I have always enjoyed writing (which is probably why I blog.....notice I say enjoy, not excel at). I have kept a travel journal since Craig and my honeymoon 9 years ago. I love to look back at it and remember all of our experiences while on vacation over the years. My last entry was 2 and half years ago! We have been pretty busy these past 2 and a half years with pregnancies, babies, someone living with us, and moving so vacation was not on our priority list. My aunt and uncle have this great second home in VERY Northern Wisconsin and we have wanted to visit for the past 6 years but it seems like something always comes up. This summer we made it a priority to visit. We absolutely LOVED the cabin. It is very "up our alley". It is surrounded by a National Forest and is in a very remote, lightly touched by humans area. The Lake is not lined up and down with homes but mostly trees with a few docks sticking out that give away the existence of humans in the area. Except for our cell phones, we used no other technology all week and it was pretty awesome to be off the grid for awhile. Anyway, the following are a few entries from my travel journal that I kept while we were there. Nothing earth shattering or too heart felt but just what we did and we were thinking and feeling while we were up north and off the grid.
Day 1:
First full day at Sue and Dennis cabin in WI is completed. We had enough activity and fun for three days. I started reading the kids Little house in the big woods (also in WI) from the Laura Ingalls series and this place reminds them of that book so we have decided to call it little house in the big woods as well. And the woods are big and they are beautiful. I keep looking around trying to take it all in so I will have enough images stored away in my mind for when we have to leave. This place is not untouched by humans but very lightly touched I would say. The pine smell fills the air as I walk down to the lake. The sad but beautiful sound of the loon can be heard in early evening and it tugs at my heart when I hear the sound. I also laugh as Caleb says "oooooohhhh, loon mommy". How amazing it is to share this place with my children.....what is heaven going to look like if there are places on earth that look like this!?!
We found a cabinet full of hats and started the day by trying on all the different hats to see which one fit our vacation mood just right.
We then took the canoes to the other side of the lake, we docked and explored some very rustic deer and hunter trails. We were hiking in a National Forest and very far in so very few people have gone where we went today. We found a turtle shell and a few places that looked like bear scat.
Nothing like hiking in your life jackets to make you feel like you are an extreme hiker!!
Back to our canoes and to our cabin. We did some swimming and riding the ATV. Caleb is starting to say his name and then express his desire for a turn....he say "C-bub turn" (you would think he would say "K-bub" but he says "C-bub"). He said this often when it came to the 4-wheel rides. Andie and Isaac played a mixture of Narnia and Little House in the Big Woods in the woods and we had a picnic and some naps. Craig brought some couch cushions outside to lounge while I kayaked around the lake.
After naps we went down to the lake for some fishing and swimming. Isaac and Andie each tried to kayak (with some help) and many bluegills were caught (and released).
Cooking dinner over the fire is always a great adventure, topped off with some s'mores. The kids had a great time playing in the woods and taking a spin on the ATV and were really excited to catch, observe and release two craw dads....cannot believe we did all this in a single day! It was a fun filled day in the Big Woods!
Day 2....Monday, July 15th 2013
Writing this entry while Caleb naps and Andie and Isaac play little house in the Big Narnia woods in their "secret hideout" conveniently located 100 yards from me and not so secret. Birds are chirping, a wood pecker is tapping, the wind is rustling through the pine trees. There is almost no technology here (compared to "normal life") and it has been a welcome break from all the distractions that can fill up our days. My oldest two don't know it but they are building memories that may last a lifetime....I wonder if we will be hearing about their really cool secret hideout in the years to come. I take a breath and breath in the fragrant pine.....the smell automatically relaxes me and causes me to "be still" and enjoy this moment. This moment when my kids are young, this moment when we have completely gone off the grid for the week and are just enjoying each others company and nature. Yes, we have still had to correct and discipline (we really don't feel like it though....can't parenting stop on vacation) but that is part of vacation as well.
This morning Craig got up early and kayaked. He watched an eagle swoop down and grab a fish and take it back to its perch and he boated next to a loon for a bit while listening to its eerie call.
After a hearty breakfast, we drove over to hike LaSalle falls. A rugged one mile hike (2 miles round trip). No barriers when we got to the falls.
We perched on top of the falls, Caleb decided he wanted to be able to run free and it made me nervous up on top so we found a trail (rugged) down to the bottom. The kids were able to play on the rocks and put their feet in the water and I felt better because I felt I could rescue them if they fell in and not have to watch one of them go over a waterfall.
We hiked out and drove home. Caleb napped and Andie and Isaac played in their hideout. Afternoon was filled with swimming and exploring underwater with goggles. Evening was met with dinner and ice cream at a local favorite in Iron River MI at Scott's subs. Scott was very friendly, served all and even gave our kids some free ice cream. Everyone left with a "see you later Scott!" Popcorn and a movie for our tired crew with the promise of a fun filled HOT day on the horizon for tomorrow.
Day 3
Woke up and felt that we could use a close, sandy beach. Long Lake is 5 miles away and was the perfect answer. We stopped at the General Store for an ice Cream treat and spent the morning at Long Lake Beach. Kids played in the sand and we all jumped off a floating platform. We came back and the boys napped. Craig fished and Andie and I hung out with Craig and waited for my parents to get here. We have been using the natural bait of snails and horseflies. Catching lots of bluegill. It has been fun hunting for snails and killing horseflies for Craig to use. We saw an eagle dive down and grab food about 50 yards away from us. At 2 my parents arrived and we showed them the place! Had a fire and s'mores and called it a night.
Pictures of my swimmers.
These two could be a postcard....blue skies, blue water, children jumping.
LOVE LOVE LOVE it in Northern Wisconsin. Have more pictures of when my parents came (since I seemed to have stopped taking pictures when they came because I think I count on my dad to do it!) so more to come of our last few days.
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