Door County Delight - 2010 in Review

The tradition continues. What started with one three-year-old in tow, back in 2005, was just completed with an eight-year-old and a four-year-old in 2010. 6th year and running. Hopefully decades more in our future.

This was a typical scene our first year, 2005:

Maddie and Klara (both had just turned 3) carried those chairs EVERYWHERE. Through the woods. Down to the beach. To various campfires. Jack and I were reminiscing of how that was the first time we really let Maddie have quite a bit of independence. They would go through the woods up to Mor Mor's site, set up the chairs for a few minutes, and then back down to our campsite. Repeat. One million times.

And this was, I think, my favorite memory from THIS year's trip.
Klara arrived on Saturday around noon and I turned to see Klara running down the road yelling, "Maddie" and then they gave each other the biggest, longest hug. They're camping buddies. They're outdoor gals. They love frogs and butterflies and snakes and all things nature.

It was a moment that I hope repeats itself long after they've both gone to college. The next generation of kids to love Door County and want to go back, even when they're all grown up. They'll have this treasure trove of Door County memories to rehash around the campfire year after year after year. And I'm most certain that many of those memories will revolve around their crazy, silly, fun daddies {and mommies, too}. I do pity the boys that end up dating our girls. Oh mercy. Run away boys. Just run. {But that's a long, long time from now, like when they're 30, so we don't need to worry about that just yet.}

The weather was simply spectacular this year. I mean not cold, not rainy, sunshiney with a little dip in temperature at night, enough to make the campfire a cozy place to be.

I didn't want to leave. I felt like I needed at least another day to wander through the woods just a few more times. But I'll admit, the shower back home felt wonderful.

Top Memories/Things I Loved about this year ...

{in no particular order}

Playing with my new dreamy lens. It is remarkable the difference a lens makes.

Watching the kids ahead of me, wandering through the woods. Seeing my kids enjoy nature. That's huge to me because nature is a huge part of me. So the fact that they love it too, is a big deal. I love walks through the woods as there's just so much to look at and wonder about, don't ya think? Our Eagle Tower hike. This year we left at 12:30pm and got back to the tent at 3:30pm. That's a long hike for little legs but they all did remarkably well. I wonder how long that hike actually is? Boppy? Jan? Any guesses?

New families joining the tradition.

Our shared meals around the fire. Church potluck outdoors, in God's AMAZING creation. Ya, doesn't get better.
Boppy ... and Mor Mor ... Jan ... and Dawn ...
... talk about two fun couples. The tradition setters. The pros. The ones that welcome us and love us and keep the tradition alive.

Finding a new little buddy.
Kiana. And of course, her mommy {Julie} is one of my favorite people.

Silly times. Silly friends.

Why is it that silly and Sorensen always go together?

Don't ask.

Reading in our tent. I told Jack that the only thing that would make it better would be if there was some concentrated heavy rain on the top of our tent for noise purposes only. THAT would have been perfect.

Watching Jackson help set up camp. Getting the chairs out. Clipping the tent to the poles. Setting our table. He loves to help and loves being given a specific "Jackson" task. Makes him feel important, I think.

Leaves.

Sitting around the campfire once the kids were in bed. I'm not sure why but the noise got to me just a bit this year. Like only once or twice I just wished the kids were all sound asleep. I wonder what's wrong with me. Is it my age? Is it my weariness?

Speaking of kids. I love all the kids. Our kids' friends. Beautiful friendships developing.

Who is taller?

Okay, so this is totally cute. Maddie all of a sudden got into my taking pictures and began 'staging' shots. She totally staged this one below and after I took it I thought, "Well, if these two ever get married I think we just got their engagement shot!"

Too cute. I love Davis' hat. Love it.

Taking our night hikes to see the spectacular skies. Amazing stars. The Milky Way Galaxy. The Big Dipper.

Simply hanging out.

The colors. No, let me repeat. THE COLOURS. BRILLIANT.

It's just a sea of orange and yellow with sprinkles of red everywhere you look.

And the trees. Walking along the wooded path with the water on our left. I LOVE that path. It's everything that soothes my little heart and soul. Really, all is well in the world when I walk down that trail.

Being with my little family in nature, my favorite place to be ... and being with lots of friends.

Jack and his little buddy.

Okay, at some point I just have to stop. The pictures are countless. The memories linger on. If you want to see more pictures and check out our group site leave a comment and I'll email you the link.

Until next year, Door County.

Until next year.