While this blog is officially about our journey to a more self-sufficient life it is also about our life. This weekend we took a little pit stop on that journey for a little much needed fun and recreation.

First we went to Floodwood (about 1/2 hour west of Cloquet) where our family has some property. This became our base. While we travel there frequently throughout the summer most of those trips were working vacations as there is much work to be done there. This was a vacation vacation and Two requested going to the “big lake you can’t see across.”

Two insisted that the water was “refreshing” but I would describe it as painful so I wasn’t brave enough to get in up past my calves.

Effie didn’t mind though, she kept trying to scoot down into the water. For awhile we let her play at the edge but her little legs were turning red from the cold. She still kept trying to get farther in though so I guess I have a water baby.

There was other shore fun as well.

From there it is only a short trip to Gooseberry falls where there were lots of opportunities to climb. This just happens to be Avril’s favorite thing to do.

And more water play. Yes that is Two in the water fall.

I experimented a bit slowing the shutter speed down on my camera to capture this picture of water flowing.

Two caught a leech. Yes this was a time the leech was trying to get away from the boy. Even though it kept trying to latch on to him he was so pleased to catch it and had to show me his prize. This boy had definitely forced me to get out of my comfort zone as it wouldn’t do for mama to scream and run away after he worked so hard to bring it to me.