Last Week at the Resort...

         Life is about as busy as it can be at Cedar Rapids Lodge!  We have seen one of the best fishing years in a long time.  We have these posters in the lodge...



         All the fish in Medicine Lake that are caught and released are recorded on these posters each year.  The guests each week check the board to see what was caught last week...well, last week this year we filled the walleye column in just a few days.  I had to add another page to the poster for the rest of the summer.  This has NEVER happened!  That's how good the fishing has been!

         Here's a couple of photos of last week's catches....

David with his nice walleye...caught & released & on the poster...

Billy with his walleye...

Conrad caught this whopper northern on the paddleboard!

         Even the resort dog scored last week...this cabin brought treats for her and she figured that out right away!

How can you resist a face like this??

Might as well take a snooze in between treats!

         And this week...last night....we had one of the rainiest nights this season!  The guests had left during the day, going to the movie, bowling, shopping, eating, whatever they could find to do on a rainy day...we had an event on the activity schedule for last night that was wonderful on a rainy evening....FAMILY BINGO!

Almost 50 people showed up for the first ever Family Bingo and it was a hit!  Cards were 25 cents each game and the winner each time split the pot with the lodge...and the last game was blackout, so that winner(s) got the winnings from each games "split the pot"...2 lucky people shared $28.50 in cash!  No, I don't have a gambling license...if you give all the money away, do you need one??

And to end the post, I just have to share my purple perennial bed with you...the picture doesn't do it justice, but it's beautiful! 

We look forward to seeing all of you coming in the next few weeks...and we'll try and hold the rain for you!



Prayer Request...

The guy in the middle, Greg, needs your prayers!

         Disregard the short guy on the left...the 3 big guys are the Ammon boys.  They were our first guests in 2010 and I posted this photo on the blog at that time.  They came back this year in May to fish...Grandson Nathan greeted them when they arrived.  Greg is in the hospital and is a very sick guy.  He had pneumonia and a severe infection in his lungs.  He is in a drug-induced coma while they try and get him better.  His wife, Jana, is by his side and his little girl, Jessica, is there too. 

         The Ammon family is very special to us...they're like family.  So I thought if I told you about them here that you could join us in praying for Greg and for his healing.  God answers prayers and we are giving Greg to Him so that He can heal him...so he can come fishing again and be healthy again.

         Tell all your prayer partners to include Greg in their prayers.  We have trust in the Lord and we know He can heal Greg. 

         Thank you for all your prayers! 



June Photo Album...

         All of a sudden we are thrust into a very busy job...running this beautiful resort full of  guests who are having a great time catching fish, swimming, relaxing and spending precious time with their family.  After a late spring arrival, summer seems to have arrived!  The fishing has exploded, so much that I'm wrapping fish for the guests and I forget to take pictures of their catch before they make it to the fish house.  Here's a collection of June photos of life at Cedar Rapids Lodge.

The ladyslippers are in full bloom on the trail.

Miss Tilly Turtle arrived to find a place to lay her eggs.

Mama deer with her fawn born just a couple of days ago...on the Elfun Trail.

Saturday between guests was time to bring the equipment in to landscape around the new cabin.

These guys only had a 6 hour window to grade the yard, add black dirt and hydro seed the lawn.

They finished the job and pulled out at 3:15p.m., just as the guests for the new cabin were pulling in!  Now to watch grass grow!

Talk about watching grass grow, John & Jim were entertained one day watching a "lost" camper pull into our narrow driveway and then attempt to back up and drive out...he had to unhook the car he was towing and re-attach it after he got backed up and on the road again.  We all agreed that we wouldn't want to drive that rig and pay for the gas!

2 little girls came to visit one weekend and became reacquainted....

and then helped Nana deliver a pizza to a cabin...

And these hooligans with their light sabers just never get enough daylight to cover all the territory they want to!

Papa always has help from someone eager to do the same things his Papa does!

Lu is going to be a great pool cleaner someday!  He just loves netting all the bugs out of the water!

The flowers are all planted and the boats are in their spots on the dock.

Cal always loves fishing with Grandpa the Great...what memories!  And a nice crappie!

Nate & Jill couldn't wait to play on the beach...don't be fooled...this is not a "topless" beach!

If you're 2...you can swim like Tarzan! 

The new paddleboards have been used for various activities...

Conrad wanted to be the first one to catch a fish off the paddleboard....and he did!

And if you're Tarzan, you can get a ride from your big brother and giggle all the way!

(disclaimer...they were in about 4 inches of water so no life jackets)

Billy caught a net full of fish the first day of his vacation!

Crappies, walleyes, northern...and his trusty knife!

Leigha had to show us this blue & silver bluegill before she released it...it was really sparkly in the night lights!

She had a fun time with her Dad after potluck, catching a mix of a bucketful of crappies and bluegills!

And most importantly......

Sour Brite Crawlers are back this year!!!

Have a great summer everyone...and check back for more fun vacation photos!



.....And we're off!!

         We're in our second week of the 2011 season and life is pretty smooth!  Our big projects are done and most of the to-do list is done or put away for the fall.  Now we spend our days visiting with our guests, making coffee in the lodge several times a day and ensuring that our guests all have a great vacation.  So far, the weather has been varied...yesterday was high winds most of the day, but this morning the fishermen are out and the sun is shining.

         The first guests in the brand new cabin have come and gone.  The second family arrives on Saturday and we are excited to share this beautiful new addition with all our guests.  Finally got the finishing touches up...

New valances & wall words in one bedroom...

And in the second bedroom too!

And a new wallhanging in the upstairs bedroom.

         Cabin #6 remodeling is finished and guests are in that cabin this week, enjoying all the updates....

A brand new kitchen with lots of cupboards....

and new carpeting...

         We moved the life jackets, nets and minnow buckets to a new location...

easier access for the guests...

         The lodgemaster tackled a project that had been haunting him for months.  New laws dictated a different drain cover for the pool, so when he opened the pool this month, he had to get in and replace the existing cover...

Waders on and getting ready for the job...

Pool was braced to prevent the sides from moving...he did get wet but got the new cover on and the pool is filled and heating for the kids coming this week!

We had some special guests come to visit...

Miss Rowan came for her first visit and brought her parents and her grandma Nancy....a fun time!

Some of the grandkids were here and Nathan shared a tractor ride with Greyson...let's just say it's a good thing he can't drive on the highway yet! 

We ventured out for our first fishing trip with some of the "boys"...

They had visions of catching lots of fish...but Papa soon discovered that 3 of the 4 poles needed some serious work after the casting by some young fishermen...

Greyson did manage to catch the first & only fish of the trip...big brother Will had to hold it for the picture...Greyson wanted nothing to do with that feisty fish!

      

         We experimented in the kitchen with a new recipe...taco pizza...very yummy but not worthy of the menu just yet...

It was so good but took alot of cutting and chopping to make!

But this delicious pizza is on the menu and our new crusts are the best!

         And finally, I thought you'd like to see what my car looks like after one trip to town.  We can't leave the resort unless we have a full list of supplies needed...and we always have to come home with a full vehicle...

Just a few of the flowers that will get planted in the next couple of weeks around here!  Come see for yourself what a fun place we have!!