89th Fourth

We spent the past three days celebrating the 4th of July at GG's cabin in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin.  This was our family's 89th 4th of July at the cabin. Wow.  My great-grandfather was a civil engineer from Superior, Wisconsin who founded Lakehead Contractors in 1916.  He built the cabin the year my grandmother was born.  He also built the town's auditorium.  Today, both buildings are still standing.
What a guy.


I got to re-live many of my favorite memories of July 4ths this weekend.  The tent was up in the yard for sleeping.  My parents got the tent as a gift the year I was born.  This weekend G-Bear, E-Bear, Papa, T and I slept in it together. Once they fell asleep (G-Bear was so excited she was awake until midnight the first night!), the kids slept like rocks.  There is nothing like sleeping in the tent.  

(The cabin, looking oh-so-good after 89 years.  Note GG enjoying the new porch.)

Breakfasts were the usual fantastic flurry of pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon.  This year, E-Bear took his seat at the table next to the guys....

...with the help of a towel or two.

The beach was the perfect size for E & G-Bear, and that is where they spent the majority of their time.  

At least when they weren't embarking on "Hot Dog" rides with Uncle Scott & their cousins....

(that's our big girl!)

swimming with Papa,

(the faces say it all...not quite warm enough for the tender-toed Bears)

or swinging on the hammock.

(ahhhhhh)

The Village of Lake Nebagamon puts on a small-town-America 4th of July celebration like no other.  Of course, GG's crew was out in force for the festivities!  There was face painting and games for all ages, and our crowd cleaned up!

Uncle C won the watermelon race (with cousin E with a close second!)

(don't worry, cousin E won the foot race instead)

followed by the wheelbarrow races, shoe kick, hula hoop contest, and the 6&under coin dig.

This was G-Bear's first encounter with a hula hoop.  

(She loved it, but let's just say we need to practice.)

The coin dig was priceless.  Excuse the pun.  $400 in coins in the dirt pile and dozens of kids digging. Dirt flying everywhere.  G-Bear found an impressive collection of coins.  She jingled her "money" around in her pockets the rest of the weekend.  She was ready to show her collection to everyone who asked.

At the end of the day, the view from the dock is always beautiful, and this weekend was no exception.  

There is always time for a round of badminton, 

an evening cook-out, 

decorating the boat for the pontoon parade around the lake 

(this year we even saw the  bald eagles and their nest--how appropriate!), 

and an evening cast or two....

...before the town's big firework show (we ride out on the boat and watch from the lake), which is only slightly more impressive than Uncle Scott's arsenal blast that ensues back at the cabin afterwards.  

G-Bear "oooooo"-ed and "ahhhhhh"-ed with every firework.

"That was super-wonderful!" she would exclaim.  

You got that right, sweetie.  

Happy Birthday, America. 

And, thanks to our family for an awesome 89th Fourth.