Up North

A couple of weekends ago, my parents invited us on an impromptu overnight on the North Shore. I am so impressed with us- we left less than 24 hours after deciding to go! Who needs planning and foresight? Not us! We left Saturday morning and caravaned with my parents, sending Lucian to ride with Grandma and Grandpa and the Okee Dokee Brothers CD (he's a little obsessed ), while Max opted for the minivan with the DVD player.

Our first stop was the Duluth Train Museum. Not just electric models, this was a museum full of real trains, many of which are open to climb in! Lucian thought he died and went to heaven. The boys climbed from engine to caboose to snow plow to dining car, pressing buttons and pulling levers everywhere they went. And by boys, I'm sure you know I mean all four of them. My dad and Paul were just as into it as the little ones, and in some cases possibly more so.

After the museum, we walked along the pier and out to the lighthouse, and of course the boys got to climb on some rocks. Then we warmed up with a treat before making our way farther North to the cabin where we would be spending the night. My mom made an a-maz-ing carnitas for dinner, a recipe that I am actually stealing and making for dinner tomorrow! Then we settled in, put the boys to bed and played cards.

We spent most of the next day exploring the shore, throwing rocks and hiking around the cove. Yes, there was a real live cove on the grounds of this resort! You can guess how excited Max was to experience his first cove. Sadly, we didn't see any pirate ships anchoring there, but he is thoroughly convinced that once upon a time it was a hot spot for scallywags.

In the afternoon, Paul and I stole away for a bit to play a game of cribbage in the "Fish House", a little hut heated by a wood-burning stove and overlooking the lake. We daydreamed for awhile about living in a place like that, and then I remembered that it had no bathroom. Most modern luxuries I could live without, but I should thank God every day for sewers and running water.

We stayed into the early evening and then drove home, getting back around bedtime. It was an unexpected vacation, and a reminder that it doesn't take months of planning to indulge in a fun little getaway... although it does sure help to have two grandparents who do all the work for us!