The Jungs invited us to crash at their cabin for a night on our way back from Brainerd, just long enough tube (in the chilly rain), to catch a Northern (the girls' first), and squeeze in a little foosball at the neighborhood bourbon bar.
Year three back at Kavanaugh's on Sylvan Lake in Brainerd, MN for the Backer clan. This year there were over 60 of us, and it was the first vacation ever where all eight of my dad's siblings were together. The girls this year were finally old enough to run the resort (mostly) unsupervised, and they loved their freedom and time with the big kid "cousins" (technically cousins, once removed and 2nd cousins).
Sawyer, as always, couldn't get enough pool time. E got up on a kneeboard for the first time this year, and really took to fishing (and after the family pontoon run on Sunnies, the two of us spent hours on the canoe and fishing boat chasing Bass, Northern, Walleye.
For me, I always enjoy the Backer competitions. Volleyball and kickball were pretty friendly this year, but the basketball court was pretty heated... where, sadly, there may have been a changing of the guard, with the next generation of Cole, Chance, Sam and Josh (and their more youthful, springier legs) taking it to the veterans (me, Joe, Paul and our anchor, my dad's 68 y/o brother Doug).
Lord knows who will be where when this house wakes each morning. But it's clear that the kids and dogs trump mom and dad when it comes to claiming prime real estate (like the master bed, or pillows).
Linds and the neighborhood ladies book a girls night out in what seems to be every other day that ends in "y". Sometimes they (claim to) run, like a supposed Esprit de She 5k last week (where they left the 'hood at 5, and returned home at midnight), sometimes it's a group viewing of the Bachelor, and other times they sip champagne in their wedding dresses (smh).
Linds booked a ladies night with the neighborhood moms, so the girls and I broke out the poker chips (and curfew) and played Texas Hold 'Em over pizza and wings until the wee hours of the morning!
