We took our first vacation as a family this past weekend. It was a short and simple trip to the North Country of Minnesota where (lo and behold!) the sun was shining bright and warm. Our days were the perfect combination of adventure and lazy. Buffet breakfasts at Lutsen Lodge followed by morning hikes and waterfall sightings. Lunch and naps (yes, all three of us) back at the cabin. Late afternoons at the pool pretending to be a shark and Sam clinging to dad's neck. Then throwing rocks into the big lake before dinner, a bonfire, and some acoustic music. Not bad. Not bad at all.
I learned a few things on the trip, too.
- Sam loves maps. He needed one at every stop.
- The most dangerous thing you will find in the wild is a human. Total disregard for nature is abundant. One must be prepared to perform a citizen's arrest at a moment's notice.
- It's okay to go to sleep when the sun is still shining.
- An unsolicited "I love you" from a toddler is the world's greatest joy.
- And if you take all of the pictures, you'll later be angry that there's no proof that you were even on the trip.
