Vacation...Ottertail Lake, Minnesota

So every year we go to a lake in Minnesota called Ottertail Lake.  Jared's family owns a cabin up there so we use it and it is so awesome!  Such a relaxing stay!  This year, there was no one using the cabin after us, so we decided to stay an extra week just the four of us!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for this trip.  It is like no other trip because there is not a whole lot to do other than spend time at the cabin and on the lake.  However, before you know it, the two weeks have flown by and its time to head home.
 
So our trip was July 7-21 and it was simply awesome, have I said that yet?  There is not a whole lot to write about because it was pretty much the same thing most days.  Our weather was AWESOME, probably the nicest it has ever been up there.  We usually have a few nice days, but we went 14 days without a bad one. It rained a couple of times in the morning, but always cleared up in the afternoon.
 
We got there on Saturday (July 7) late afternoon and the boys did great in the car!  Landon slept for three hours, Tristan did so for only about an hour, but he wasn't fussy.  We stopped about an hour out and ate something.  I fed them some lunch in the car, but thought after 4.5 hours they needed to move a bit :).  The trip usually takes about 5.5 hours with no stops.  That night and the next day was spent unpacking, getting organized and going into town to the grocery store.  It was a nice day, so I was not real happy to have to miss the sun, but it was nice to get the store out of the way.  Like always, we bought way too much food!  One thing I know is that we never starve while on vacation!  As a family, we each take a night or two and make a meal, so the same person is not inside cooking everyday.  It works out very well.  With staying an extra week we bought a lot of food, but oh well, never know what two 19 month old may want.  Most of our days are spent relaxing.  Outside on hammock or at the end of the dock in my sun chair are my two favorite relaxin' spots!  With the boys, I tried to find those spots while they were napping.  Drinks are usually delivered to us dockside.  Most nights after dinner are spend getting kids cleaned up and in bed and then it is time for the adults to play.  We usually play a game or two depending on when all kids go down.  Since we have kids from 15 months all the way to 14 years old, we have a lot of variety in bed times.  The Ackerson family (Dave, Tara, Hunter, Braeden, and Ella) all left Thursday night and so it seemed too quiet after they left.  Then Janet, Brandon, Amy, Allie and Hannah left Tuesday about 3 p.m. after grabbing a late lunch at a new restaurant on the lake.

After they left, it was REALLY quiet and I got real sad and had a real bad let down effect.  WE went for a walk Tuesday night and tried to go for a walk every night after dinner the rest of this week.  It was a good time to talk about our day and what tomorrow would bring.  Oddly, I was sad after everyone left and Jared was a little too.  We talked about how much fun we had together so when they all left and it was quiet we wondered what would we do?  After getting over it, we had some much needed family time...just the four of us (and Koda).  It was so nice to just hang and relax!  The boys did great the whole vacation with taking good naps, sleeping well and playing well with everyone.  Late thursday night Tristan woke up in the night and was not feeling well.  He had a temp.  Friday, if he wasn't napping he was cuddling with mommy or daddy and most of the time we were on the hammock.  He ran a temp from 102-104 the rest of our vacation.  The trip home on Saturday was a little long because Tristan was not feeling well.  His temp got as high as 104.7.  Both boys were tired after vacation so one would fall asleep and the other would cry or be nosy and wake the other one. After a couple hours we stopped to get some dinner and let the boys move.  From that point on the boys slept until about 15 minutes outside of Sioux City.
 
It was a great vacation and am so glad we stayed longer just the four of us.  It was much needed!  When we are at home there is always something to do, somewhere to run or work to be done.  Now its back to reality and the real world.  Thanks so much to the Bodammers for letting us use the cabin!



Pictures to come lots and lots of pictures!

Potty again...

So we have continued with the potty training thing but nothing too serious just before bath, bed and occasionally throughout the day.  However Landon, is really into it and will say potty or grab his diaper occasionally so we will go in and try.  This afternoon he said he had to go so we tried, but nothing which is just fine.  I think the other day was just luck of the timing.  So tonight before bath we sat on the potty again and guess what... YEP Tristan went potty!! HE was so so proud pointing at his pee and happy for himself. Landon didn't want to be left out so Landon went on the potty AGAIN!!  I couldn't post the picture of Tristan standing and point at it because his private was showing. 

Such a proud boy!