I have to upload pictures, but in the mean time here is something.

One of my sisters moved to Atlanta in 2010. Reuben was talking to Alena (his cousin in Atlanta), and the subject of snow came up. I over heard Alena recite a well-rehearsed, "In Utah there is usually snow on Christmas, but in Georgia we probably won't have snow on Christmas." Her sweet little voice with a few missing "r"s reciting the explanation she surely got from her parents was so heartbreaking. She almost understood that there would be no snow angels this christmas.

Reuben plays in the snow while Daddy or I shovel. I was almost done shoveling, getting the packed down part that the neighbor's grandkids decided to sled down (don't let your kids sled down the driveway...especially if it isn't yours.) I was in that uncomfortable too hot and too cold state that only happens when exerting yourself in below zero weather. The snow kept coming down. And Reuben yells to me, like he had been thinking of the perfect way to say it and finally figured it out, "You don't have to DREAM of a white Christmas here!" And, true to Reuben's observant statement, we didn't have to dream, it was real. White white white with big flakes make their way down to make it even whiter.

Christmas afternoon we got a second phone call from Alena in Georgia, with a very excited "It's SNOWING!" For the first time in 100 years, it snowed on christmas for my niece Alena. Now, if that can happen, I'm sure Justin can get a job.

These photos are from our walk out on the lake.

Justin is in New York for the next two months, for a job. Our last saturday together we went to Two Harbors. We started out trying to do the Lake County Historical society stuff, a steam train and depot, a tugboat, the two harbor's light house, and the very first 3M office. It wasn't as interactive, or interesting as we would like, and we seemed to be wasting precious daylight waiting for tours to allow us onto the things. So we went to Lunch, at Betty's Pies. Not since New York have we waited to be seated, but at Betty's Pies there was a half hour wait. But, it was worth it. The food was good, but the pies. Oh, the pie. I had the 5 layer raspberry cream pie. Nice flaky crust, thin meringue, dark chocolate, fresh raspberries, raspberry mousse, and chocolate mousse. Justin had the butterscotch cream pie, which wasn't my favorite, but he loved it.

Then it was out to the Split Rock Light house. This year is it's 100th anniversary, and everything said, "Think of it as one giant birthday candle." Which we did (because it was the day before my birthday). I went down to the shore and had a lovely time taking photos, looking for rocks, and watching Reuben crawl and jump. Then it was up the stairs, and I had a flash back of climbing stairs to our apartment, but we all made it up with little damage. 


Then it was a stop at Gooseberry Falls. Even at 7 PM it was crowded, but we had a lovely walk. Reuben crawled in some caves. Simeon let me take photos of him. And I was struck by my ability to face phobias in order to get a good photo (Brooklyn Bridge, and no cliffs).


The last stop of the day was Culver's, and yes, I had some custard--I was at Culver's how could I pass it up.

Justin and the boys slept all the way home.

Saturday we went to Duluth, with the purpose of seeing the Tall Ships. Waking up that morning I had decided not to go based on the expense, but the more I thought about it the more I knew I would regret it. So into the car we got. We decided to park at Canal Park, in hopes that we wouldn't have to pay to get into Bayfront Park but still see the ships, and that was a good idea. 1.50 for two hours, yeah, cheap. While I was waiting in the queue to get into that little cheap parking lot, I kicked Justin and Reuben out of the car so they could get a head start. Reuben led, and they ended up right in front of the parking space I finally got. I was only waiting 10 minutes, I know, nothing.

A minnesota nice guy offered to take a picture of all four of us. Right before he took it he said, "Say Facebook." You had to be there to think it funny, but it was funny, because he was old.

These guys don't have any nostalgic connection to watching the ships go through the canal.

The free view. There were about six docked there at bayfront park, and a few out on the lake. I'm real glad we didn't pay 30 bucks to get into bayfront park, the music and stuff would have been cool, but really, what is the fun of a tall ship with it's sails down?


I have a love hate relationship with bridges. I love the look of them, but I have a phobia of crossing them. This one especially. It is so Duluth (like the Brooklyn Bridge is so New York). But crossing this one is horrible, its narrow, with a grate for the road so it makes this terrifying hollow sound, and it is a hill so you have to vary your speed going across, and it is always crowded.

We ran down to the lighthouse to get some photos of the Tall Ship that was heading into the canal. This is the Roseway. It was built Nov. 24 1925, with 5,600 square feet of sail area.




We went back to the car, and I begged to stay a little longer (we had more time in the parking) so I could take some more photos. The boys obliged me. And, while I may be the only one who would find the next photos worth a half hour, I do find them worth a half hour.

While we were taking these last photos I noticed that the tall ships were going through the canal, so I threw the keys to Justin, and let him go to the car to give the boys a snack, while I ran back to the light house. I got to the canal just as this ship did, and I walked (quickly) with it down the canal. There was a shout, then a louder response shout, and then a boat load of tourist pulled on a rope, and the sails went up, one by one, as they walking-speed made their way through the canal and out to the lake. I got my shots, then back to the car I went. The boys were eating a snack, the AC was running, and while I am told Simeon was screaming because I wasn't there and he squirted juice box all over himself, there were no signs of trauma when I got there.



I loved it. Reuben loved the one pirate ship, with the jolly roger. Simeon loved the shade of the stroller. Justin loved being at a Great Lake, and that I was doing something I wanted to do.

Coming up: I cross the bridge that no matter how well I deal with my phobia, will make me want to vomit. We go swimming in Lake Superior. And we enjoy the luxury of having a vehicle. 

2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Dish Soap
2 small Glugs of Karo Syrup

(then we watered it down a little)

I went to Walmart yesterday and got two water guns for three dollars, Reuben had a great time squirting whoever he didn't get in trouble for shooting. (Reuben decided to call them Pider Guns when exposed to them at the park a few weeks ago, and has been talking about them non-stop.) We taught him to yell "cease fire" and then hit the deck. It works best when he is on the trampoline. When he got his fill of squirting we blew bubbles with mason jar rings, plastic tubes, and a bent wire hanger.

Reuben's hair was slicked with sugary soap water. Alena kept getting it in her mouth (by sticking her soapy hands in her mouth). Both were able to catch bubbles and hold them in their hands. Reuben yelled at his reflection in the bubble, "Bye Reuben!" before he popped any of them. And then when jumping wasn't fun enough the water gun came back out to pop the bubbles with streams of water.

One of my favorite parts about visiting my grandparents was the fresh berries. Grandpa would wake up extremely early and be out and have picked pounds of berries before we were even awake. We had berries on everything, not to mention the jam, and berry desserts. Somehow berries picked by grandpa just tasted better, and there still is a little sadness in my heart when I eat a store bought berry hoping for magic, and get when you get when you eat a store bought berry.

We were lucky that there were still berries because its the end of the season here, but there were, and we got some. Because I'm not the most graceful squatter right now (not that I ever am, but I'm better at hiding it when I'm not this big), I was the photographer. Jordan helped Reuben fill a bucket. Talyn helped Alena. Grandpa helped Courtlin.

We didn't pick a ton, just enough for short cake last night, and berries for breakfast. Just enough to have the experience but not wish we hadn't done it. (Granted I wasn't picking.)

Photo note: They aren't sour... that one was just too big to fit into Reuben's mouth without scrunching up his whole face.

Where I grew up we swam in lakes. Yes, the water was cold. Yes, there was often seaweed. Yes, there was the occasional fish. Yes, there was the occasional leech. But, there was also that pride that came with making it out deep enough to prove that you weren't afraid of those things. Inch by inch your body could handle that chill, and then get used to it.

Where Reuben is growing up he runs in sprinklers. Yes, you never get immersed in the water. Yes, you can control how much water gets on you. Yes, there aren't any strange water things that could attach themselves to you. But, it makes you a weenie. Weenie, weenie, weenie. (Oscar Meyer even.)

I did manage to get Reuben out in the water. No hair wet. Barely his shoulders wet. He also cried and begged to go play in the sand for most of the time. When I finally got him to relax and let me just hold his arms he was shocked that his legs and bum floated to the surface. "The water is just doing that to me!" I don't want a Michael Phelps, I just want a kid who isn't a weenie.

If we have to live where kids don't get to swim in lakes, I need to get that kid swimming lessons before he thinks he's afraid of swimming. I was afraid of swimming until I was in 7th grade, and that is a lot of wasted years of wet happiness. (I'm still afraid of heights and bridges, but you can't learn how to tread heights, and I usually don't hyperventilate when crossing bridges anymore.)

(Alena even walked out until she was wet to her shoulders--by herself.)

Since I've moved away they have made a few changes to the town. One of which is to beautify the area around the river by adding a huge Adirondack chair next two a new library. Since our town thrives on tourism it isn't surprising that they decided to build a huge lawn chair in sight of the main road, it just so happened that while we were there using the tourist attraction, two other people came to take pictures of the huge chair.

(Did you see that Corner Gas where Hank suggests the gophers to improve tourism?)

The weather has been wonderful for a pregnant girl, but not so wonderful for a little boy who has romantic ideas about camping. We've roasted marshmallows now twice in the rain, and finally just set up the tent in the living room. It took him until 11:45 to fall asleep in the tent, but that is where he is right now with Jordan. The plan is to have "flap jacks" in the morning, and before Jordan got sick she was talking about a hike in the woods, so Reuben might be asking about that. He still can't get over stepping out the back door to play in the "park," and loves the fact that he can do it anytime he wants instead of have to wait for Mommy.

Our "reunion" activity for the day was learning to yodel. My Grandma has a secret talent for yodeling that was exploited when she was a girl, so RARELY comes out. I think its ironic that I spent years trying to overcome my break between chest and head voice, and in order to yodel I have to be able to make it noticeable when switching between the two. I'm not sure if practicing is in the future, but maybe I'll start listening to some yodeling.

My mother posted photos from on her blog if you are interested. Some are repeats from the ones I have posted, but some come from other cameras.