Extreme Treehouse Getaway

     Three friends and I headed to a really cool adventure this week.  I found a very unique trip for friends, spouses, families, etc... in a town about 90 minutes away from Sartell.  The couple that built this amazing treehouse adventure actually lived in it for two years before they decided to share their labor of love with others.  Since then, they have a very busy "business" that is just so cool!!  I'll take you through our journey!! :)

We decided to stop for some beverages at Ernie's, and this is what we selected.

 

Arriving at the treehouse...Alison and Deb head up to check things out!

The owner, Peggy, and her very sweet daughter, Lori, took pictures when we arrived.

The landscaping was beautiful!

A place for a picnic, campfire, bocce ball, etc...

A view of the treehouse

Before you walk up the stairs, you see these embedded in the concrete.

Part of the wraparound deck

Peggy explained that they selected all of the driftwood from the North Shore/Lake Superior area in Duluth.

A nice hot tub is available too!

Peggy warned us not to think we were "losing it" if we felt a little dizzy in this spot as the trees move back and forth a bit.  It is a weird experience!!

Getting the hot tub ready...

Black walnut adorns the windows in the treehouse.

The owners...Will and Peggy

Here is the loft area.  It sleeps five people comfortably.

Looking down at Alison :)

Hi, Heidi!!

We toasted to good friends, Heidi's new job at the high school, and other fun things!! :)

Our new favorite treat...yummy!!

Alison relaxing...

Deb enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation!!

We walked into town for...

2 for 1 burger night. 

What a fun night with good friends!!

Of course we did some shopping and had to hit the book store! :)

Another toast...

A cool picture of the moon through the trees as we relaxed in the hot tub.


Here I am with Alison.

After breakfast we had another photo op!!

New York! New York!

FINALLY!!! I have been asked by numerous people how my trip to New York was and when I was going to post my pictures. It's been a very hectic June thus far!! It took many hours to complete the photo book (which I always make for my sister whenever she takes me on a fun trip: New Orleans, Las Vegas, New York, and upcoming...San Antonio). I figured since we did so much while we were there, that it would be much easier just to share my photo book on my blog. It was such an incredible trip; I hope that you enjoy my pictures!! :)

Click here to view this photo book larger

The new way to make a photo album: photo books by Shutterfly.

Happy Father's Day!!

Photo collage generated with Smilebox

Dogs, Dogs, and More Dogs

     Poor Dakota suffers from allergies, so we've been having to give him allergy Rx and doggie oatmeal shampoo baths.  He doesn't think too much of either as indicated below!!

     Meanwhile...we took JJ to visit Mom O.  Both of them were so excited!!  Mom's eyes lit up right away as she had to give her dog to some relatives after she broke her hip.  She loves JJ, so we thought it would be nice to cheer her up.

JJ even had to check out what grandma was having for lunch!!

     Meet the newest addition to our neighborhood.  Katie and Freddy got a Goldendoodle recently, and she is such a cutie!!  I never thought that I would see the day that Freddy would give in as he always said that Katie had to learn how to speak French first (since he is a Canadian and that's all that his family speaks).  Well, she didn't even have to learn basic French!!  Welcome, Willow!!

Megann and Willow...she is going to be one loved puppy!!!

Fun Times!

     Recently Darrell power raked our lawn.  Well, it created quite a "stir" with our neighborhood kids.  They saw the big piles of dead grass on our driveway and decided it would be a blast to jump and play in the piles like leaves in autumn time.  As soon as Clara and Nolan came over, then Mathieu, Megann, Keaton, and Logan joined in the fun.  They all thought that they were "helping" us load the trailer, but at times more grass was going out of the trailer then into the trailer.  Several trips were made to the compost site with a different child accompanying Darrell with each trip that was made.  It was quite a sight to see!!  We had pizza and pop as a reward for all of the kids' "hard work" afterwards. :) 

Clara was being a "ham" for the camera!! 

Even Nolan got his little shovel to help us out...

Then Keaton got a bigger "scooper" (as he called it) to help out.

More fun in the back of Jim's trailer...

Luke came riding over to show us his new Spider-Man sunglasses.

A different kind of fun...check out my mask (compliments of Deb)!! :0)

More giggles with Jody and Alison...

     Right before school got out, a former student (and a current student's brother) came back to surprise me.  He was on military leave from Afghanistan.  What a neat surprise!! I had been keeping in touch with him by sending care packages, so it was so great to see him in person as well as thank him for serving our country!!

Spending time with Darci and Emma at Logan's baseball game on a beautiful summer evening...

Cute little Emma

Logan getting ready to bat...

Heading out to the pitcher's mound...

The game went into overtime with Logan scoring the winning run!! What a fun game to watch!!

Megann showing off her cute new dress and headband before her concert.  

It's so fun having young neighborhood kids as part of our lives!!  We are blessed!! :)