4th of July - Short Week - Verplank Cabin

Wow what a whirlwind this past week has been but oh so much FUN!

Monday - Vacation Day for Kids and Parents!
We started our day with a trip to Minnetonka Regional Park with a man made chlorine beach.  Maci was a little fish and Connor liked the water but could have spent the entire day in the sand.  He is becoming a little boy right in front of our eyes!  I swear Maci would have never put a hand full of sand in her mouth but this one dug right in - YUCK!  It was a GORGEOUS day and we stayed for a couple of hours just enjoying the long day and gorgeous weather!

After nap/quiet time at home, we were off to Egan fun fest for some rides and food truck type food.  It was HOT!  We have decided we have turned into Minneostan's because its was only low 80s and not that humid but the sun was beating down and no shade which made for a warm evening.  We enjoyed a few cold beers, junk food and kiddos got in a few good rides!  We headed home just in time for me to run into Verizon to get a new phone. . . mine was finally biting the dust earlier in the day and since we slipped in late before a holiday, I got in and out.  Clint and I then chilled with some of my Pretty Little Liars and heard fireworks around 10p.

Roller Coaster with Daddy

 Carosel

 Kisses from Mommy & Bubby

 Slides!

 Boating in the Sun

 Motorcycle Gang

Tuesday - Happy 4th of July!
We started our final day of the 4 day weekend with the Edina 4th of July parade!  Mom looks rough but Maci sure is a patriotic cutie!

Post Parade we had some popsicles and then got some stuff done around the house in prep for a short week.  The darn weather people told us rain so we avoided the pool but it ended up being a great day!

At night, Connor went to bed and the 3 of us rolled over to the St Louis Park fireworks that we could see well from the church parking lot across the street.  We headed over with our neighbors Eric and Amanda.  While all of us were 1/2 asleep from a fun weekend - it was worth the wait - Yay America!

 Wednesday - Back to school and work - Connor was shocked about being back at school :)

Thursday - Maci's class got to have a picnic snack outside!  At night, we ordered pizza and spent the evening packing up in prep for our camping trip at the Verplank's cabin.  The Verplank's are the former neighbors with Evelyn and Lillian, twins that are 1 1/2 months younger than Maci.

Friday - I wrapped up a meeting at work around 330p, met Clint, grabbed the kids and we were off.  We had already loaded the car and road together in order to get on the road ASAP.  After a 2 hour trip, we were there!!!

Car Buddies Holding Hands 💙💜

 Reunited Cuties!

 Bunk Bed, Cabin Playing

 Daddy & Connor by the Fire

So Friday night was determined to be ladies night - we know they determined this because (1) we would be tired after a day at work (2) the guys thought Saturday was the better night to get (3) they thought we would come home early and then they would hit the bars.  Challenge accepted!  While Jamie, Sarah and I were tired at first - we were NOT going to let them win this one.  Their cabin has many restaurant and bars in walking distance, like 4 doors down close.  We started with a few cocktails at a tame supper club but then headed to the Thirsty Otter which had a whole dance club, tiki bar vibe going.  We started dancing and it was down hill from there.  We ended up closing the bar, giving career advice to some Polaris interns, talking to a young girl about her poor choices in men and helping the bartenders clean up HAHA.  We rolled back to the house about 3a and the guys at the fire were SHOCKED!  We proceeded to explain our evening and then the sobering reality hit that it was 4a, we were about to sleep in a tent and our kids tend to wake around 8a but that is when they aren't sleeping in a tent - OUCH!  Oh so much fun though.

Rough - Mommas Broke Out!

Kids Played with Sparklers While We Were Away!

Saturday - OUCH!  So I got up at 8a and honestly felt OK from the number of drinks but I was oh so tired.  We needed all the coffee they had in the place!  Sarah was like me, exhausted but feeling ok.  Poor Jamie didn't come out of her tent until 6p Saturday night.  She got sick many times and will never drink old fashions the way she did that night Ugh!  Thankfully the weather was glorious and I took a quick nap with Connor in the tent early afternoon.  I rallied through and had a great day with great people!

Morning Fishing - Maci's 1st Fish!

 Jared (another neighbor) came for the day with Nora (Pink) & Cameron

 King of Chilling

 Sarah had Fun Games for the Cutie Girls

 Tight Rope Over the Pool 

Corn Hole & Our New Tent (Gray/Green)

 John Verplank and All 6 Girls!

 Post Grill Out Dinner Boat Ride

 Pretend Boating Post Boat Cruise

 Sparklers in Daylight

The ladies called it an early night and were all out by 9p, no fire or anything.  Thankfully all our kiddos were exhausted from a long day with no naps for the girlies!  The boys headed out for their boy night around the time we went to bed.  Our plan worked and they were all exhausted from the night before too so they were back by 1130p.  However, they were still feeling it in the AM from less sleep and a few too many shots - we need to remember we aren't in our early 20s ha!

Sunday - We got up around 8a and within a few minutes the rain started - BUMMER!  We all got our tents packed up quick then had some yummy pancakes before cleaning up and hitting the road.  We got home around noon and have been working on laundry, ordering groceries, unpacking etc.  I am hoping we have another early evening as I will likely have an early start to the work week since I have no intention of doing work today :)  The sun has finally come out here but I intend to lay down with a book or TV show to just rest the remaining weekend.

We hope you all had a wonderful 4th and happy summer weekend!
Lots of Love,
C, K, M & C