Enjoying summer while it's still here!

August has flown right by me! Before I know it, it will be time for sweaters, jeans, cozy fires, & crisp fall air. (If you can't tell, fall is one of my favorite seasons!) I've spent much of the month asking myself "Where has summer gone??"
A couple weeks ago, me and a couple of my girl friends had a girls night. Its fun to get away from the men for a night and talk girly things, drink margaritas, and laugh the night away.

Sitting on the deck, enjoying margaritas!

Kaylyne, Britt, and I

My senior year, I was fortunate enough to find a great friendship in the foreign exchange student. His name was Stefano and he is from Italy. I was very sad to see him leave after graduation and I even shed some tears over it! I was more than thrilled to find out, he would be returning to the states for a visit!! He flew to Minnesota shortly before he was off to Hawaii to work for 3 months! ( Lucky duck!! ) I got to spend a lovely Saturday out on Lake Pepin with him and friends during the short time he was here (:

Me & Stefano!

Destin, Myself, & Stefano

Goregous Lake Pepin <3

Captain Italy!

My long lost (not really) cousin, Katie, was home for a visit from Colorado! We took advantage of the opportunity and all got together for pie & a bonfire, as well as to celebrate a couple of August birthdays! I was very excited to find out that she is also moving back to Minnesota this coming winter. I am more than thrilled to have her back in close ranges again (: (: (:

Aunt Terry & cousin Callan

Cousin Josiah, lacking dessert!! ;)

Birthday girls! Jen & Terry ( with little Callan! )

Cousin Henry!

me & daddy (:

Katie, Grandma, & Myself

Cousins Marc & Katie having a marshmallow "roast-off"

So excited to welcome you home (: love you!

Not only were Stefano and Katie in Minnesota, but my friend from Arizona, Nicole graced us with her presence for a week as well!!! She is one of my dearest friends and it's always so exciting when she comes home to visit! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures ): but here are a few from last Wednesday when we all took the opportunity to go canoeing down the Zumbro River for Nicole being home.

Kaylyne, Britt, & I

Also, debuting my friend, Kayla's new baby: Mason Dennis Schumacher



& now for a few August candids!!

showin off my new haircut (:

Callan

Beemer, helpin me patch up Joe's leg!

Whew!! That was a long one! Summer 2011 has been a great one! Even though its coming to a close (sad!), there are still a few memories to be had!  So excited for Fall to be here!! (: (:

Babbitt-bound!!

There's something so exciting about the "great up north". Whether its the humid-free air, the scent of tall pines, the sound of loons, or the relaxing waters of the 10,000 lakes...up north makes for a great vacation. My mom grew up in the tiny (ex-mining) town of Babbitt. It now has a total of 1,600 citizens and the town is still stuck in its old ways. Not a single stop light and the local grocery store is only open til 2 pm on Sundays! I always remember coming up to visit grandma and grandpa when I was younger so this time was very bittersweet to "go on vacation" but to arrive to an empty house. I know they were looking down on us all weekend, there in spirit!
We left Wednesday afternoon and drove the 5 1/2 hour drive to arrive late. The next morning we woke up to do a little fishing!!

Beautiful Birch Lake!

I was tormented the whole trip by these dragonflies!

mama loon with her baby (:

rock bass



After fishing we decided to do a little blueberry picking! One of my Grandpa Loushin's favorite things to do (:

By the end of the day we were exhausted & decided to call it a night.
Friday we woke up and got ready to go to Ely's annual celebration, Blueberry Fest. There were vendors from all over the place and people galore! I couldn't believe the number of people that travelled far and wide to see the festivities. Lots of fun was had and plenty of things to see.

Friday night we all went out on the town with my mom's best friend from high school, Peggy & her husband Bryan, as well as my aunt and uncle that showed up that day, Wendy & Dave.
It was a great night and tons of fun to catch up!

Meet Sadie, She sat at the bar & even lapped up her own mug of beer! Only in Babbitt ;)

Saturday we planned to make a trip back to Ely to go to my all-time favorite restaurant in the whole wide world! It's a small, privately owned, Italian restaurant called Sir-G's and it's delicious! After Ely, we stopped at Bear Island Lake to see if the sunfish were biting.

Jeff & Joe not catchin much!

Me & Mama

With not much luck, Jeff, Joe, & I decided to take the boat out to Johnson Lake. It was a gorgeous evening ( minus the biting flies! ) and we had the best luck that night!

Johnson Lake

Jeff with a small Northern

Jeff nick-named him "Joe Bass" by the end of the trip

Sunday morning we packed up our things and loaded the truck. We had a long trip home but made a pit stop at the cemetary Grandma & Grandpa are buried at. It was my first time seeing their headstones and it was a sad but happy moment to know that they are at peace and we can still come up to visit Babbitt and remember the old memories as well as make new ones <3 

Miss you both every day <3

I'm so happy Joe got to come with me and experience the happy memories of Babbitt! The first trip of many <3