Deer Season

The hunting shack -- and deer hunting in particular -- is a big deal in my family.

Although, to confess -- I've never actually been there during deer season. Although the property is now half mine, when I was growing up it was clear that girls were not allowed during deer season. The closest I got was when we delivered my brother to Floodwood, meeting the guys at Bridgeman's for dinner before heading back to Cloquet.

Until this year. Times change, I guess. And the kids certainly have helped create that. They've heard me talk about deer season in the almost-magical way it governs our family history. Probably even heard a little wistfulness in my voice. So it wasn't a huge surprise when in October Alex started asking: "Mommy, can I go to the hunting shack during deer hunting time?"

I texted Adam to share this request with him, and he confessed that he actually was thinking of bring Mason up to "surprise" Grandpa in his deer stand on an upcoming Tuesday!

Me: Kids during deer season?! Wow when did the rules change? LOL.

Adam then asked if he could take Alex too! I said -- yes!! Then responded with a sudden realization: 

Me: There's only one problem

Adam: Victoria won't be there

Me: Yeah

He gets it. He knows I was always excluded, and I *heart* that he is sensitive to wanting to include our girl too.

I ran it past Matt, who agreed we should take Victoria out of school to go too. I mean, this is important stuff in this family. And, because I couldn't foist three kids on my brother to handle by himself, I took the day off work too!

That was the easy part, though. Planning out the logistics! Executing our plan! Oh, the details ... making sure everyone had blaze orange hats and jackets (borrowing where needed) ... learning how to hook up the trailer ... Matt was traveling so I decided to hook it up the night before, so it was ready to go. To do so, I ordered the kids they had to stay inside and not fight and not bug me (!!) ... it was dark, but I turned on all the outside lights and used the flashlight on my phone to see behind the suburban. Hooking up was a challenge, and I couldn't quite get the tongue on the ball all the way, so I confess since my brother was stopping by anyway, I did get help with that one tiny part. While I was wrestling with the trailer, Victoria and Alex were making lunches for our adventure. I came back inside to this:

Three sandwich containers, with different sandwiches: pepperoni and mayo for Alex, peanut butter and honey for Vic, peanut butter and jam for mom. And, since Vic had left her station halfway through her sucker, I also discovered where she put it so it "wouldn't stick" anywhere. LOL ... never a dull moment! I was actually so proud of them for helping pack everything ahead of time.

The next morning, up at the break of dawn. Everyone dressed in warm clothes, kids and dogs loaded in the suburban, lunches and coffee ready to go. We drove to McDonald's to grab breakfast, where I got to park in the oversize/trailer lot (the kids were shocked I could park there with the trailer!).

Then, off to Cloquet, where I parked outside my brother's house, and handed my dogs off to my mom (who had so kindly driven to meet me so I didn't have to back the trailer up down a dead-end road, since she was taking the dogs to avoid them spending all day in kennels). Adam and I sent Victoria inside to babysit Mason while we dug snow off my four-wheeler, struggled to unhook frozen ratchet straps, unloaded it from my trailer and put it on his trailer, then moved car seats and gear to HIS car to start the trip north to Floodwood. An hour later, we did this whole procedure again while parked on Van Horn Road -- unloading all the wheelers, kids, and gear to drive in to the shack! (I muttered to Adam -- how did our parents do this much work ALL THE TIME to go to the hunting shack, or go camping, or go on vacations? Man! We were spoiled!)

We quickly threw our stuff inside the shack, saying a quick hello to our friend Mike, then with everyone anxious to see Grandpa, we got back on the wheelers to drive out to GRANDPA'S DEER STAND. 

We pulled up outside. It is a small building on stilts, so well-built our family nicknamed it "The Ultimate." Insulated, a locking door, and sliding plexiglass windows. He didn't see us coming, and Adam and Mason went right for the door with me trailing behind -- no time to grab a video, but I could hear my dad's booming voice calling out: "Well, would you LOOK at THAT!" First one kid, then the second grandkid "OH MY GOODNESS!" and the third, and he was speechless.

I suspect there are fewer days in my dad's life more happy than having his kids and grandkids in his deer stand with him.

It was totally worth the trip.

Victoria was very interested in trying to look for -- and call -- a deer. Maybe a future hunting partner for grandpa?

My dad had a heater going, so it was quite warm and cozy.

I pointed out to Alex that it was Mommy's first time there during deer season too!

Victoria in particular didn't want to leave.

But it was lunch time, and Grandpa was ready to head back. Each kid got to ride with an adult on a four wheeler (I got Mason!). The shack was also toasty warm, and we ate lunch and -- drumroll please -- taught Victoria cribbage.

Alex was mainly playing with Mason, but I think he started to feel a little left out.

(A week or so later back at home, Grandpa came over and played cribbage at our house, where he had Alex help him to make up for it.)

Then, the kids played and played and played.

Mason followed Alex everywhere. When Alex climbed on a cot, Mason did too. When Alex drove his cars up a wall, Mason did too. It was adorable.

Here's a couple video clips of the kids being silly:

When it was time to go, I paused outside the door, admiring this often-seen sight. Because our road is so low, often muddy, with a questionable bridge, we can't drive to the shack. The half-mile trip is almost always made with four wheelers. I laugh to myself when I think how "in the day" people would've had horses waiting outside, and now we have machines. They are useful though!

Both boys fell asleep on the trip home. We called my mom when we got close to Adam's house, so she could again bring the dogs. We unloaded his trailer, loaded my wheeler back on my trailer, moved over all the bags/jackets/car seats, and when I arrived home, for the first time ever I backed up a trailer, and managed to get it in a dang good spot, at an angle near the garage. Go me!

I'm so happy to know I can do this myself. I felt just a little bit tougher and stronger after that day. Most importantly, there was a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart, knowing I had created memories for the three kids in my life, and helped share my family traditions.

Happy Hanukkah!

Holidays are awesome, and in a spirit of inclusiveness, Victoria embraces them all (she embraces made up holidays too, but more on that another time).

This year in Key Zone (after school program), they learned about multiple December holidays, including a couple weeks spent on Hanukkah. Every day that I picked her up, she was talking about the food and activities associated with the holiday, asking me questions that I simply couldn't answer. One day she asked if we could buy a menorah. I wasn't opposed to buying a menorah, but was a little afraid of appropriating a holiday I knew nothing about. Finally I realized, "Victoria, do you know who has many menorahs?" "Who?" "Kate!"

Kate is my coworker and cube neighbor, who converted to Judaism when she met her husband, and who also happens to love the kids. So, we did what any good friend would do, and invited ourselves over!

Originally I was thinking a simple menorah lighting and explanation. But soon Kate was adding dreidels and matzoh ball soup to the mix!

First, the kids had to mix up the matzoh...

You have to do the mixing with your hands, and Kate talked about the symbolism of doing things with your hands -- no spoons allowed!

We had to wait awhile, so that gave us the opportunity to light the candles. The shamish, the helper candle, was on the far right of this menorah, and Victoria got to use it to light the other candles.

Kate explained how they shouldn't be blown out, but should be allowed to die down on their own every night.

We played dreidel, which was super simple, and where we used "gelt" (Hershey kisses in our case) to put in the middle and see who could get the most. (Kate explained it's sort-of like betting.)

Time to make the matzoh balls! Victoria made them all, and put them into the soup. She did great!

We ate soup, and Kate's husband Scott made latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil), and enjoyed their company. Thank you Kate and Scott for hosting us!

Julebyen

This Christmas season I wanted to attend one of the area's winter festivals, and the two I knew of were happening one of the weekends I had the kids. Checking out their web sites I quickly learned that one of them was far more kid friendly ... Julebyen in Knife River! It had a troll train (the North Shore Scenic Railroad did special train trips), huge tent with kid activities, food -- actual Scandinavian food! -- scavenger hunt, market vendors, TONS to do. I thought we might hang out an hour or two, and after FOUR HOURS we still hadn't done everything!

Here are the kids on the troll train:

The organizers did an amazing job instructing everyone about traits of trolls, how you can trick trolls, how to find them in the woods.

At the end of the journey we got to see "real live" trolls ... living in a hut at the edge of a frozen pond, with smoke coming out of the hut from their fire.

The kids loved doing the scavenger hunt where they had to collect treasure that talked about Scandinavian gifts of life ... things like friends, and health.

They got to turn those tokens in for a "gold" prize (chocolate) at the end.

We headed off to look for food, and along the way we found wagon rides. They let Vic DRIVE -- hold the reins and everything.

We ate some delicious sausage with lingonberries, wrapped in lefse. As we were finishing, my friend mentioned kid activities in the big white tent. Victoria started to say "maybe after I finish rolling down the hill ..." until Judy said, "oh yeah, lots of crafts!" Vic grabbed one of our bags and headed off without me! All you have to do is mention crafts with that kid!

Snowflake ornaments above, and below are Dala horse ornaments!

We had to rush out of Julebyen to head to Cloquet. I wrote earlier about Victoria's birthday celebrations, but forgot to mention the first birthday party of all: when Victoria went to Uncle Adam's and Auntie Megan, and they made her a special lobster and shrimp dinner! Here she is helping Adam get stuff ready for the grill ... Megan texted me this photo that evening.

I obviously didn't take many pictures showing what Julebyen was all about, just a few of the kids -- but if anyone is thinking of going, put it on your calendars for next year!! It's amazing!

Merry Christmas from the Moses Kids!

Victoria's Birthday Celebrations

This is classic Victoria. It's HER birthday ... and she started her birthday evening off by making cards ... for her guests! She made "projects" to give to Roger and Bob. She always wants to show people how much she loves them.

Alex couldn't wait to wrap her a special gift just from him. He came upstairs proudly showing her the present!

When cousin Mason showed up, it was all fun and games, though. Alex started falling to the ground in a goofy way to make him laugh!

People started showing up. A circle of family, all sharing Victoria's favorite food -- a taco bar! There was Grandma and Grandpa ...

Lil Mason, of course.

"Grandpa" Bob, here chatting with my dad.

Uncle Roger.

After tacos, it was time for cake! Victoria asked for "cupcakes like a cake in the shape of a cupcake." So I frosted cupcakes in two different colors, plus a red one for the "cherry" on top, and laid them out in the shape of a frosted cupcake.

Everyone watched and cheered.

Then ... presents! From Grandma and Grandpa, very special hand sewn American Girl doll clothes!

For the first time, she could read all her cards. She read them out loud to everyone. We were all so proud!!

And she was proud too!

Her brother had given her a puzzle she liked from Legacy Toys. With unicorns. Obviously, this present needed a hug.

His reward? Playing with a big bow!

He loves sharing with his cousin too.

Saturday morning, we gathered up our stuff, picked up her VERY special cake, and headed to the ROLLER RINK for her friends birthday party!

Victoria had been roller skating once before, with Key Zone. So, I was surprised when she confidently donned skates and zipped right out onto the floor! She went around and around, not needing a frame for support or even holding onto the wall much. She fell, but always got right back up. And she was a great hostess, spending time with all her friends!

I took a few quick videos of her skating.

Here she is with Ava:

Gemma:

Getting skates on with Gemma and Lily:

Amara was there:

Ava doing the "limbo"

Again with Lily and Gemma:

We got them off the rink for pizza and pop! Clockwise from front left: Ava, Lily, Gemma, Victoria, Caitlyn, and Amara, and at the other table Mr. Alex!

Then ... time to dig into that amazing unicorn cake!

She got all the candles!

She opened presents before heading back out onto the rink. This one included more glow in the dark stars!

The DJ at one point called Victoria over to wish her happy birthday and present her with a t shirt.

Her guests left one by one, and we turned in the skates. At the very last minute, she talked me into playing air hockey. I always forget how much I love air hockey! And when she and I were done, her brother and dad had to play too!