On Monday we drove to the North Shore of Lake Superior to see some sights. Here the girls are posing in front of a map of the lake at Split Rock Lighthouse.
Maddie, Sarah and Grandma.
It was windy at Split Rock Lighthouse!
Daddy hadn't been to the lighthouse since middle school or so. (It looked a lot smaller!)
Split Rock Lighthouse, which was built starting in 1909.
After visiting the lighthouse, we drove down the shore to Gooseberry Falls, where the girls spent a couple of hours wading around the river with Uncle Aaron and Rich.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"
Daddy's favorite picture of Sarah during the trip.
Daddy's girl.
After all of that wading, Sarah caught a catnap during the 30-minute drive to Duluth for supper.
With Erin working all of last weekend, Rich decided taking the kids to the cabin at Bowstring would be a good way for Erin to get her sleep. So Sarah, Lucas, Caleb and their friend Tristan got to enjoy two days at the cabin. On the way there, we stopped in Deer River for the annual Wild Rice Festival, where Sarah got to meet two of her favorite TV characters -- Dora the Explorer and Boots the monkey! She was both shocked and awed.
Later, Sarah took a ride on a bumblebee.
"Hi, Dad!"
We pulled Grandma G away from her duties making root-beer floats for a church fundraiser, and she and Sarah rode the merry-go-round.
Waiting in line for the rollercoaster.
This was Sarah's first-ever ride on a rollercoaster ... and it was a DRAGON, no less!
Sarah and Caleb, burning their last ride tickets.
We brought north two of the three ducks we'd been raising in our backyard for the past two months, and Lucas and Caleb released them.
"Go, Runner, go!
The ducks had never been swimming before, and they beat it straight toward the shore and hung out in the mud for a while before disappearing into the nearby bog.
The boys, Sarah and Daddy went tubing behind the boat, but we didn't get any pictures. It was another first for Sarah! After that, we went fishing for northern pike. Here's Sarah in the bow of the boat.
Tristan and Lucas. Everybody caught at least one fish during our visit. Thanks, Grandpa!
Sarah's third "first" in one day ... her first fish! She was excited, but didn't want to get too close to her catch!
"Look, Dad! I can drive the boat one-handed without looking!"
Grandpa G and the boys head back out. Watch out, fish!
Sarah, Mommy and Daddy spent Fourth of July with Grandma and Grandpa Gordon at Bowstring and had a nice relaxing time. Here's Sarah and Grandpa breaking eggs for Grandma's yummy breakfast.
I'm not sure what's going on here, but it looks like fun.
We had neighbors Turk and Judy and their friend Dick and his "Little Dog" over for supper one night. Sarah and Turk became good buddies!
Daddy took Sarah out on the lake for a sunset cruise in the canoe.
Sarah listened to Daddy and sat real still up in the bow of the canoe.
After Daddy left Bowstring to go back to work, Sarah and Mommy drove to Nevis to visit Mommy's friends Lara and Kristen and their families for one night. Here's Sarah with some new friends!
Lara and one of Kristen's kids.
The Sparkler Queen.
"We're watchin' a movie!"
Lara's children.
While mom and dad enjoyed the scenery and some people-watching ...
