Adventures in the Upper Peninsula:

Choice moments/quotes from the weekend-

  • My eleven year old cousin singing “Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap” for karaoke.
  • My four year old second cousin not venturing further than waist deep water for fear of the water snakes
  • Drinking beer at eleven in the morning and not stopping until eleven at night.  In the presence of family.  And children.
  • Switching to bloody marys the morning of the parade because its one of the “acceptable” drinks to have before noon.  In public at least.
  • Drinking 14 beers, 2 gin and tonics and 1 mike’s hard lemonade in one day.
  • Not being able to fall asleep because I feel like I have to throw up.  Not the kind of the throw up resulting from the aforementioned 17 drinks, but rather from having absolutely no more room in my gastrointestinal tract thanks to onion dip and beer cheese dip.
  • Eating a slab of prime rib as big as my face and as red as lauren gaga’s when she gets embarrassed.
  • Scrumble
  • Naked saunaing with the male branch of the extended family.
  • Watching three year old second cousin Jaana’s “I Win” dance.
  • Being disappointed that “somebody” made the Wilderness Bar and Grill float in the 4th of July parade stop handing out free cups of beer to the masses.
  • Getting hit by not one but two stray pieces of firework at the Mercer fireworks display.
  • “I don’t think I’ve ever had more sour cream and cream cheese in my stomach at one time ever before in my life” -Andrea Cederberg
  • Pontoon boat tours of the lake we’ve been going to since we were born with Uncle Bob.
  • A one eyed pug.
  • Thinking Storm (my uncle’s giant waterdog) was dead for ten minutes.
  • The socio-political-life discussion on the road trip home.
  • Realizing all over again that what Stitch said will always remain true for my family.
  • “I considered him my best friend” -Uncle Bob referring to my Dad.
  • “I love that he knows how to listen to me” -Andrea Cederberg on why she loves my brother
  • “I love that sometimes I can just listen and she knows that I don’t necessarily need to talk” -Max Halverson on why he loves Ceda
  • “Do I hear wedding bells?” -My cousin Isaac on my brother and his girlfriend moving in together next month.
  • Being surrounded by people that just might belong to the 20% of Republican Americans CNN said wanted Sarah Palin to be the 2012 Candidate for them.  And not just because they think she has a folksy charm.
  • Having the verse, “He leads me beside still waters” take on its true meaning.
  • Seeing my middle aged uncles bicker and hoping that my brother and I will be like that when we get older.
  • Face painting an Uncle Sam beard on my cousin Isaac.
  • My cousin Cole playing the National Anthem on his electric guitar on the lake shore at 11:00 at night on the fourth and subsequently hearing cheers ring in from around the lake.
  • Max: “Do you love me Isaac?”  Isaac: “No, I’m not gay…”
  • Isaac: “I love you Alex”  Me: (To ease the awkwardness in which he might think that I suspect he’s gay because of his innocent display of affection) “I love you like a brother Isaac”
  • Feeling at home even though I only spend at max three days out of my life a year there.

Alex “almost forgot it was his brother’s birthday weekend because he was having so much fun” Halverson

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