Lara, Petra, Aberdeen Gray and the best visit ever

Finally, we were able to come together...Lara and Petra and little Miss Aberdeen Gray came up to the cabin this summer so that we might finally hang out. Lara, all the way from Alaska, and Petra and Gray all the way from Lancaster. Ezra and Gray had a ball playing outside and the whole deal brought health and healing and beauty and gratefulness to our art-love-children-family-friends' hearts.

Meals are best eaten outdoors. At least Aberdeen thinks so.

Adorable.

Ezra walking down the slide. (That's what friends are for?)

Love you girls.

The Salminen Family Unites!

Happy 60th Mom and Dad - ( you sure don't look it!!)

Ezra's uncles (Natalie's brothers) all made it to Duluth this summer to help celebrate many a birthday! My parents both turned 60 in July! Congrats to the young whippersnappers. And Ben turned the bittersweet 29:) It was an amazing week of being together for the first time since September 2007. Matt was also able to meet Ezra for the first time. Spencer surprised us all by flying home for the weekend (between fighting fires in Colorado and Alaska). We are so grateful he could come! We spent most of our time up at the cabin....

...relaxing. Spencer taking a much needed nap. He may just be the hardest working firefighter around.

Grandpa and Ezra in the sauna (fountain of youth).

Water skiing with skill at 60!

A Salminen family portrait

Uncle Matt and his Ezra. They really hit it off:)

Josh barefooting. (Is there anything he can't do?)

Noble. Dear, sweet Noble.

Uncle Ben and his little lime-eating nephew. You guys are TOO cute!

Quintessential cabin time.

Hanging out in the sun.

Hanging out in the dark.