Jeremiah finally hit the 20-pound mark (at 15 months), so we were able to switch him from his infant car seat to his toddler seat for the trip. He rode for the first hour holding on with both hands and mesmerized by the fact he could see out the front.
I knew that the two-day, 14 hour trip (each way!) would be difficult for Jeremiah, so I stalked pinterest for activities to entertain him. This was well worth all the time I put into this! He traveled very well and loved the activities. Watch for a follow-up post with the specifics on what I packed.
I also got about a dozen snacks for Josh and put each one in a brown paper lunch snack. Then about every hour along the way, I let him open a surprise. Along with some of his favorite store-bought snacks, I made puppy chow and Andes Mint cookies. I also threw in some lotto tickets and fishing lures. He really enjoyed this and is definitely worth doing again.
We stayed at Brindley's Harbor Resort on Leech Lake. We shared a two-bedroom cabin with my parents. They even took a crib for Jeremiah so he would sleep well. (They think of everything!)
Josh and I have been to the resort four times, but this was Jeremiah's first time. (Here we are back in 2007.)
A little family history: My dad vacationed at Leech Lake (same part of the lake, just at the neighboring resort) with his family when he was a young boy. My parents honeymooned at Brindley's. They went back for their 25th wedding anniversary (the same year Josh and I got married), and they have been every year since. This is them on their honeymoon!
The resort is set up to allow for a great vacation with little planning. Each cabin has a full kitchen, so we (okay, my mom) planned all our meals in advance. The resort has its own harbor where my dad can keep his boat. There are also planned activities each day to promote meeting the other guests and having fun.
Jeremiah was in awe of all the new things to see and do.
We spent quite a bit of time fishing and have a freezer full of fish to show for it. We even caught some crayfish and clams (those were not keepers).
Each day, starting on Monday, the resort posts clues for a scavenger hunt. You look for a 2" brass anchor. By Thursday, no one had found it. So Josh and Jeremiah set out to find it. A few mosquito bites later, Jeremiah claimed the prize: $10 and a free pizza.
Tuesday evening, the resort hosts bingo. Each round costs $0.25 per card. The winner gets all the money in the pot and a free ice cream treat from the resort. Josh tied on a round towards the beginning, winning about $10 and a root beer float. I won a round later on, getting about $14 and a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. My mom won "crummy card." This round is unique in that everyone stands and once two numbers are called on your card, you're out. She has won this in past years as well. The last round is "blackout" and costs $0.50 per card. The winner gets the pot and a free pizza. We did not win, but this year the pot was over $30 for that round!
The resort holds turtle races for kids on Wednesday afternoon. This was the first year we've ever been able to participate in the activity. Each kid names a turtle (you don't have to bring your own turtle, the resort keeps quite a few). Jeremiah named his turtle, "Pi" (he had a little help). One of the resort owners, Greg, runs the event. He places all the turtles in the center of a painted circle and announces the event as if it was a horse race. He makes it so much fun! The first turtle to reach the circle wins. The kid who named that turtle wins an ice cream treat. Then that turtle is removed from the race, and a new race is started. Every kid is a winner!
Can't you just hear the excitement as you look at the pictures?! "Harry Potter is in the lead! No, wait! Pi is emerging from the pack! Squirt is coming up from behind! Who's it going to be? It looks like Pi is going to win! Yes! Pi is the winner!" Then all the kids clap and cheer. So much fun!
Thursday is the fishing contest. There is a kid's division and an adult division. The fisherman with largest fish by weight wins a fishing lure and a trophy. Sadly, the fish were not biting for us, so we did not win. My dad has won several times in past years.
Jeremiah attempted feeding the ducks. He would point at the ducks from afar and get quite excited when they would come close. However, every time we would hand him a piece of bread to feed them, he'd put it in his mouth! (Notice how chubby his cheeks are in the second picture!)
He also got some good walking practice (still won't do it on his own though).
I think Jeremiah had a great time! He experienced many new things during the week and laughed a lot. (The neighbors even commented on how much he was laughing!)
The week flew by, but we made lots of memories! Thanks to my mom and dad for all their planning to make our time fun and relaxing!
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