Jumping, Slumping, Fishing, and Wining
It’s Saturday. Our first week at the lake is over. And it’s time to say good-bye to Bill and Beth and family. But before they go, it’s time for the traditional “Cousin Jump.”
We reminisce about days gone by and comment on how everyone has grown and the joy of adding new generations. Here are two old Cousin Jump pics I was able to dig up. There have been many iterations over the years and either the kids have become better jumpers, or the photography has improved!
2009 (the first one I have on record): (Left to Right) Brandon, Chloe, Lindsay, Leah G, Leah H, Erin, Kara, Luke, Courtney, and Seth.
2012 (the first actual jump with current cousins): Tommy, Zach, Elise, William, Chloe, Erin, Nicole, Leah H, Leah G, Kara, Luke
Everyone meets outside shortly after 8:30 a.m. The cousins have their jumping shoes on. The parents have their cameras and phones ready. The kids line up oldest to youngest, and on the count of three, they JUMP!
2021: Maddie, Seth w/Ollie, Luke, Leah H, Nicole, Leah G, Chloe, William, Elise, Zach, Thomas w/Elle (and Ben hiding behind the tree 😊)
This year, the original cousins (Deb, Paul, Beth and I) decide we should have a photo taken as well. We call it the “Cousin Slump” and crack up when we realize we all have the same bad knee. We stop laughing long enough to smile for our photo.
With hugs all around, we bid farewell to Beth, Bill, and the kids. Barb and Tom (Melissa’s parents) left today as well. We wish everyone could stay for a second week but are glad we could all spend at least one really great week together!
Before heading out for Seth and Maddie’s final fishing trip, I give them a little knot-tying lesson as we make a few more set-ups for the boat. Then it’s off to Pike Bay while Leah and Chloe watch Ollie and do a little cabin cleanup.
The weather is warm. There’s barely a breeze. The water is like rippled glass. We all know these aren’t the best conditions for fishing but it doesn’t matter. We love sitting on the lake and appreciating God’s fine creation all around.
We catch 11 perch to add to the freezer. They’ll make a couple of good meals this winter as we remember our hot summer days on the lake.
After fishing, we wait for Ollie to wake up from his nap. Then we drive to ForestEdge Winery for a little wine-tasting. It’s the first time we’ve visited this place since all of the kids have turned 21. The winery is unique in that grapes can’t be grown in Northern Minnesota, so all the wines are made from fruits–blueberries, chokecherries, raspberries, apples, pears, rhubarb, and more.
From the winery, we take Ollie in our car back to the resort, so Seth and Maddie can have a date night. They go out to Tara Bemidji for Thai food, while we enjoy good ol’ American hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill.