After spending many enjoyable days at my ­in-laws' cabin on Norway Lake by Pine River, Minn., my husband and I wanted our own lake getaway. Through a mutual friend, we found some property on a small 200-acre lake about 12 miles north of Brainerd. We became lake ­property owners in 1971.

It wasn't until 1978 that we could afford to build. We did not want to spend all our time building a cabin, so we bought a prefabricated lake-style home that was put up in a day. We were ecstatic.

In 1979, our children were 8 and 5. I was not working outside the home, and my husband was a commercial airline pilot. I decided that the children and I would go up to the lake for the summer. My husband would join us on his days off. We would leave the day after school let out, and return on Labor Day. It was a great life, and my children have very fond memories. We followed this routine for 10 years. Then, due to other summer demands on older children, our visits became sporadic. My husband and I ­continued to spend our summers at the lake when we were able.

We remodeled the cabin in 1998. Through expansion, it became more of a home. Our daughter and son-in-law were married in the yard. My husband passed away in 2007, but I continue to spend my summers there. Our children and grandchildren continue to visit. I enjoy groups of women friends and couples company. My daughter, her husband and son moved from Colorado to the Minneapolis area three years ago, and are often at the lake. I built a tree house for my grandsons a few years ago, and they refer to it lovingly as the "Kids Kabin." My daughter also has "Cousins Week" for her son and two of my son's boys. Last August, my daughter and her 10-year-old son spent the entire month with me, and her husband came on weekends. Every night when my grandson was shuffled off to bed, he would give me a big hug and say, "I love you, Grandma. Thank you for letting me be at the cabin." It doesn't get any better than that!

Pat Larson, Champlin