In 2002, when our daughter was pregnant with our first grandchild, we decided it was time to look for that cabin we'd been talking about.

We wanted to create new traditions with this next generation. So we contacted a Realtor to help in our search. After a couple of showings, our Realtor realized what really mattered to us: Every time he had gone to the front door of a cabin with the key, we were headed lakeside to check out the water and, hopefully, a beach. We looked at a lot of cabins but couldn't find that combination of great beach and clean water. We were skeptical when our Realtor called to say he had found 50 feet of lakeshore on Green Lake near Spicer that he thought would fit our criteria. Fifty feet of lakeshore wasn't the North Woods lake site we'd envisioned. But when we saw that 50 feet of beach edging crystal clear water, we were sold.

And now, we're making new traditions with our four grandchildren — like Grammy and Grandpa Camp every August.

Cabin living is great, but, really, it's all about the beach!

Rob and Judi Tomczik, shakopee