Hey Anna! Good question. Our research was limited. Basically we had rented a half dozen of VRBOs in the Hayward, WI area and we knew we what the area had to offer and it seemed much more affordable than the Whitefish chain in northern MN (another spot we were eying). We also knew that we wanted privacy, and with our budget we would never be able to have an ounce of it on a big lake. We found a lake that was small and private but in between two big lakes, the boat launch to one of the largest lakes is in the area is at the end of our road. The best part is that it will be great for dock swimming and 12 feet of clarity! We secretly went swimming when we were making our decision, and it is the best water, no weeds!

Elsie, I totally get it! It’s like this, I don’t like sushi at all, but most people are really into it.

We have a place there as well! It is killer. I can’t wait to get up for the fourth!

Good luck with the closing; hope all goes well!

Thanks, Catherine! I hope everything you just said in your comment happens. I am so excited to have the opportunity to take care of a place like this.

LOVE THIS!

Jenny! I totally agree, cabins are all about the memory potential. Like I said, we are pretty sentimental when it comes to places and spaces, I know that we’ll love this place on a whole other level. I love hearing from all of you guys about how much a cabin or lake place meant to your being a kid – I hope that my kids will feel the same way. Can’t wait to share more cabin plans and ruminations on cabin life in future posts.

Thanks, Sarah! We are super stoked! I’ve got a few ideas about a couple-a little things I’ll have to tackle once we get in! Excited to share more ideas this summer.

Lady! I am so stoked for you guys to be looking, so exciting! Selfishly, I can’t wait for the internet to have a surplus of cabin posts, it’s all I’ve ever wanted ;)

Keep me posted, and good luck on your hunt!

Hey Julie, yeah I’d love to hear more about budget pontoons – we probably won’t be ready to buy until next spring, but I’d love whatever info you have to offer. You can e-mail me at scoops @ deucecitieshenhouse.com Thanks in advance!

Hey Anne, great question regarding the budget. If I can figure out a way to share info that will potentially benefit readers, I will do so. For us, we hadn’t re-examined the daily-spending budget and gone over our finances for some time, and there had been upward movement to Jeff’s career – thus extra cash flow as well. Simply, we were living in the moment of having extra money, and spending more than we should’ve been without putting more money away. We started by cutting out monthly bills that we didn’t need, for example we had a spotify account for music, but amazon prime now offers a streaming music service included in our membership, so we canceled spotify. We examined all of our monthly expenses and ended memberships or canceled services that weren’t needed. Not only that, but we didn’t spend all willy-nilly like we had been, this is the “thoughtful spending”. Typically if I’d got to Target I’d probably leave with a throw blanket or pillow and a small toy for the kid who came with me. We don’t do that sort of thing anymore unless it’s planned spending. I also check our balance every day and we talk through what we are planning on spending money on daily. This used to stress me out, but now, to know what has been going on has felt great. Empowerment and control are words that best describe how our new budget feels, and I feel much happier having taken the reigns. Hope that helps, I’ll consider doing a more in depth post in the future.

We always called it ‘up at the lake’ too! My grandparents had a house on a lake when we were kids and I loved spending weeks there in the summertime swimming all day long. IMO, Wisconsin is where it’s at for entry level cabins – your money goes much further than it seems to in Northern Minnesota.

Hey Shannen! Your family cabin sounds so great! I love the idea of a fire down by the water, I wish that was more of a reality for us, but instead it will have to be in the side yard at the top of the hill. I am loving hearing everyones cabin memories and experiences. They are such AMAZING places!

Vanessa – can’t wait for a pontoon to enter our lives. It will probably wait until next summer since we wont be getting to closing until nearly August. I love me a pontoon though :)