6/3/06...A picnic at Hyland Lake Park (aka Chutes and Ladders).  We played on the huge slides and climbing nets, then rode bikes on the bike trail before settling in for lunch.

On the shore of Hyland Lake.

The Lego Store at Mall of America.  Normally, a visit to Mall of America is enough to turn my stomach, but I happily trotted myself through the gates to visit this destination.  It was Nathaniel's reward for visiting the dentist for the first time on Friday (this was very hard for Nathaniel).  He was very brave and did a fantastic job.  He was such a model patient, that they even  invited another boy who was making a fuss to watch how well Nathaniel did!

Annabelle and Nathaniel building in the Lego play area.  Later we filled a bucket in the pick-a-brick section.  (okay... 2 buckets!)

Back home, building cars with the new Legos.  This is Nathaniel's new passion - he plays with the set for several hours a day!

6/4/06...Some turtles we spotted on a bike ride near Round Lake.  We biked up to visit Scooner Days, then on to Miller Park for an afternoon of play.  A perfect way to spend our 12th wedding anniversary.

On the trail - bike trail , that is.  Round Lake is peeking through in the background.

6/5/06...A sweltering day with temperatures in the 90s.  Notice Annabelle snuggled under a blanket with a sweatshirt on...she was fever-stricken with a strep infection and a double ear infection.  She missed half of the last week of school...bummer!

6/8/06...Annabelle on the last day of school.  The peonies bloomed just in time to make a lovely bouquet!

6/9/06...Camping at Jay Cooke State park - just south of Duluth.  It was fantastic!  The weather was cool at night - in the 30s.  But in the day it warmed into the 60s.  A perfect camping experience (canceling out the disastrous Memorial Day trip.)

The private path leading to our very secluded site.

Me in the camp kitchen!

At the visitor center lodge at Jay Cooke.  They had great naturalist programs every evening.  We learned about bats the first night and wolves the second. 

The swinging bridge over the St. Louis River.

View from the swinging bridge.

Hiking on the rocks along the river.

6/10/06...Hiking the Silver Creek Trail

Looking at some rapids on the St. Louis River.

Biking on the Munger Trail.

Nathaniel looking out at the Thompson Dam...seen in the upper left near the horizon.  A huge hydroelectric plant is just upstream from this dam.  It was sort of a complicated set up - whereby the dam created a canal to a reservoir, where the water ran down a long declined pipe, turning the turbines along the way.  

Still on the Munger Trail, we biked past these huge piles of logs near Carlton.  

Nathaniel loved seeing the logs (and the big grappling tines on the machines that moved them).

Making apple pie over the fire in our new pie iron!

Annabelle and Nathaniel loved playing with this fallen tree on our campsite.

6/11/06...On the geology walk with the naturalist.  That is Annabelle with the purple backpack.  The naturalist at the park did a fantastic job - we enjoyed a ladyslipper hike with her on Saturday too.  The nature programs (4 in all) were Annabelle's favorite part of the weekend.

Annabelle and Nathaniel on a huge rock in the campground area.

Hiking on a beautiful nature path.

Annabelle and Nathaniel holding hands while walking through the forest.

Annabelle and Chris (just to the left of the tree) on a huge rock we climbed.

One last hike Sunday afternoon...

A very tired Annabelle, posing by these pretty white wildflowers.

6/16/06...Seeing "Oliver" at Starring Lake Outdoor Theater.  

Us watching the show.  It was a nice treat after a very busy week.  Chris was out of town most of the week and we had lots of places to go and things to do while he was gone.

6/27/06...Annabelle's "Annabelle Hydrangea" has prolific blooms this year - here she is with a bloom in her garden.