Pratt Camp and Minnesota

Long time, no see, right? Tonight is our big catch up on the blog...hopefully you won't get too bored. =) 

During the first week of August, Joe took the week off so we could go to Pratt Camp---a week reserved every year on Scott's side of the family. This year we had the aunts/uncles/cousins from both Colorado and Mississippi and it was DEFINITELY a great, relaxing time. 

Joe was SO excited to get the sailboat out. (Ian was equally as excited.)

Joe got MANY hours in the boat--and he's really become quite an impressive sailor!

Blake spent a lot of time on the dock. Sometimes this was more exciting than others.

...one minute Blake is on the dock, the next he's riding point-man in the canoe. After a brief heart attack, I had the wherewithal to grab the camera and take a picture.

LOTS of fishing happened this week--including with sticks. 

Also? Mini Golf! Blake thought his putter was fun for about a minute...then he realized that he needed to feel dejected because he didn't have a taller one. Regardless, he was very serious about his putting.

Hole in one! (No, really! A hole in one!) He was VERY excited to share this news with Great Papa Pratt, who is our family's resident daily golfer.

Mmmmmm. Chowder on lobster night at camp.

I love Maine. With all my heart.

Blake is spotted on the dock once again!

Joe took the boys geocaching one afternoon and they came back telling tales of all the blackberries they found...

....so Joe and I went back and got a whole bucket-full. Mmmmmm. Antioxidants.

Blake REALLY enjoyed the spoils.

I dare you to tell me this is not adorable.

On the last day of camp, Ian got to learn to row by himself--and he did a GREAT job.
He can steer, he can go forward and backward...he's a natural New Englander!

Fishing with Uncle Andrew was a special treat.
(Thanks, Uncle Andrew, for being the point-man on the fishing!)

Not more than a week after we got home from Pratt Camp, it was time to head to Minneapolis. Joe had a paper accepted at and was presenting at a conference there, so we took the bait and tagged along to see his sister, Shara, and her family.

Who loves airplanes? MY boys love airplanes.

Thank goodness for boys-who-love-airports when a layover is 3 hours long.

One of our first stops was to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden--it was beautiful!

Ian was especially captivated by these HUGE boulders that were covered in metal.
(It reminded me of fillings...) =)

But more exciting than sight-seeing was spending time with cousins Jackson, Nathan, and Noelle.

Blake really WAS enthused about Minnehaha Falls, I promise.

Did I mention Uncle Ben flew in, too? UNCLE BEN FLEW IN! Oh, how we love Uncle Ben.
My boys could NOT have been happier to have him around that week!

Just over the river from where we were in Minnesota was the lovely town of Hudson, Wisconsin.
Joe grabbed a geocache there (to add in another state to his belt), and I hoped to get some fried cheese curds.
We were 1-for-2. My belly betrayed me and I got sick.....DARN BELLY!

Guess who else came!! Grandmama and Grandaddy and Uncle Spencer!
And we celebrated with a LOVELY trip to the St. Paul Cathedral. Blake only injured himself a LITTLE bit.