Boundary Waters take three

Well we did it again this summer. We forged our way through the BWCA. It was beautiful.

Our trip began with me driving us through rain, wind AND hail. Yes hail. It was crazy, but we made it. And it wasn't raining when we got there which is a huge bonus. No one and I mean NO ONE likes to put up a tent in the rain. Everything stays wet. Forever. And ever.

The second we got there, I got all dizzy and vertigo like. Which happens everytime we get up there. Not sure why, but it happens.

The next day we did our big canoe trip. It was a really beautiful day. The sky was blue and it was in the mid 70's. Perfect canoe weather. The kids were ready and very excited to go!

Claire was really excited that she got her own canoe paddle.

Miles was wearing his mosquito hat. It did nothing, but make him sweaty. 

We made our way. The views were spectacular. And we had a fabulous day. 

Sadly by the next day, it was hot, sticky and planning on getting hotter. To top it off, we were planned to drive home in Grandma's Marathon traffic, as well as major road construction. So we all discussed it and decided to leave a day early. The kids were disappointed. However, not TOO disappointed, as they were being feasted on by mosquitos, gnats, and some kind of bitey black bug. Seriously, it looked like they were being attacked by flesh eating virus. It was so gross. By far the worst bug situation we've ever had there.

So on Saturday we packed up our stuff. It was getting close to 80 degrees and very sticky from the impending storm that was coming. And we left. Good thing to. We literally left just in time. As we headed to lunch several towns away the clouds opened and it began to downpour. And it didn't stop raining for days. This is what was left of roads and streets after the rain.

AND the zoo was flooded. And a poor polar bear, and sea lion were left swimming the city streets in Duluth MN. Many zoo animals passed away. It was scary and sad.

Thankfully, leaving on Saturday allowed Ryan to get home and into the Urgent Care as he thought he had strep throat. But nope. A virus. Which Miles got the next day, and I got 2 days later. 

We talked with the two families we go up there with and have decided that NEXT year, We're staying at a resort and then doing day trips. Not camping, but less bugs, and a shelter when the rains hit. 

I think it's because we're getting old, and don't feel sleeping on the ground is fun anymore. Cause it's just not.

Wanna see something REALLY gross?

As you know from a previous post, my parents have um.....eh......hem.....issues with throwing things out. Not so much issues, as it is virtually impossible for my dad to toss things out, and my mom keeps buying things. We call her a shopaholic.

Yesterday my sister Cindi and I were at my parents place to hang out and have dinner. I was making dinner and Cindi found her way into my mom's spice cabinet after I asked her for some pepper. It was an un-fucking-believeable-hot-mess.

Cindi must have tossed about 60 different old expired spices out. Spices that had clearly been there since before the dawn of time.  She also found 5 unopened bottles of Vanilla extract. Why 5? I have no idea. I can't even begin to tell you about the jam and jelly problem that my mom has, but that's a whole other post entirely.

But I found this one.

Most likely circa 1960's or 1970's. Because you KNOW that photo was hand painted with watercolor. NO one carries this shit anymore. NO ONE!

While I was snapping the photo with my cell phone, Cindi and I were laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes. My mom was sitting at the kitchen table laughing, crying, coughing, and yelling, "SJT! You better not blog about this!!!!"

Eh. Can't help myself I guess.

I.HATE.HOT

It's too hot for me today. Too hot. Too humid. And now I have have the lucky lucky LUCKY pleasure of escorting tons of kindergarten kids to a park. Walking. In the heat and humidity. Did I mention they were in Kindergarten?

And they aren't all my kids. So I can't yell at these kids if they're bad. And let me tell you. Some of these little darlings are quite a handful. QUITE!

Wish me luck. It's going to be an interestingly hot humid crabby day for me today. Just warning my husband. I know he reads this. *wink*