Thousand Islands 2015 :: Part 1

The other week I spent a few days in the Thousand Islands with my extended family and Joe. Thousand Island Park is one of my favorite places in the whole wide world. The river, each perfect sunset, daily ice cream, living on island time, all the outdoor activities... I do love it a whole bunch.

Here are some snapshots from the other week there...

On our first day, Joe and I went on a long hike to a bay on the other side of the island. It was pretty nice. Even though the Thousand Islands are at the U.S./Canada border, they still give off the vibe of an island climate during the summertime. The trail we took out was pretty short, but the trail we took back had tons of twists and turns and was much longer. We didn't think to pack snacks so got really hungry, but that did make our grilled cheeses and ice creams for lunch that much more delicious!

That first night, my whole family went out to dinner at a new spot right on the river. We were told there would be beautiful views, Adirondack chairs, and a fire pit, and it didn't disappoint in the slightest. 

After dinner, I ended up being called upon to be the "art director" for what my aunt said was going to be her immediate family's Christmas card. (Pressure on. Am I right?) Once I was done with their pictures we did a swapsies and my aunt took a few pictures of me and Joe too. 

Then there was a younger cousin takeover... 

Before I go on, let me say that my younger cousin Conner idolizes Joe. Idolizes. Joe is probably the only person he knows who is able to talk at length about the elements, brain surgery, video games, computer servers (his most recent obsession...?), chemical reactions, and more. It's the cutest. When Joe and I first saw Conner this year, he actually ran to give Joe (the "fake cousin") a hug first! So much for being a real cousin... 

So much craziness. Also I love how my cousins Jack and Abby are older now. We've always gotten along really well, but it's only been in the last few years that our relationship has gone from big cousin/little cousin to actually being friends.

After dinner, we all played Spud to keep the younger two occupied. It's the game that Jack, Abby, and I played growing up so teaching it to the younger cousins and playing it with them is so fun and special. 

And the sunset. I was just about ready to move in to that hotel for the rest of the summer by the end of the night. I don't think those colors could ever get old. 

On our second day, Joe and I kayaked six miles. It was really cloudy and a little cool out, but that made it perfect for kayaking. The water was so calm, which made for a leisurely paddle. As we paddled, I recounted a made up history of each island we passed involving pirates, Native Americans, elaborate family trees, and Revolutionary War history. I don't really know what else to say about that. 

After paddling, we got ice cream with my cousin Abby, whom we tried to convince to go to Cornell then had dinner with the family. And yes, dessert before dinner is how we sometimes do in the 1000 Islands ;).

At night, a bunch of us went out to play trivia and it may have gone down as the "Trivia Incident of 2015" after some poor service and an even poorer (but hysterical) reaction from one of my aunts. But we all walked out together to drink beers elsewhere and play Euchre because that's what family is about and I love that.

And I guess that's where I'm going to leave this post off. More hiking, kayaking, golfing (!!!), and family-ing to come tomorrow. Thanks for reading and stay tuned. xo