We Love Marine on St. Croix

Last weekend my mom invited me and the kids to go explore a recreation camp of MN voyageurs from the 1700's.  So I packed up the kids and we drove to William O'Brien State Park.  We got there only to find out dear Grandma had the wrong weekend.  Oops!  Luckily the little town nearby, Marine on St. Croix, was having their annual Arts Festival so we still had lots of fun!  We looked at a lot of booths.  Grandma bought a rug and a necklace, Violet got a really cool pair of striped legwarmers. Henry was introduced to warm mini-doughnuts.  His life will never be the same.

The local fire department pulled their trucks out and opened up the station to explore.  Henry and Violet thought it was pretty cool.

Fast forward to today... we decided to give the Voyageur Camp another try... we made it!  Henry decided to stay home with Dad to watch football, but the girls learned some really interesting things at the camp.  Here Violet is learning the difference between deer, elk, and moose hide moccasins.

We pet nearly every fur imaginable: skunk, buffalo, otter, mink...  I asked Violet to guess what animal the muskrat fur came from and after careful consideration she answered " a cat".  It got a few laughs from those nearby.  Well, she was kinda close anyway.

A nice voyageur dude taught me how to throw a hatchet into a giant tree cookie!  It was so fun - I totally nailed it!

Here's Grandma Judester in mid throw - Go Grandma!

 Lake Alice

I'd like to go back in a week or two - the colors will be crazy!

Vi was watching tons of tiny fish swimming around/under this dock.

Gramma and Vi - so sweet!

We always stop at this little ice cream shop in town.  I suggest you do the same if you are ever in the area.  I'm not sure the name, just look for the giant pink ice cream cone on the side of the building.

Violet did not drip one drop, I kid you not.  She's an ice cream eating expert like her mama.

Until next time!