Bear Lake

Every year, we go up with the Thomsen's to Bear Lake.  It brings back such good memories of going to Lake Powell as a kid, and after every trip I swear that we will someday get a boat.  

We spent our first day at a beach close to our rented cabin.  Unfortunately, the lake was high, so we were left with beach that was a little rough on the feet.  (Kind of like a spa treatment...with gravel.)  But the boys enjoyed just being on the beach and riding in the inflatable boats.

Cole and Mitchell

Jack's usual "I DO IT!" approach.

Check out those ears!

Jack conned Grandma Thomsen into feeding him fruit by the foot by hand.  I anticipate that he will be a lawyer or perhaps a carnie one day.

That night was a tough one for us.  The kids were up at 1:30, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30, 4:30, and then got up for the day at 6:00.  Everyone was pretty grumpy.  Unfortunately, this did not set a good tone for our morning activity, which was hiking Minnetonka Cave.  That mother is 441 stairs in and 441 stairs out.  They are mostly hand-cut stone stairs, which makes them so slick.  Jack decided early on that he would not be walking.  He also decided that he would scream if anyone besides me dared to touch him.  I'm pretty sure that was the longest hour and a half of my life.  

Before the torture began.

From there, we went to the north shore of the lake, where the sand was soft and the sun was out.  The true fun of the day started and everyone was much happier.

Cole loved playing in the waves and building canals and lakes with his cousins.  He also enjoyed smearing mud over his entire body.

Jack stayed mostly in the shallows and had the most fun pulling things behind him.  

Like boogie boards,

And wagons.

It was a great little break from the day-to-day routine, and everyone came away happy and exhausted.