Very soon after our successful arrival in MPLS, we were packing up again to head "up north". The Murphy kids (aka Tom's brothers and sisters) have been planning this weekend for 5 years. We wanted to celebrate Jerry and Kay's (Tom's Mom and Dad) 50th wedding anniversary in style. Well....Murphy style. So, that means ... fishing, swimming, card playing, BBQ'ing and all around kabitzing. It was GREAT fun!!
We all gathered at a really cool resort in northern MN (Park Rapids). Each family got its own cabin and were "in charge" of a meal. This place was awesome, it sits on a pennisula in a great clear, clean fishing lake. There were 8+ docks for the kids to fish from, an inground pool, a game room, playground, bonfire, movie night and a snack (aka candy) bar that sold candy breath spray. (yes, this was the hit of the weekend for the kids. breath spray that is actually candy. yuck).Tracy brought her bike up as she needed to get ready for the MS150 (next blog) and managed to get a ride in each day on the fabulously straight, clean, smooth, rolling, forest filled county roads. A road bikers dream!
The kids had swimsuits and life preservers and spent as much time as they could getting soaking wet and then drying off again, just to do it all over. Even though the weather didnt cooperate (cool ,rainy) the kids didnt care. What does it matter if you are standing in the rain with blue lips or swimming in an ice cold lake? Either way you are having fun with your cousins, right?!
Tom spent hours chatting up with his siblings, throwing a line for crappy and preparing us a fabulous shrimp boil.
All the Murphys were there (Lexi and Michaela were missed) and we were able to get another Murphy family photo which includes most of the grandkids, all the siblings and most importantly, Jerry and Kay.What a great start to the summer and to our time home. Being surrounded by family, food, and love.
(Postscript: 1 week after our time at Park Rapids, a tornado went through. The bait shop we frequented is no longer there and we havent gotten word on the resort. We may have been the last guests standing, so to speak. Unbelievable).
