Lake time....

Cute Gage is so funny. He talks, maybe not so that you understand but that he has inflection in his voice and just jabbers away. I was watching him for Laura when he did a face plant in the sand, he didn't cry so I ran for my camera so that I could capture this.
Gilbert loved the sand. Probably to much, he kept trying to eat it.

Kate and Monson

Our last day there we did nothing but hang out on the beach and enjoy the weather....oh, and I got a wicked sunburn.
Grandy and Papa Lyle having a swim....
Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick..... that's what Gwyn kept saying before falling asleep the first night we were there. When I told her it was time to sleep she said "Mom, I like Uncle Nick." That would pretty much sum up how all of the kids felt about Nick. We didn't see him enough....it's never enough. We wished they were closer. The boys all took turns trying to take him on. He may be the most fun Uncle I've met.
This was our deck coming right on to the beach.


Beautiful, Beautiful Laura. She is really easy and fun to be around. I had so much fun getting to know her little man Gage.
More lake time.
Amy told Kate she could only take this picture if she was way out on the dock....so here it is. Bathing beauties....LOL
Gwyn walked up to me and said "you need me to say cheese?"

Family pictures....

A little boat ride...we took the boat out all day everyday. But in the evening it was left for those who wanted to see and hear the Loons. The Loons were amazing and beautiful. I could go to sleep everynight hearing their call.
Sassy aunt Sarah....This girl has so much personality. She entertained the kids during the day and the adults at night. She is so stinkin' funny. At one point she said I had a tail I ironed with......
All the grand kids taking a picture for Grandy!

Tucker's pictures......

Abe.....

Tucker asked if he could take his own pictures, so here they are......he's not so bad.
Sleeping Caleb
Monson and Hunter
Daddy and Gil
Girl love....

hunting for frogs or toads...we're not picky

This the huge frog that my boys caught with their dad....they were very proud of it.
They felt bad and let it go back to the little pond that they found it in.....but not until Bob had to convince Tucker that we couldn't take it home on the plane.

This was the first attempt to find a toad.
Gil and I watched from a far....I don't really like slimy things.
Gilly Bear on the look out.

Paul Bunyan

He's sixty three axe handle high with his feet on the ground and his head in the clouds, Hey Paul, Paul Bunyan.
My boys had about a 2 year obsession with Paul Bunyan (remember Jamie when Tucker would act it out in the pool) It was so so so so fun to be able to see him in person...he even talked to the kids and knew their name. This was one of the trips highlights!
Grandy bought all the kids post cards to send to who ever they wanted. The boys chose Nannie and then Abe and Gwyn sent it off in Paul's Huge Mailbox.
We all rode the train and it was great.

Aunt Vicki and Cousin Blake met up with us in Brainerd and they enjoyed a little Paul Bunyan too.

Paul and his Woman
Sorry, I just think she is so dang cute!!!!
Uncle Nick found this antique ride in the very back of Paul Bunyan land and farm. It was by far the best ride of the park....we are hoping Papa Lyle can get one at his house.
All the men tried out this sweet ride...Only Dillon got it all the way around.

Gwyn waiting for the train....

Girl Time

These three are quite the group.....Mills and Gwyn were so excited to get to know their cousin Ella that they haven't seen in over a year.
Gwyn and Mills on the 4th watching the fireworks...
Kate set up some chair in the lake so that the girls could enjoy it. She is so great with the little girls, she is really creative and had a lot of fun making games up for them.
Gwyn and Ella sporting the same pigtails and bows....You know how I love to do girls hair. While on the topic of Ella I think I should just state how much fun it was to get to know her. Her are my top 5 Ella moments...1)I will always think of her coming out of the lake singing her Little Mermaid Ah ahaha's over and over again. 2)How clean and dainty she eats, as opposed to Gwyn who was eating lake weed saying "mom, look, salad" . 3) How she flitters from one thing to the next, much like a butterfly. 4) How she talks better than Abe who is 6 and how kept looking for her Anaconda. LOL 5) I loved how she was a little clumsy...It fit her and and it endeared her to me even more.

Shame on you Nick and Amy for living so far away!!! We would love to see that little girl more.

Kate and her little buddies. (Amelia was asleep that is why she wasn't in the pictures)

4th of July

Family picture on the 4th, maybe not the best but we are documented.

My darling sister in-laws Amy and Laura. I love them they are my sisters! I really enjoy spending time with them. Not to mention that we have babies that are a week apart.
Grandy and Gil

I don't think I can say enough about my mother-in-law. She is great and I think she is an awesome example. She was so wonderful to the grand kids and to us. We shared a cabin and we worked really well together. I also had to chuckle the morning of the 4th because I could hear her belting happy birthday to you...yes she was singing to the country. It started my 4th off great. I sure love this lady! Gwyn waiting to see the fire works.
We decided to hit the Brainerd 4th of July parade. It was fun but the Harley's were to loud and that was to much for miss Gwyn.....so cute Tucker and Kate were trying to cover her ears and protect her.


Love this moment....

Dillon and Bob with the babies.....
Gil and Monson

Gil and Gage

Wecome to the Kavanaugh's......

Nick and Amy found this awesome resort for us....it is in Brainerd Minnesota.
When we pulled up, Bob and I were so excited with how beautiful and nice it looked. We were also glad to be done driving because we were being pelted with candy from the Mitchell's Van as we drove....Jeff and Dillon....
The first two days were cooler and over cast but that didn't stop any of the fun. This is Tuck fishing, he couldn't get enough of the fishing.
It was cool but the little girls were determined to get in the water.
Hunter's first catch of the trip.

We're off.....

Here we are in Las Vegas getting ready to head for the airport... Once we got on the airplane (such an ordeal with 9 pieces to check on), the boys were so excited they could barely stand it. Right before take off Tucker says to me in a loud voice "Mom are we ready to launch yet?" Everyone around us started to giggle at this.
Once we got there, it was whirlwind of things to do. We needed to see Grandma Knutson and Uncle Bill and Aunt Ann before Caleb's blessing at 1 in the afternoon. So we left the hotel at 9 am and didn't stop until 6pm that night. We were thrilled to introduce Gwyn and Gilbert to their great-grandma. Gwyn really is an affectionate child and just kept hugging grandma over and over. It was really fun to see the family.

The men who helped to bless Caleb.
Nick, Amy, Ella and Caleb

The girls getting to know each other.....