cabin

We left at 9:30 on Tuesday (July 3rd) and got there around 1. Our GPS cord broke so we used directions from Google and ended up taking some crazy back road. It was very beautiful, and Im sure if it had just been Spencer & I and I was not pregnant I would have enjoyed it.

But, driving down an insanely curvy road 5 months pregnant was making me nauseous on top of already having the normal panic attack I have every time I am in a car. And this was the last half an hour, so Harper was getting cranky and starting his high-pitch squeaks. Harper really likes the ABC's, so eventually were all just half-singing/mostly-yelling, "A! B! C! D! E! F! G!" just to keep him quiet. 

It was good to finally get to the cabin.

Alikah takes one look around and goes, "Do we live here now? In this dirty house?"

My dad, Heather, Joey and Luke were already up and out on the boat but they came to pick us up. We dropped all our stuff on the floor and got our suits on.

Alikah loves tubing. Watching her from the boat she has a very serious face the whole time, but she never wants to stop. She had a lot of fun. Whenever we went to the middle of the lake so we could all jump off the boat and swim for awhile, Heather would hold Alikah or she could sit and float on the tube. She does NOT love being "let go." When she is floating on the tube, someone has to be holding the handle. The rope doesnt count. If someone isnt holding the handle she is freakin. 

Harper, surprise, loved the water and the boat rides. His life-vest really ruined his fun though. He wanted nothing to do with it. We went to swim at the sand bar later in the day and he could swim around with us without it and then he was just in heaven. 

He stayed dirty the whole trip. He got into everything. We have a small sand area off our pier which was great because every 5 minutes when Harper got really filthy all Spencer had to go was splash him around in the water and rinse him off. 

Spencer, my dad and Joey were up every night til 12:30 or later drinking and talking. Our last night Spencer was up with the neighbor Diana until like 2:30. I would put my ear plugs in around 10 and pass out. 

My dad always wakes up really early, and everyday he would come in and get Harper without me even noticing. All the sudden Id wake up, take our my plugs and be alive to the world and realize it was already 9:30 and everyone was up! It was really nice, I slept great. I did have to get up 2-3 times a night though and wander all the way down to the outhouse to pee. By the 2nd night I definitely thought about just going in the little potty we had brought up for Alikah.

On the 4th we drove into town for fireworks. 

We parked, got out, and it instantly became clear that it was going to storm.

They lit of one firework before it started raining and everyone started leaving.

At one point on this trip Alikah was getting restless and I took my camera tripod and started using it as a microphone. This started the "talking show" game, and Alikah loves it.

A conversation while we were sitting in the truck trying to wait it out...

Heather: "Are you in school?"

Alikah: "No, Im in a truck."

Heather: "Are you up north?"

Alikah: "No, Im at fireworks."

Spencer attempted skiing for the first time. He was way too drunk.

I put my head under the pump a few times to cool off. It was ice cold. I got a brain freeze from the outside. It felt great.

I have so many more pictures from the trip. [I think I took around 600] I do plan on posting more eventually.

a first birthday party

Harper's party went great!
He was in Heaven. Swimming, smashing cake, eating, playing with the hose, tons of attention...
I wasnt sure how hed handle everyone because hes so shy, but he was lovin it!

He woke up before 7 this morning, waaay too early for him, especially after a day like that!
He honestly looked disappointed when I brought him downstairs and everyone was gone. Wait, where did everybody go!?

He got awesome presents and a BUNCH of clothes! I think we will be set for him AND Boden now.

Well be home later today for the night, un-pack and re-pack then head to the cabin!

As of right now I am just planning on doing a few photo posts when we get home. 

Have a fun 4th of July! 

early

Why am I up before 7?

I almost got up at 6:12, but I was able to make myself fall back asleep for a half hour.

Harp's birthday was fine. We dont have anything planned for celebrating until his party on Sunday.
Wednesday we walked to Ty's and ate and got ice cream. I cant figure out if he likes ice cream or not. He doesnt know what to think of it.
On Thursday (his actual birthday) Spencer came home from work early. He got up super early to drive to his brothers in Madison and pick up our *new* car. Im not sure how long we get to borrow it for. Anyway, after he did that he went to Kohl's and picked out & wrapped some outfits for Harper all by his self which was really cute I thought.

What do you want? "A purple tiger."

Yesterday we met up with my mom, Heather and Luke at Strawberry Fest. We will probably never go again. We were expecting more activities for the kids. All it really was was walking through insanely crowded streets & spending money. Alikah lost it at the end and I had to carry her away screaming. I walked into a parking lot but there was a random pile of benches so I just set her down there and let her scream for awhile. She was hysterical for no reason, kicking, gasping, etc. I got her calmed down a little and walked back out but she was one comment away from another disaster so we left. 
Shes done this before and it only happens when she gets extremely overwhelmed/too many people/too much going on. And she gets it from me, so I cant yell at her without feeling bad.
On the walk back to the car she said, "Im sorry mom."
Me: "Its okay. We will probably just skip the fairs this summer." (This is our plan for how, so far the age 3 sucks.)
Her: "Ok. Can I still go to the beach?"

ANYWAY. 
Spencer has a 2 week vacation from work! We have lots of plans & high hopes.
Tuesday: A festival in the next town (Ha. Remember how I JUST said we werent going to any more fairs?) Our landlord/friend told us we should go to it so we are going to check it out.
Thursday: it is supposed to be 100+ degrees. We will either go to the lake or find a store with A/C and hide for the day.
Depending on how close to death we are in our Sauna House, we are going to my parents Friday or Saturday to get ready for Harper's party. Then his actual party is on Sunday :)

Next week were going up to our cabin. The plan is to just pack up and see how long we can stay. Ideally it would be all week, but realistically well see how the kids do. However long it is, were all really excited to get away. I need it, my heads not right.