Minnesota Sickation

Well our week in Minnesota was one for the books due to the following who ALL were taken down by the flu: Amelia, Juliet, Mark, Uncle Loren, Nana Gayle, Cousin Chris, JuJu, Poppy and Cousin Dylan. Yes, that is NINE family members who were getting sick at various times of the trip. It is safe to say that the Mark Lang side of the family picked up the flu at our daycare and took it with us to Minnestoa. It was a 12 hour bug that hit hard and left the victims exhausted for a couple of days after. Those of us that didn't actually catch the flu were exhausted from being nurses and our bodies fighting off the flu. Chad and the Anderson family timed their trip perfectly as they showed up later in the week once the flu had mostly passed.

Juliet, being the youngest of all the victims had the hardest time recovering from the flu. After 24 hours of continually being sick and showing signs of dehydration we made a trip to the emergency room. Luckily she was on the cusp of coming back from the flu so they decided to not give her fluids but they did find an ear infection so we are working through a prescription of amoxicillin for that.

I think it says a lot about the Backlund family as even with all the ailing family members we still managed to smile, laugh and even dance (that Ellie has some killer booty moves) a lot together!!! Thank you to JuJu and Poppy for the awesome week at the lake and to the Minnesota crew for welcoming us. I sure hope we are allowed back and if so we promise to leave the flu in Chicago!

Poor Juliet was kept outside and without clothes on as the flu clean-up was much easier that way.

Amelia loved relaxing on the dock and the water was so high she could sit on the dock and splash water.

Lulu, Amelia, Brady and Ellie enjoying the hammock.

Amelia attended her first baseball game by cheering on the Alexandria Beatles. This is small town baseball at its finest. Dylan was the most excited for the game but came down with the flu that morning. He was a total trooper and made it through the game with lots of water and Sprite!

Juliet's first boat ride. She slept the entire time....

Um, apparently while becoming a mom to two I lost my common sense. What do you do when you on an inner tube behind a boat and the front of the tube starts to go in the water? Yes, you shift your weight back. Nope instead I allowed Lulu, Amelia and myself to do a nose dive into the lake. Amelia was SO excited to finally try the tube after watching all the big kiddos. Thank goodness for life jackets and the fact that we were going slowly as Amelia was pretty freaked out. Lule on the other hand thought it was hilarious. Sadly the weather didn't cooperate again as I really wanted her to try again just maybe with her dad.....

The kiddos who aren't old enough to roast their own mashmellows "calmly" waited for their s'mores. While they calmly waited they busied themselvs fighting over who got to sit in which chair. Too bad we don't live close to Lulu as in a few year she will be the best babysitter ever!

Amelia and JuJu enjoying the weather and great food at Gayle and Greg's restaurant.

Before joining us at the lake Jill (Mark's cousin) explained to Ellie that Amelia is her cousin and is also two so they will have lots of fun together. Ellie responded, "I don't want to share two." Bless their hearts as sharing just didn't come real easily to either of them. After a long day of "MINE" they made up while watching the sun set over Lake Le Homme Dieu