Zip Line and Canoe Races

Adam, Brent(Adam's Dad) and I took an early afternoon before the 2012 canoe races this year and tried out the new Gunflint Canopy Tour.  It is a series of 8 zip lines through the Superior Nat'l Forest above Gunflint Lake.

 We went out with a group of 7 riders and 2 guides; everyone lands on the platform, most of which were built right into majestic 300 year old pine trees.  Sometimes the platforms can be close quarters and they are pretty high up(couple hundred feet).  At least we are all strapped in with our harnesses.

Some of the zips were pretty long and you can get going pretty fast.  The only thing to break your speed is your gloved hand dragging on top of the line.  If you want to go faster you curl up like a ball, like Brent is showing in the above picture.  

Here is Adam coming in for landing from the final zip.  I am not sure who enjoyed it the most, but Adam continuously claims to many of our guests that it was me.

The kids got to hang out with Grandma, Rashel & Bekah(a couple of our summer staff) and Kerri and her boys while we took the ride.  They had lots of fun having minnow races, and enjoying the other kid activities before the canoe races started.  The Canoe races were fun to watch especially the gunnel pumping(where you stand on the back of the canoe and pump your legs to move the canoe forward) race which we missed last year due to in inclimate weather.  Here we are-along with everyone else on the Gunflint Trail that day too- enjoying the races.  We kept waiting to be lucky and win something from the drawing, but the only one who seemed to be lucky was Rashel.  She bought 2 tickets and they drew both of hers.  No one else got a thing.  The funny thing was though, she won what we donated.  That takes real luck!

1st day of Kindergarten

Here is Ady on the first day of kindergarten.   If you can't tell by her smile, she was very excited.  School doesn't start until after Labor Day in Minnesota(which I am glad about).  She's been counting down for a while and when she got down to two days before she was supposed to start, she told me in a very serious(almost mad) voice "I can't wait any more.  I can't.  I need it to start now."  

We noticed after taking pictures that while Ady may be looking a little more like Mom now, she is not a girl after my own heart.  Who wears a skirt to school?  Ady does.  She picked it herself.  And it looks like it's a good thing that I made her wear shorts under...looks like Dad forgot to make sure she pulled it straight after getting out of the truck after the drive to the bus stop.

Here is Ady on her way.  My Mom always took me to school on the first day.   Ady was excited to ride the bus and she does have a long bus ride--about 45 minutes one way.  We'd already had a Pre-Kindergarten orientation day,  so we opted to have her ride the bus to school in hopes that she won't realize it is an option to drive her.   Apparently they did an article a bit ago about the longest bus ride in the nation and the kids that ride.  Yep, it was about our bus. At least we are only 1/2 way!  

After the following conversations, getting Ady to say much about school was like pulling teeth.

Dad:  What was your favorite part of school?

Ady: Everything!   

Mom:  Great!

Ady:  Except quiet time.  It was too long. I don't like resting. I don't like quiet time.  I only like quiet time when Brock has it.

Dad:  How was the bus ride?
Ady: Good, but these boys behind me were throwing things at me.  Why were they doing that?
Dad:  They were flirting. 
Ady:  What? What is that?
Dad:  Its what boys do when they like you but they aren't very smart about it yet.
Ady:  But Dad, why would they do that?!

The only thing we worried about with the change of our first child starting school was how Brock would be at home.  He plays pretty good by himself, but we think he might get a little bored...in a couple days.  We will see. 
It took a bit of time and effort, but Dad (and Grandpa VT helped when he was here) built something to play on to help pass the time and we are all very excited about it.
Here is the new addition to our property. 

We've all given it quite a bit of attention; the boys even put a "platform' up so they could get higher.  Thanks for the fun rope swing Dad!