Fun but Busy Fall.

Braden reaching down to feel the cool lake water.
Trying to feed the ducks, but Braden ate the bread instead!
Our cottage at Kavannaugh's.
Braden loving the swing right outside our cabin.
Uncle Kurt and Braden (twins) playing with the light saber.
Braden "oohing" and "ahhhing" in his new room at the lake.

It has been a busy but fun fall. As you know, we are getting our towhouse ready to put on the market within the next two weeks. There have been major projects (like the bathroom remodel that I still need to blog about) and extensive to-do lists that include painting cabinets and doors, to organizing and de-cluttering. Every day I find myself organizing, de-cluttering or painting for at least 3-4 hours at the least. I am waiting for a collapse of energy, but it hasn't happened so I am going to keep on going until it's all done! I think the end is in sight though, two more weeks to get it all done! With everything going on at home, we managed to take a weekend excursion up to the Brainerd lakes area with half of my family (pics above.) We also had Braden's first birthday as I already posted, we had Joe's parents here, and we just had a family wedding which I will put some pics of on the blog soon. This weekend we are off to an apple orchard for a hay-ride and we are visiting some friends who just had a baby. Oh, and Joe managed to get a new job so things are not slowing down yet. So, my blogging has been slacking and I owe you these pics of our weekend up north.

So, the weekend after labor day my Dad and Pam, my sister and her family, and Joe, Braden and I headed up north. We had a large cottage right on Lake Sylvan at Kavannaugh's resort. Those of you that know me well, know that I have a love of that area because my mom's parents lived in Nisswa so we spent so much time up there in the summer. I love going back up there and now Joe and I try to go at least once a year. This was Braden's first time. He loved waking up to the lake view, playing with his cousins Mitchell, Levi and Ava of course and hanging w/ his Bapa. He loved swimming in the indoor pool and exploring a new place of course! He also liked the playset right outside our cottage door. It's a lot of work to bring a little one with you for a weekend away (with all the stuff you need to haul) but once you are there it's fun to see them react to the new environment.