What wasn't photographed.

Josh and I just returned from a long weekend in Canada. We were invited to go for the weekend by a former colleague of Josh's who owns a cabin up there on a gorgeous lake and does a lot of Muskie fishing as a hobby. He's even been in some fishing magazines. Our original plan was to start driving right after school (teacher inservice) on Thursday, stay overnight on the way up, finish the drive Friday morning and fish the rest of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before trekking back home on Monday. On Thursday, as luck (and generous friends) would have it, Don (our host) called Josh and asked if we'd like to be flown up instead. Did I mention he also has his own 4-seater plane and years of experience flying it (he even has his commercial pilot's license, I found out)? Of course we took him up on the offer knowing that it would shave 10-12 hours off of our travel time and give us a lot more time for relaxing and a lot less time in the car. Not to mention the amount of money it saved us in fuel and hotel costs.

So we ended up flying out around 4pm on Thursday afternoon and, after clearing customs and all that jazz, arrived at the cabin around 8:30pm. The beauty of this place is beyond description. Right on the lake front, the front porch even with the tops of trees overlooking the water. The inside of the cabin is decked out in North Woods decor and fully outfitted. We were living large. Josh, particularly, was in heaven.

Friday morning we got up, had our breakfast, and headed off to the bait shop for fishing licenses (pretty much our only expense of the entire trip) and bait. We launched the boat, and we were off. I won't mention too much about what a jinx I was, except to say that Josh had little competition for the Walleye King title. I was happy, after a few hours of jigging and casting, to set my poles aside and get out my kindle for some reading and scrabble playing. We didn't wind up back at the cabin until 8:30 or so and decided to fry up some of our catch, so dinner was late, but delicious.

Saturday was probably my favorite day :) I begged off of fishing and was a complete bum while the boys went out and cast for Muskies all day. I watched a couple of chick flicks (Beaches and Amish Grace), finished my book and started another, took a walk down to the shore line, and took a nap. What a wonderful day. I was perfectly content to lay in the livingroom and stare out at the gorgeous view. Josh came home so lit up with excitement about the fun they had with Muskie "follows" and the big Muskie that Don caught. They also caught enough "keeper" walleye to max out the number that we could freeze and take home (darn customs!).

Sunday was back on the boat for me for another full day of fishing. I caught fish earlier in the day than Friday's jinx, but soon settled in again with my kindle while the boys caught lots more walleyes (and perch and rock bass and a crayfish or two) and Josh caught his first Muskie. We headed back a bit earlier tonight to get the boat and outdoors ready for our return home on Monday.

What a perfect relaxing weekend. We had blue skies for our flights both directions and were so thankful for the generosity of Don in opening up his plane, his cabin, and his boat and fishing expertise to us for the weekend. Josh was still telling big fish stories today when I spotted him working at the school. I may have even told a couple myself.

I think I would prefer "Why?"

Most kids Heidi's age, I've heard, have an affinity for asking "why" questions.

Heidi, being the forward thinker that she is, prefers the longer but just as monotonous "where did you get that?" This is pretty much what she says all day long. A book--where'd that come from? An apple--where did you get that? Her fork at dinner--where did you get this fork?

I've tried explaining to her that we pretty much just get everything we need at the store. Hasn't stopped her from asking the question over and over again.

I hope she's not counting on a big tip

Heidi loves to walk around with a pad of paper and a pen and take our orders. The exchange typically goes something like this...

Heidi: What do you want?
Me: I'll have a buffalo chicken salad
H: No, buffalo is not good!
Me: Okay...then I'll have a fish sandwich
H: We don't have that.
Me: Okay, how about pizza?
H: Okay. What else you want?
Me: I'll have a salad with ranch
H: And what else?
Me: I'll have bread with butter
H: We don't have butter, but we have honey for your bread.
Me: Okay
H: You want ice cream?
Me: No, I'd rather have pie.
H: I threw that in the garbage.

Heidi: What do you want?
Josh: Chicken Nuggets.
H: We don't have that.
J: Onion Rings.
H: Those are not for breakfast, it's breakfast.
Me: Maybe you should tell us what you do have.
H: I have milk....for Daddy. You can have orange pop.

Earth to Mom

Typically for breakfast Heidi sits in her high chair and watching cartoons and I sit in the kitchen at the breakfast bar and check emails and the like.

Today I must have zoned out reading something for a minute and I hear this from the other room...

"...I can't stay in here FOREVER!"

[Gotta say I was pretty proud; a big improvement over "ouuuuuttt! OOooouuttt!"]

Inappropriate song for a toddler to sing #237

...You and Tequila make me crazy...

Hearing Heidi sing along to the radio almost makes driving places worth it. I don't think she knows what Tequila is, but I do think I probably do make her crazy. It's mutual.