The Veldmans: Home, safe and sound

After a very busy week we are now home safe and sound. We were supposed to stay at the cabin until tomorrow but since it was raining up there, and was supposed to rain all day, we decided to make an early departure.

A short run down of what we've been up to, and I'll let the pictures tell the rest...

Nate and the kids arrived home from the cabin last Sunday, just in time for me to see them for about 45 minutes before I had to head to work for another 12 hour night shift. When Ava walked in the door I almost died when I saw her. It looked like she had lived outside for 3 days straight and got eaten alive by mosquitoes. They are nasty this year!!! The poor thing swells like I do and she had/has bites everywhere.

Monday afternoon I picked the kids up from daycare and then decided that I was to tired to drive to IA that night to meet up with my sister and cousins on my mom's side. I got up on Tuesday morning at 5:00 and then headed to Clear Lake to meet up with them for a night of camping (they had all been there since Sunday night). I headed back home Wednesday morning. I finally got to spend a little time with the kids. I worked Friday and came home to pack so we could leave for the cabin. I was exhausted so Nate gave us permission to leave for the cabin Saturday morning instead. I'll be honest, not only was I exhausted but I was also a little nervous driving at night after the run in with the deer the week before. The Traverse is still in the shop, but should be done this week. We are very grateful to Mema and Boppa for letting us borrow the Tahoe so that we have something to drive and don't have to rent something.

So our trip to the cabin was cut short this weekend due to the weather, but that's ok. We enjoyed the short time that we did spend up there (minus the mosquito bites). Hope that you all had a great weekend!

Ava had a great time swimming under and around the dock over the 4th of July weekend. I heard that she slept very well this night.

Grant loves his mesh feeder. He would much rather feed himself than have us feed him from a spoon. We usually put fresh fruit in this little thing and he sucks it dry. He's finally realizing that he has to chew his food, so we're slowly starting more table/finger foods. He's working on his 7th tooth right now. I feel like he got three of them in one day.

Lisa, me, Sara, Kristin, & Melissa. We had a great time at the beach that day (even though Melissa needs to learn how to properly apply sunscreen so I don't burn my back). It was so much fun to see these girls and catch up a little bit. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the whole time. I would have much rather been sitting around a campfire than working nights.

We drive by this little park in Pequot Lakes every time that we're up north and I've never stopped. I thought that Saturday seemed like a good day to do so. Ava then directed us into the little town museum that we never knew existed.

Riding the bull

There wasn't a lot of sunshine, but that didn't discourage us from a little photo shoot on the dock.

This rash guard top is a 12-18 month. I was a little concerned that I might not be able to get it off once I got it on. I know that they're supposed to be tight, but I'm not sure that they are supposed to be this tight.