper.  Peas in a pod, these two.

Tuesday was go-day, which meant one last round of grandparent snaps and then some drawn-out, tearful good-byes.

Oh, good-byes are hard.  Like, really hard.

And the long trek home…again, Isaac reveled in the thrill of take-off, turning back to Shane with a grin like, “Can you even believe this, Dad?”  But the thrill quickly wore off and we did a lot of baby-juggling the rest of the flight.

Meanwhile, Juliette had a window seat in the row behind us and lived her best life, with unlimited iPad time and double Sprites.  You deserve it, Kiddo.

It felt awfully good to walk in our front door, but it wasn’t without a tinge of those post-vaycay blues.  We’re holding close a boatload of special family memories in that Minnesotan wonderland.

Our early-September trip to Minnesota already feels like a distant memory, but I’ve still got the warm family fuzzies from our few days there.  The Schnell love is strong!  Totally worth the four-plus hours on the plane and the four hours in the car.

Isaac did alright with the travel, though not without plenty of effort from Shane and I to keep him entertained.  He was thrilled by the sound and speed of take-off and quickly settled in for an hour-long nap, but at wake-up we were left with at least half the flight to fill.

Bring on the snacks.  And more snacks.  Sit in Dad’s lap.  Sit in Sister’s lap.  Play with the ice left over from my ginger ale.  Play with the thermometer I tucked into the diaper bag.  JUST BE STILL!

Juliette, on the other hand, was an A+ seat buddy.

When the flight attendant asked us to prepare for landing, I thought, “what do you think I’ve been doing for the last two hours?!”.

This year we opted to stay in a cabin at the lakefront resort where Shane’s parents and sister have campers rather than staying at their house in Alexandria.  Shane’s dad was at the main road waiting for us to arrive and Juliette was opening her car door to get to him before we’d even rolled to a stop.  See what I said about the Schnell love?!

We settled into our cabin that afternoon and spent the evening hanging out on Denny and Pat’s porch drinking hard-earned beer while Isaac pushed trucks around underfoot.

I walked Isaac back to our cabin around sunset, enjoying the warm evening and the pastel sky.

This was going to do just fine.

Isaac was up early and Friday (and also half the night on Thursday, little rascal…), so Shane took him out for a long morning run while Juliette and I grabbed extra Z’s.  BUDDY.  You can be something of a monster in the night, but in the light of day, you’re so forgivable.

We quickly settled into the week’s routine, convening at Tiff’s porch for hot coffee and home-cooked breakfast.

Isaac did some very sweet lap-sitting, but more often than not, he was diving out of our arms so that he could go play on the stairs or tip over chairs or make other sorts of mischief.  Never a dull moment.

Juliette became a Skipbo Queen…

While Pat introduced Isaac to all the sweet old neighbor ladies.

By noon on our second day there, Juliette had taken over the driver’s seat in Grandpa’s golf cart.  She wasn’t quite ready for the gas pedal, but her steering game was strong.

Afternoon swimming…

And a pre-dinner Corn Hole tournament.

There was so much room to roam – Isaac covered a lot of ground on this wide-open lawn!

Beverage break.

And back at it.  Gosh, this boy loves to climb.

Denny fried several pounds of fresh-caught Walleye for dinner and some neighbors sauntered over to partake.  There was a quick trip out on Grandpa’s boat, a moonrise stroll with Buddy, a little time around the campfire, and we were spent.  I wish I could say we slept like logs that night, but ISAAAAAC!!!

We were up and at it early again on Saturday.  There was a bottle in bed, another father-son morning walk, and a few quiet minutes out on the dock to enjoy the glassy water.

Time for breakfast at Auntie Tiff’s!

Things Juliette is thankful for:  1) Uncles that run to the neighborhood store to buy her a jump rope so that she can show off her new tricks.  2) Cousins that can braid!

After breakfast, Juliette and I joined Denny and some of his buddies for a trail ride.  I’d never been in a side-by-side, but when in Minnesota!

We climbed through birch groves and a grouse skittered across the path in front of us.  Grandpa reached out the window and picked wild violets for Juliette.  We bumped slowly through mud puddles and Juliette thought it was thrilling when we went through a puddle so deep that mud covered the side-by-side’s floor.

We rolled back into the resort and were greeted by the friendliest little welcome wagon.  Next year, Isaac, your turn!

You know what’s perfect after a dusty morning in the woods?  POOL TIME!

We joined most the neighborhood that night for a potluck at the main shelter.  Jello salads of every color in the rainbow!  It was sweet, the feeling of community among the crowded rows of picnic tables.

My word, these cousins.

That evening brought more Corn Hole (played one-handed as I struggled to keep Isaac from nose-diving off the stairs…),

More Skipbo…

And some Hayden-Jules shenanigans as they dropped acorns near where Denny sat down at the firepit.  He didn’t notice a thing.

S’mores!

And a sunset to boot.

Nighty-night…

We spent a few days earlier this month in Minnesota, celebrating our niece’s high school graduation and catching up with our beloved Schnells. While there was some busy-ness with festivities and ceremonies, there was also ample time to slow down, to sit on the porch and drink beer, to stand by the fence and coo at the brand-new baby calves.

We arrived Thursday evening and after a round of hugs from Grandma and Grandpa, Juliette darted across the yard to say hello to the animals.

While Jules fell head over heels for the cows, I became smitten with these golden greens…

The temperatures weren’t quite warm enough for us to pull out our swimsuits on Friday, but Shane was still up for a ride on a french fry floaty at Lake Latoka.

Meanwhile, Jules and Hayden snuggled up together under beach towels.

We spent most of the afternoon setting up the church for Shanay’s big graduation shin-dig and then headed home for a stroll around the farm.

Denny just bought ten baby pigs and they are the cutest.  We loved watching them dart from one end of the pen to the other, wooing them closer to us by dumping a heap of leftovers into their food trough.

 

Fatten up, little ones…  Grandpa’s got big plans for you.

Outside the barn, we stopped to hang out with the cows.  This sweet baby calf was just a few days old!

Back at the house, the cousins caught up with each other on the porch while Shane grilled up a whole lotta hot dogs.

We ended every day around this table, eating and drinking and laughing with the family.

We used the time change to allow ourselves (Juliette included) to stay up late and sleep in late.  Our mornings were lazy – Juliette romping around the porch in her underwear, Shane and I taking our sweet time eating our breakfast.

We drove over to the church late Saturday morning for Shanay’s big graduation celebration.  We’re so proud of this lovely young lady – she’s bright and generous and incredibly kind and now, a bonafide adult!

We spent the afternoon tinkering around the house, watching Grandpa work on his motorcycle and then spending more time with our cow friends.

This girl loves her grandpa somethin’ fierce – any time he entered a room, Juliette ran to him with arms wide open, exclaiming “GRANDPA!”, as if she hadn’t seen him just ten minutes earlier.

By late afternoon Jules was getting a case of the crankies, so I took her out for a lemonade reboot at the coffee shop.  A little one-on-one time does wonders for the both of us.

The weather had turned super-warm and I still had our beach bag in the trunk, so we detoured on the way home for a toe-dip at the lake.

We dined at Chet’s that night with the whole family, feasting on fried chicken with our lovely graduate.

And as we settled into our porch chairs for beer and a sunset show, we saw tiny flickers of light appear over the field.  Fireflies!

Shane offered to catch one for Juliette in a jar and I admittedly doubted his prowess, wondering how on earth he’d capture one of these fleeting-and-few-between bugs.  But alas, DAD FOR THE WIN.

The country in the summertime is a magical place.

I went for a blissfully quiet walk on Sunday morning before heading to the high school for the big ceremony.

Shanay!  You did it!

After setting our graduate free to hang out with her friends for the afternoon, we all headed home for yet another stroll through the farm.  Never got old.

Roo, the cow Juliette is trying to feed, is known as being particularly troublesome, breaking loose from the pen any chance she gets.  Jules developed a special fondness for this rascal, cooing, “Oh, Roo…” every time she came close.

Hayden loves animals, but does not love the resident bull, Pretty Boy.  She avoided eye contact at all costs.

Hey, piggies!

Gosh, I miss these little fellas!  They had so much personality.

These Minnesota Schnell kids are top-notch.  Patient and fun and affectionate – Juliette hit the cousin jackpot.

We gathered on the porch again on Sunday evening, this time raising our glasses to Avery, who had just turned 14.  Happy Birthday, Bud!

We lingered especially late around the table that night, Tiff and I savoring our super-sized beers and Shane sipping his little shot glass of top-shelf scotch.  I can’t imagine feeling more at home with a family that’s not actually my blood.  Thanks for a makin’ a girl feel welcome, Schnells…

We pulled away from the farm on Monday morning and set out for Minneapolis, Juliette yelling “Bye, Roo, you old troublemaker!” as we made our way down the road.  We had a few hours to pass in the city before our flight, so we took a walk along the Mighty Mississippi and then grabbed lunch downtown.

 

 

 

We parked ourselves in this hip little coffee shop for a solid hour, sipping our drinks and playing game after game of Go Fish.  I’m so glad that Juliette loves cafe time as much as I do.

Eventually, later than planned, we boarded our plane for Seattle and headed west.  We rolled up to our house after midnight, weary but rested.  We’re self-declared city folk, Shane and I, but a few days in the country sure does us good.

We didn’t do a whole lot on Tuesday – it was cold and we were lazy.  But there was a lunch date:

A trip to the mall:

A quick jog to the end of the driveway to capture this indigo sky:

Mucho love for Grandpa:

Mucho love for Hayden:

And some intense puzzle-doing!

Wednesday was also quiet, though I did do some fairly strenuous pie-making, chopping apples and rolling dough with my favorite little sous-chef.

It was freezing and windy that day, but we made it outside for a few minutes, to see the cows and pick up sticks and play a game of chase.

I know, I know – this is a whole lotta Jules.  But that hat!  Those rosy cheeks!

Finally, the girl could handle the cold no more and asked Daddy to take her in.

…and then changed her mind about going inside when we got to the porch.  She was feeling the pull of those wide open spaces!

Shane and I went out with Tiff and Jason that evening to the local watering hole for Wednesday wings.  These Minnesota skies are somethin’ else.

Lite beer with green olives is apparently the Minnesotan beverage of choice when consuming massive piles of chicken wings.  Cheers, Tiff!

We exchanged presents that evening, snacking on Christmas cookies and hot apple cider while the kids tore into their gifts.

Juliette, as per usual, made out like a bandit.

Gah!  Watching this guy hug his granddaughter will turn you to mush.  Denny’s heart is BIG and generous and soft.

Thursday morning was full of kitchen time and good smells and lots of laughter as the family gathered at the house.

We were just beginning to feel a bit antsy when Denny pulled up to the porch in his combine.  Your chariot awaits, Juliette!

The fields near the house still needed to be harvested, so Juliette and Shanay kept Grandpa company while he went to work.

Once the kids had put in their time on the combine, we walked next door to chat with the cows and toss them a few ears of corn, to perfectly round out the country experience.

We’re not in Seattle anymore, Juliette!

The kitchen was a frenzy of activity when we got back inside as Pat put the finishing touches on the meal.  Ham and turkey and mashed potatoes and cranberry relish and creamed corn and green beans, oh my.

We ate and then collapsed in a pile on the couch, eventually summoning just enough energy to put together a gingerbread house and slice into the apple pie.

Happy, happy Thanksgiving!

Shane and I had picked up a 1000 piece puzzle mid-week and I stayed up late Thursday working on it, desperate to see it through before our Friday flight back to Seattle.  I’d forgotten how satisfying it is to slip together two perfectly-fit pieces and I was stupidly excited to show Shane the finished product in the morning.  Voila!

We hit the road late Friday morning, waving a teary goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa (and the cows) as we pulled out of the driveway.  I’m so thankful for those kind-hearted Schnells, for several days of rest, for chicken wings and tractors and incredible country sunsets.  I’m especially thankful that I get to share a row with these two.

We haven’t spent a holiday in Minnesota since Juliette was born, foregoing the trip when she was a baby because of the new-parent flight-phobia we felt in those first couple of years, and then opting to make the trip in the summer when she was two and three.  But this year we decided to pull out our hats and mittens and see if our tough girl was tough enough for a true midwestern winter.

We rolled up to Shane’s parents’ house Saturday evening after a long day of travel and were greeted with warm hugs and home-cooked ham.  We were exhausted but looking forward to a few days of solid rest, of cozying up inside with family and food.  A few days of quiet.

We woke late on Sunday and lounged for awhile in our pajamas, eventually rallying to head over to Andes Resort to watch Avery bomb down the big hills on his snowboard and to watch Jules creep down the shallow bunny slope on her skis.  Turns out November in Minnesota agrees with this girl!

She was a bit timid at first, begging Shane to hold her tight as they sloooooowly made their way down the hill.

But she grew a bit bolder with each subsequent run, eventually laughing hysterically as she cried, “Faster, Daddy!  FASTER!”

Shane was also feeling bold and rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain, nailing his first-ever downhill run on skis!

Avery, on the other hand, was a madman out there from the get-go.  Kid’s got skills.

These two were so adorably proud of themselves.  Guess I better learn how to ski soon, or they’re likely to leave me in their dust…

Disappointingly, this afternoon on these slopes (made of manufactured snow, by the way) was our only romp in the powder as the rest of the week was dry, but we made the most of it!

The rest of the day was lovely and low-key – we napped and did puzzles, popping outside for a few minutes of fresh air and a quick check-in with the next-door cows, then retreating indoors for pizza and games with the whole family.

Juliette relished every moment of cousin-time and all three kids were exceedingly generous with their attention. Hayden must have played 47 rounds of Go Fish by the time our week there was over.

Monday was cold, but our lunchtime burgers and milkshakes left Juliette with oodles of energy to burn, so we headed over to Noonan’s Park to hit the playground.

Tell me again, Jules – does the cold weather bother you?

…’cause Grandma and Aunt Tiff are looking a little chilly!

Shane tentatively stepped out onto the newly frozen ice at the pond across the street, at which point Juliette desperately pleaded with him to return to solid ground.  Walking on water wasn’t a concept she could get her head around.

I dunno, Shane…is that really a good idea?!

Ok, seriously, Shane, IS THIS A GOOD IDEA?!

With outdoor swimming clearly out the question, we opted to head to the YMCA for a dip in the indoor heated pool.

Shanay joined us mid-swim and Juliette almost flew into her arms.  I got so much joy out of watching Juliette’s face light up with a million-kilowatt smile every time a new family member appeared on the scene.  The whole week was a chorus of, SHANAY!  GRANDPA!  AUNTIE TIFF!  GRANDMA! UNCLE JASON! HAYDEN!  AVERY!  SHANAAAAAAAY!

Tuesday ended with pink skies and Tiff’s enchiladas.  More Go Fish.  Pat’s peppermint bark.  A bottle of wine.  Vay-cay.

Up next:  presents, puzzles, turkey and a tractor.

Our last couple of days in Minnesota were packed with more water, more family time, plenty of porch-sitting and sunset-gazing.  I had eased into country life, and it felt good.

We spent Sunday afternoon out on Blackwell Lake, floating aimlessly on Doug and Val’s pontoon.

Shane, not usually one for swimming, couldn’t resist the chance to dive and swing and cannonball.

With that life jacket strapped on, he was the perfect flotation device.

Juliette loved being on the boat, especially when Doug put the pedal to the metal and the wind blew through our hair.  She’d laugh like crazy and yell, “Super-faster!  SUPER-FASTER!!!”

I shutter to think what this kid will be like when she’s old enough to get behind the wheel for real.  Watch out, folks!

I’m so glad we got to catch up with this crew.  It’s a special feeling, being with people that have known Shane and I since before we were “Shane and I”!

Jules was wired from our boating bonanza, so I put her in the stroller for a walk when we got back to the house, hoping she’d chill out and doze.  But then we came across these dang cows and she was over the moon again!

She eventually crashed, waking from her nap just in time to give Purple Baby a sunset bath on the porch.

This porch swing was my happy place…

Monday morning, it was Juliette’s and Grandpa’s happy place, too!  It makes my heart flip-flop, seeing how fiercely this guy loves his granddaughter.

We had hoped to spend Monday afternoon back out on the water, but gray skies and drizzle kept us from putting on our swimsuits.  We settled instead for a trip to Carlos Creek Winery and a drink on the patio.

We gathered with the whole gang for dinner at Zorbaz that night and then walked across the street to Lake Le Homme Dieu for one last water-fix and a quick family snapshot.

The rest of the evening was spent…back on that beloved porch!  Shane staged his own version of the Olympics by pulling up the stopwatch app on his phone and challenging the kids to dart from one end of the house to the other in under ten seconds.  They took the challenge very seriously.

Super-faster, Jules, SUPER-FASTER!

A final sunset (a few final mosquito bites), a round of teary hugs, and…that was it.  We were off to the airport before sunrise on Tuesday morning.  I missed that place and those people before we’d even turned out of the driveway.  There’s a lotta beauty, a lotta peace, a whole lotta love in that little corner of the Midwest.

Saturday was sunny and warm – perfect parade-goin’ weather!  We staked out a spot on the sidewalk of downtown Garfield (I use the word “downtown” very loosely, with a town population of 350!) and settled in for Juliette’s first parade.

The festivities began with some old dudes carrying flags and the singing of the National Anthem – at this point, Juliette had yet to be sold on the whole ordeal.

And then…candy started flying out the windows of the trucks and tractors that passed us by.  Now this kid was on board!

Shane’s special treat?  Gin and tonics from the pub conveniently located just behind us.  I mean, gotta stay hydrated, right?

Hey…I know that face!

27 tractors and 10 pounds of candy later, we threw our loot in the car and drove over to Lake Latoka to cool off in the water.

All those years of visiting Minnesota of the dead of winter…I had no idea what we were missing out on!

“I’m kicking, Mama!  I’m kicking so much!”

After a post-swim PB&J and a round of frisbee, we packed it up.  Reluctantly.  I coulda hung out in the shade of that tree all day, but naptime beckoned.

In the evening we gathered at Denny’s shop for his 60th birthday bash.  One pickup after another rolled up as half the town turned out to wish him well.  I was thankful for a few familiar faces and thrilled by the chance to catch up with Shane’s Aunt Val, as she and I go waaaay back.  Almost 20 years ago, she hired me as a baby-sitter.  I fell in love with her family, then really fell in love with her foxy Minnesotan nephew when he moved in with them for a summer internship in Turlock (Doug and Val should get a match-making medal!).  I was initially bummed when the Schnells left California for Washington, but when I landed a job in Seattle a couple of years later, Val took me under her wing, giving me a place to stay while I looked for an apartment.  She was there when I signed my first post-college lease and pushed the cart on my subsequent Bed Bath & Beyond shopping spree.  The countless meals I ate at their table did so much to ease my loneliness as I eagerly waited for Shane to move up to Seattle.  Doug and Val left Washington a few years ago and I realized Saturday night how dearly I’ve missed them.

Hey, Birthday Boy!

There was eating (so. much. pork!) and drinking and merriment…

A few hugs for Grandpa’s tractor…

A round of rides on the Gator…

A pepper-hunt in Grandpa’s garden…

And then, the sure-fire signs of a storm on the horizon.  That sky.

The threat of rain wasn’t gonna get this crew down, though – there was still partying to do!

I’m not entirely sure who this girl is or how her family knows Denny and Pat, but whatever – I turned around and Jules had a new best buddy!

Eventually the skies completely opened up and everyone took refuge indoors while it poured and poured.  We let Jules run for a few minutes in the warm summer rain and then called a day.  Sun, sugar, swimming, Schnells…these are a few of her favorite things.