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Saturday, August 3, 2013

Day 7: The Last of Never Gets Old

As we drive south on the twisting, turning, tree-lined roads of Northern Minnesota, my feelings are so mixed.  Sadness that the two weeks of the year that we most look forward to are over, but excitement that we are heading to the place we still love the most.  Disappointment that days of quiet, peace, and relaxation will be be replaced with schedules, emails, and work.  I look forward to bed sheets that are not lightly sprinkled with sand, but will miss the picturesque views from the cabin windows.  However, as mixed as my feelings are, the feeling of gratitude covers them all.  I am so grateful!  For a week of health and safety, for a time of refreshment, for the opportunity to fellowship with the people we love most, for two weeks of beautiful weather, for opportunity to see the beauty of God’s creation in the wind, the waves, the landscape, and the wildlife.  I am also grateful for a place to call “home”.  A place that I love to return to after a time.  A place that has soft water and {mostly} clean floors.  Enjoy the last of the pictures from the place that never gets old, but the place that isn’t home!   326 6th Ave, we are on our way.  Are you ready for us?  Your time of peace, quiet, and relaxation is also over, and I am so glad it is. 

The day started for a few of us at 6AM and morning fishing. 

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For these little girls the day started at 10 with “school” in the lodge.  This is one of the best “amenities” that Evergreen Lodge offers.  From 10-noon, 5 days a week, they offer a playtime/school in the lodge.  They go on hikes, play games, do crafts, build sandcastles, go on treasure hunts, play tennis, etc.  The kids love it, and so do their parents!  

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Here they are heading up the hill to play tennis.  Romee was telling me the other night how you keep score in tennis.  I asked her how she knew that and she replied with, “Ms. Luanne told me.” 

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Ms. Luanne is a teacher in Park Rapids and lives on the lake.  She has spent the last 4 summers doing the playtime.  The first week we were there, she had 17 kids.  When she is walking around the resort with the kids, it reminds me of a mother duck and her ducklings following behind.  They love and listen to Ms. Luanne.  I hope she chooses to spend her summers at Evergreen Lodge for many more years. 

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The Lodge: What you won’t find…a TV or anything else that resembles 21st century technology.  What you will find…good old fashion toys, games, and puzzles {and several deer/moose heads and other dead animals that frighten small children}

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We spotted a baby deer on our morning hike.  Birkley was pretty excited that she even got a peek at that one. 

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It was a quite windy on our shore, and so we loaded up the boats and pulled the tubes {and kids} over to the north shore.  We anchored the boats and swam off the boats.  The kids love to do that {and by the looks of the pictures a few adults do too}. 

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Grandpa and Grandma just enjoyed their books in the front of the boat…and conversation with Miah. 

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By the time we headed back to the beach the wind had died down and the kids were all able to ski one last time, and Uncle Mike gave them what they described as the best tube ride of the week.  We cleaned up the beach, got the boats out of the water, and got ready for pizza at Zorbaz!  A perfect end to a great week! 

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2 comments:

Heather said...

Aw, that was fun! I feel like I was right there with you.

Actually, I don't. Thanks for leaving me behind in the Iowa drought! :p

How in the world did you get those pics of the kids jumping off the boat? Did you have your Nikon in the lake?

Becca said...

I was in another boat with my Nikon lens:) I thought I was safe, but those lard butts (talking about my brother and brother-in-law) make big splashes! I had to scold them both for getting my camera wet, more than once!