2012 Happy Birthday Raina

Happy Birthday Raina, or as Dad would say Happy Birthday "Rainer Dainer". 

Hope your men (and Bailee too) treat you like a proper princess today!

This is about you, therefore below are some photos of YOU, well Eli snuck into one shot.

Since up North, the Cottage, North Twin Lake, is one of your favorite places, this blog should put you into a nice frame of mind anytime you read it.

 You are our planner!  There comes a time every summer when you get the itch to start the plans -- food plans, sleeping arrangements, games to bring, and you communicate so wonderfully with all of us about it.  It makes it so easy - not like the "good 'ol days" when mom was stressed to the max and that stress rubbed off onto you kids and then onto Dad when he got home from work and had to pack the car, trailer or boat.  I always felt so guilty of what I was bringing.  Sneaking in those books, games, quarters and toys.

 But now we share and it's you who gets the ball rolling and makes sure fairness plays a big part of things.

 Is this the life, or what?  IT IS THE LIFE!

 I think it's where you come to treasure the small things in life that make us all happy.  Sleeping in, napping, reading book after book, dining out, cooking in, riding in the boat, driving the boat, watching the family in action, gabbing and laughing with friends, fishing, gossiping, and playing games galore.

 OK, so swimmers itch found us and you in particular.  And one year you twisted your neck and we had to hit the E.R. to make sure you were ok, and your boyfriend was missed when he wasn't there, and then you brought him (ANDY) who has now come to love it up there too.  **Magic**

 Yes, there was the time when you dreamed that we and the other two families would just move up there and live year around.  No matter what I said, you thought it would be the greatest.

 And there were a few years when you made omelets to order.  We would fill out our choices the night before and the next morning you would cook and deliver the most delicious omelets to anyone at the resort who wanted one.  Oh how we all loved that - can you do that again some year?

You would drive the boat, Sarah would put the bait on, take the fish off and the three of us would fish.

And now you bring your family every year, Andy, Eli and Hugh are a part of the scene.  We still all fit into one of the rentals and there's usually someone sleeping, and someone reading, someone drinking and someone eating and kids are playing or johnny jumping - or it's raining and off to town someone goes.  

Other memories - Risk games, Clue games, Boggle until we were crying from giggles, Pictionary, Catch Phrase, poker, Nertz AND OF COURSE, YES, you are the champion and can talk, eat and play and still win.  You and Colleen going off on your own, the two "little girls" who grew up to become gorgeous women, wives and mothers.

Wishing you many fun birthdays to come and many years at the/a cottage too, where you can let it all hang out and wear your pjs to the dock!

Have a super birthday.