Mother's Day Camping at Devil's Lake

 

For the last few years we've camped over Mother's Day weekend - typically it's our "opening" weekend where we dust off the camper for the first time in prep for the summer. But since we camped 2 weekends before with the McCarthy's this trip was less about seeing what we needed to fix, and more about hanging out and having fun with the family.

I don't have many pictures from the trip, but the few I have are too good to not post, so we're documenting it.  Plus we had all cousins together, and you can never have too many pictures of that.  Mom made all the kids (include RoRo) adorable 'smore pjs for the summer.  My kids are so spoiled that they get at least 2 pairs of "Grammy jammies" each year, one for the summer and one for Christmas.  I've been saving them as the girls grow out of them, to pass down to their kids someday (I hope they have girls!).  

And, a group picture!!  We had a big group for this trip.  Our family, Mom and Dad, Joey's family, plus Uncle Rusty and Chris and Ro.  A total of 13 people, 5 campers, and 5 dogs.  I think we all had a great weekend, though, next time we'll skip the muddy hike and opt for another trail instead.  Hey - you don't know unless you try!

A very busy (but fun!) weekend

 

After over 2 years of crazy COVID life, with far less on our calendars than normal, it sure feels like things are back to normal and our calendars are as packed as ever.  This weekend was no different.  It started on Friday evening with the long awaited Heather McMahann show.  Erin introduced me to Heather McMahann's instagram account early in COVID and honestly, it was one of the best adds I made in years.  She tried to get us tickets for a show in late summer 2021 but it was ultimately canceled.  She rescheduled for late April 2022 and it finally happened!

We started the evening with the traditional Heather McMahann costume - which, means animal print or parm suits!  Actually - we started the night with animal print and ended it in parm suits, so I think we nailed it.  The show was great - we laughed, we cried, we rolled our eyes at the ladies next to us...it was fun and funny and great to do something silly.

After the show we found a cute cocktail bar and grabbed a late night pizza and a few drinks.  It was a lovely start to a busy busy weekend.

Saturday morning Ryan, Dan and the kids met us at Erin's and we all headed down to Solider Field for the annual Pancreatic Run/Walk that Erin has been participating in since 2019.  This year the whole family joined and I'm really glad we did.  It was cool and rainy, but the kids walked the entire thing (mostly without whining).  

Saturday afternoon we all made our way to Arlington Heights for baby Aiden's first birthday party!  He's my birthday buddy - we share an April 2nd birthday!  It was a few weeks after his real birthday (I think mostly because I planned the Jamaica trip for over our shared birthday...sorry buddy!!), but I think he had just as much fun a few weeks later.  

We book ended the busy weekend with a Sunday date night.  Our original plan was to visit Art and Alma's a supper club in Burlington, but kitchen renovations at the restaurant meant we finally got to try an escape room!  Something I've been wanting to do for years but we've just never gotten around getting it on the calendar.  I tell you what...it was SUPER fun.  We lost - fact I personally was not pleased about.  But, it did make me want to schedule another one soon.  I hate losing!

First Camping Trip of the 2022 Season

First trip of 2022 is in the books and boy did we end up with an amazing weekend for it!  It's been cold and rainy here in the Midwest - it feels like spring is very far away.  In fact, we're still running the wood burner from time to time and it snowed a solid 4 inches just 4 days before we took this camping trip.  But, for this one Saturday in late April, we lucked out and got 70 degrees and sunny.

We camped with the McCarthy family - their first trip in their brand new camper.  While we camped one overnight in our new camper last October, this really was our first trip in the 5th wheel and I'm here to say, officially, it's real real nice!

We camped up right near Devil's Lake at a private campground Mom and Dad took us to last summer (Merry Mac's).  This early in the season getting a site right inside the state park isn't usually an issue, but...apparently, they don't turn on the water (and therefore only have tent sites available) until May 1st.  So, this late April trip had us looking for a place that was open - and we were grateful that Merry Mac's was open.

The trip was really about both families getting out and testing out the new rigs.  We didn't have a ton planned, and ended up doing a much more aggressive hike than we'd anticipated with 6 kids, the youngest being just 3.  

All in all, the trip was a total success.  We had our first campfire, our first 'smores, my first fireside cocktail...the first leak in the McCarthy's camper, our first shower in the 5th wheel, the kids new bedroom lights and so many other tiny little things you probably don't care to read about - lol!

We can't wait for all the other adventures this camping season has in store for us.  We have some fun trips planned with our most favorite people in the whole wide world.  Here's to warmer, longer days and many many campfire conversations and laughs.

Easter

 

Easter!  Another candy filled holiday, who can resist?  We had a great holiday weekend, spent with friends and family all right here in Marengo (I love it when the party comes to us!)

Of course we had a holiday cocktail!  Well, in this case, we had two.  On Saturday I made Paper Planes for Erin and I (a new drink I had in San Francisco a few weeks back), complete with these adorable paper plane garnishes that Mom made for me.  Our second holiday cocktail was a Cosmopolitan with an extra splash of edible glitter.  Somehow I don't have a photo of this one - but it turned out much better than I gave the edible glitter credit for.

It wouldn't be Easter without Bunny Bait.  A new family tradition started in 2020 thanks to a co-worker of mine who sent me the idea to keep the kids busy during those very early day of COVID.  It'll be a staple for the holiday for years to come (it's like candy crack...you can't stop eating it!).  

I made everyone sit down for a family photo (sorry Nate, the dining room chair + fireplace ash bucket phone holder must have been slightly off - I'm glad you made it into the photo!).  

This picture makes me laugh the most though - not because of the props - but look at Copper's face.  HAHA!  He so rarely makes it into a photo and the ONE time we get him in there, he looks like Cousin Itt from the Addams family - sorry bud!

A deep lunge - because, when you know, you know!(+ old fashioneds...I guess I lied, we had three holiday cocktails...no wonder my head hurt the next day).

Oh!  And, we had a special holiday magic show by the Great Abbini and Hazelini (she said she forgot her name).  Abby did a great job with a new card trick and I think my personal favorite was the trick where Hazel "juggled" a roll of toilet paper - classic magic right there!

Another holiday with all of my favorite people is in the books!  I love you all so so much!