Happy Friday Friends!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Because we are peak of the summer season, I thought it would be relevant to share some more recommendations for tried and true summer fun gear and accessories that make experiences outdoors a little more comfortable.

This week I am highlighting;

 Keen Footwear

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In our house our doorway hallway is lined with all different sizes and styles of  Keen Footwear.   We have Newports, Rose Sandals, and Bali's.  

My husband has Keen Steel Toe Workboots  and I wear women's Keen dress shoes as a teacher at my school

If you are looking for a great brand of shoes that are multi-functional, sturdy and comfortable I am sure you could find a pair of shoes or sandals from Keen Footwear that would work for you!

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I am part of Amazon’s affiliate program in order to offset some of the costs that are associated with running a blog. If  you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links of my tried and true, honest recommendations, I get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in this area!

Around Here....

I have been working to keep up with the garden.   When we came home from our camping trip last weekend we had a garden that needed some attention.   I spent a rainy Monday morning making dilly beans and sweet pickles.  I also made some calzones adding some flavor with some of the fresh herbs.

Around Here...

I have been getting outdoors everyday with by boys.  Whether it is a bike ride, run or a hike we make it a habit to get outside, to explore and to get exercise.  We have lots to explore close to home.  Sometimes it is a challenge to get everyone out, but once we do we all feel better afterwards.

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

The August issueof Minnesota Parent Magazine is available throughout Minnesota and online now.

My ramblings in my School Days Column this month, I share some back-to-school recommendations to help kids thrive with  adequate sleep.
Pick up a print copy, or read the full issue by clicking -->HERE.

Find the online link to my column---> HERE.

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If you like what you see, social media 'shares' are appreciated!

As, always - thanks for reading!

Around Here....

We spent a weekend car camping at a family reunion gathering in the Duluth area.    It was fun to get together with cousins and family members we do not get to see that often.   We also had our first dip of the year in the big lake (Lake Superior), which was a very refreshing way to beat the heat.

.....and after a couple days away we came home to this:
.....plenty of garden goodness to keep me busy tomorrow morning!

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

The boys and I puppy sitting at my parents island home.   This morning I ventured out with the boys and went up the lake fishing.   I was using my dad's fishing boat so there was some newness to the experience in regards to a different boat and trolling motor.   Fishing with three boys is a challenge in itself, but we did it!  And we caught a bunch of fish!!!!

I am grateful that I grew up with parents who got me out on the lakes and taught me the skills  to learn the sport of fishing.  It is a fun challenge to share these experiences with my own kids - and certainly rewarding when we reel some in!

It is late July in our Northwoods garden.   

I have to be honest with you - this beautiful garden space and all that accompanies it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.

Today I have been in a little bit of a funk - and I am trying to shift my perspective with my go--to gratitude practice.    

After spending a good part of my morning canning, what yielded just two jars of pickled beets, I went out to the garden again to take some snapshots - to remind myself that this big garden is a good thing.

I have come to realize that this garden could act as a metaphor for my family life:

Both are full of weeds, and take a significant amount of energy to maintain and to sustain-

-and-

Both are rich, beautiful, healthy, abundant and fruitful.

Sometimes in this busy life of mine I just have to slow down and remind myself what I need to focus on. 

I choose joy.

Happy Friday Friends!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Because we are peak of the summer season, I thought it would be relevant to share recommendations for tried and true summer camping gear and accessories that make experiences outdoors a little more comfortable.

This week I am highlighting Eureka! Camping Gear products.

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On our most recent camping trip I tested out the Eureka! Ignite Plus 2 Burner Camp Stove and the Eureka! Camp Café.Our previous camp stove had been a wedding gift, so an upgrade, especially to one of this quality, was a welcome addition to our camp.   Here are the features:

• 2-turn simmer control gives precise flame adjustment and enhances the cooking performance
• 10,000 BTU burners go from a light simmer to full output
• Push button ignition allows a fast and easy start
• Stainless-steel drip tray offers rust-free performance and easy clean up
• Adjustable, nonslip rubber feet ensure that your stove is always level and stays in place
• Rugged, thick-gauge steel construction delivers many years of use
• Dependable latches keep the lid secure during transport

I was impressed by the solid construction, the dependability of the push button ignition and the control of the flame.  It is a GREAT stove to use when cooking for a large family.

Another Eureka! product I am absolutely loving is the Eureka! Camp Café.

Up until our recent camping trip I had been using a percolator-style coffee maker.   If you put a strong value in a good pot of coffee at your campsite, I would highly recommend upgrading to the Eureka! Camp Café.    Its price, ($99), may be a little intimidating, but the product can serve more than just a coffee pot.   The set up comes with a boiling pot kettle (that can be used to cook other foods), a straining lid, a coffee carafe and filter holder (it is a pour-over brewer).   It's something I know will get years of use.  I have even used the set up at home.   

Here are some of the features:

• It nests together for easy transport and storage, the Eureka! Camp Cafe brews quality coffee for the whole crew quickly and cleans up in a snap.
• 2. 5-liter (80-ounce) boiling kettle with patented FluxRing technology is able to boil water twice as fast as a standard kettle.
• Make quality coffee for the whole crew with the pour-over filter holder and 12-cup (60-ounce) coffee carafe.
• The filter holder and carafe nest inside the boiling kettle for easy transport and storage.
• The boiling pot and carafe are made of hard-anodized aluminum, while the lid and filter holder feature food-grade, BPA-free polypropylene construction. Measures 8 by 8 by 8 inches packed and weighs 2. 5 pounds.
• Easily drain foods like pasta and rice with the convenient and integrated lid strainer.

I don't know about you, but a good cup of coffee makes me a happier camper.

Happy Camping!

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I am part of Amazon’s affiliate program in order to offset some of the costs that are associated with running a blog. If  you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links of my tried and true, honest recommendations, I get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in this area!

We are in the peak of the summer blueberry harvest in my neck of the woods!  I have been out picking, snacking on and freezing berries.  

This year our berry harvest is just a little later than it has been in years past and it is coinciding perfectly with the Ely Blueberry Festival Weekend.  There are a lot of fun things happening around town this weekend, including this Instagram giveaway from my blog sponsors Gypsy Bandanas & Grey Duck Bags.   Click on the image below to be directed to the giveaway.

If you are in town for the festival and stop by their booths - make sure to tell Tara and Beth you heard about the giveaway here!

Happy Blueberry Season!

I am just settling back at home after a weeklong island camping trip I took with the kids in Voyager's National Park.  

Enjoy these snapshots from our trip and be delighted by the beauty and bounty of this beautiful area of Northern Minnesota: 

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Read more of my writing featuring Voyager's National Park HERE.

Around Here...

I got my first handful of blues!  They are about a week behind and need rain.   We will see what this season brings.   It will be hard to compare to last year.   (I still have a few gallons of berries in the freezer!)

Around Here...
James is making great progress on the exterior of our sauna building.  It is such a wonderful addition to our homestead.  

Around Here....

Our kids are growing into new adventures.  Our daughter took her first independent camping overnight with some friends the other day.  The boys (and the mama and dad) took to some new nearby mountain bike trails.

Around Here....

The garden is growing!  I was pleased to see progress and growth with my herbs, beans, tomatoes, grapes, pumpkins, cucumbers and raspberries.  

Around Here...

We have an eight year old....today!  Oh how time flies.

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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?