Bayfield, Birthdays, and Beaches

Here in our messy, muddy house, we have a few birthday traditions. The worst being that we rarely celebrate a birthday on its actual day. Case in point, Erica's birthday was April 23rd and we finally had our special day on June 10.

Birthday traditions include choosing, within reason, whatever cereal they want for breakfast. We usually eat practical, low-cost healthy cereals like Bran flakes, granola, or oatmeal. So once a year they can have Chocolate Captain Crunch (yuch!) or Fruit Loops or whatever their hearts desire, the caveat being, they have to share this cereal with their siblings.

Keith takes the birthday child out to the restaurant of their choice, within reason. This meal with Dad is something they all look forward to.

In addition to a birthday dinner with relatives, they can choose between a friend party or a Day with Mom (DWM). One-on-one time with Mom in a big family doesn't happen too often, so this is a big treat.

Anna is fixing to turn fifteen in two weeks so DWMs were stacking up.

My brilliant plan was to combine DWMs and take Erica and Anna for the day to Duluth, MN, the nearest big city and then spend an afternoon with them individually around Ashland at another time.

All that to say, I spent a pleasant, peaceful afternoon with Erica last week just the two of us. We bought a loaf of delicious specialty bread at a quaint bakery, split a piece of Baklava, and went towards Bayfield to hang out at the beach. What fun.

We asked a middle-aged couple on an ATV to take our picture rather than the two young girls in bikinis who were standing out in Lake Superior. Clearly they were in denial or the natives have much thicker skin. Call me picky or wimpy, but summer has not arrived yet in Northern Wisconsin.

We bought ice cream waffle cones at a cute shop and ate them by the dock in Bayfield. Then I drove around and let Erica take pictures. Time and money well spent. We had a great time.

I miss my older kids and know that even though when they lived at home some days seemed like they would never end, I am now acutely aware of how fast the time goes. My little girls are growing up fast and I enjoy making special memories with them. I no longer wish the days away. I treasure them.