End of July Fun

The end of July.....only a few more weeks of summer vacation left, we're finishing summer projects and enjoying every day with our little Pie. We're finishing a boardwalk around the house, repainting and doing little home improvements. It's been rainy and cold so we're a bit tired of this crazy non-July and hoping August will come with good, hot, tomato growing weather.
Last Saturday I turned 30 (Hurray!) and Maarit helped me celebrate, it rained all day so we packed for our cabin trip and went to the park when there was a break in the rain. We ended the day with a chocolate zucchini cake.

The next morning I was on a mission to join the Mattsons and Koch's at the cabin so Maarit and I packed and hustled while Justin found every excuse to stall and invent reasons not to leave. He then brought me to my friend Kari's house where a wonderful surprise birthday gathering was waiting for me! Thank you Kari and Erin especially for planning and thank you Justin for getting me there! Maarit had lots of fun at the party...

Erin, me and Lindsey

Party planners: Kari and Erin and me

Maarit got to visit with Ryan and Sarah at the gathering. Here she is explaining her fondness for eating grass and flowers. And below: Maarit sharing a sitting in the grass moment with Sarah. (Thanks for driving up you two, it was special to have you there!)

Maarit also spent some quality time with her friend Aiden. This is the little guy whose toys she likes to steal, but he doesn't seem to mind. Here they are giving hugs and kisses. They are pretty darn cute together!

And Maarit got to visit with her godfather Craig (Aiden's dad), here they are sharing a giggle.

That evening we did head up to the Echo trail to spend a few days at a cabin with Justin's parents and his sister's family. We stayed at the Whispering Pine lodge on Big Lake, part of the BWCA. It was pretty rainy while we were there (nothing new this July up here!) and so one day we drove into Ely to visit the Wolf Center. Below is Maarit and a wolf named Aiden. She was so excited by this trip that she yelled and 'talked' at the top of her voice the entire time we were there, went nuts for any pictures of wolves that she saw the rest of the time were were there. And funny enough there were lots of wolf pictures in the cabin so we spend a lot of time going around looking at those after visiting the wolves.

Maarit and the wolf.

There was one sunny morning at the cabin while we were there. Justin took Maarit out to look at the ducks on the beach.

Maarit says, "Hurray Ducks!"

Maarit and her cousins Chloe 4 (left) and Hanna 2 (right)

We rented a boat on the sunny morning and took it out to explore the lake. Here Chloe is checking out something in the distance while Nana enjoys the shortlived sunshine.

Auntie Tarah and Hanna stayed near the back of the boat because Hanna wasn't a huge fan of boating. But she was a trooper none the less!

Uncle Kurt was our captain, he had lots and lots and lots of help from the arm chair captain behind him (Russ) and the rest of the peanut gallery. Driving a ship can be a challenge with this crew Uncle!

Mommy and Maarit boating.

Maarit is thrilled about all things water, boating included. We had to hold on tight to our little water bug as she was likely to jump right in!

A view of the lodge and cabin where we stayed.

The Koch and Mattson crew on the beach.

Karhu entertained the group with her fetching-the-stick- from-the-water superpower. She was the only one who got to go swimming since it was so cool while we were there.

A short break in the clouds.

On our return home I spotted this little guy in our backyard. He was on his way to munch our neighbor's garden. No mommy anywhere near so I am thinking it could be our little fawn still going strong with lots of local gardens to feed him. Someone ate my rose buds while we were gone, bet it was this little bugger. But our scarecrow system is keeping the rest of the garden safe!