Four Part Harmony

We just got back from a week in Bemidji , MN (my old hometown) to visit my family.

A big part of the reason we went back was to celebrate my Grandpa’s 85th birthday, and to introduce Milo to his extended family.

We got lots of family photos, here’s my grandpa with his kids (my aunts and uncles).

And here’s my grandpa with all his grandkids and great-grandkids.

And here’s the Gunderson family.

Milo with his uncle Mark.

A nice family photo.

We didn’t really just stand around in the backyard taking family pictures all day though. The first few days we were there the weather was great and we drove to Itasca State Park. We stopped and had a picnic at the edge of the lake.

At the north end of Lake Itasca, the Mississippi River has its headwaters. Here’s Anna and I getting ready to cross the mighty river.

Nicki and Milo at the headwaters.

Anna went wading in the river at one point, and also crossed the river several times by herself on a little log bridge that can just be seen in the background of this picture.

We also dug in the garden a bit. Northern MN was just about to get its first frost, so we were out harvesting the last of the tomatoes and peppers. Here, Anna is helping Grandma Jackie dig up a hill of sweet potatoes.

We also played in the leaves. We raked up a big pile in the backyard and it seems like everyone had a turn to jump in at some point. Here’s Anna and her cousin Nick in the leaf pile.

Anna in the leaf pile.

Milo in the leaf pile. I think he liked it more than the picture conveys. He had a fun time on the trip, and had plenty of smiles for everyone.

We went on a hike in the State Park, though it took two tries to pull it off. We got a flat tire on the way in to the park, and the spare tire was so crusted onto the car that it took over an hour for my dad and I to get it changed. In the meantime, Nicki, Grandma Jackie, Anna and Milo went for some short walks.

By the time we got the tire changed, it was closing in on lunchtime and we had to abandon the hike for the moment. Hardest tire change of my life (as far as I can remember). Then, when we got the tire changed and everyone back into the car, the battery had died and the car wouldn’t start. We had to call the ranger for a jump, but soon enough we were on our way.

After lunch we came back to the park and managed to finish our hike. We went out a long a trail through a peat bog out to a lake (Bog Lake).

Nicki and Milo on the bog walk trail.

Anna on the bog walk trail. Anna must have learned the tune “London Bridge” at school because all weekend she was singing it, except she sang “Unden bridge is falling down”. On the hike we made up lots of verses.

It was a fun trip. Great to see lots of family, and great to be back in Minnesota at a beautiful time of year.