Raising a Family at a Minnesota Lakeside Resort: The Real Story
Here we are—blog post number one! Thanks so much for being here. These posts won’t be AI-generated or mass-produced; they’re thoughtfully written by me, Taylor, for anyone interested in lake life, our story, or whatever brought you here. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and this blog is a place to fuel that passion and share a deeper look into resort life.
I’m not sure exactly how I came upon this topic as the first in our blog sequence, but it felt right and it also answered the question Aaron and I get asked the most often: “how are you able to do it all?”. I was 4 months pregnant when we first learned of Betsy Ross Resort. We were headed into our biggest year yet at our real estate brokerage that we own and operate, and we also had a 10 month old that we parented mostly on our own - no daycare. We were a young family that truly just wanted to do God’s will and were figuring it out. I don’t say “God’s will” lightly. From the beginning of our relationship, Aaron and I leaned heavily on Philippians 3:8 where Paul said, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Man, I smile when I read that. Aaron and I don’t want to live distracted from the gospel or to the calling He has for us.
When we met Gary and Patty Palmersheim in April of 2024 and the opportunity presented itself, we actually doubted that this was something we were to do. It didn’t make a lot of sense in our human reasoning. We didn’t have a lot of time being so involved in the community and our business. Through discussions and another drive out to the property, we decided to take a step forward and begin negotiations. We felt incredibly peaceful. Within a couple weeks, we had a purchase agreement signed and were on our way to a 3+ month due diligence period. This is when it got really real. Some pretty big things needed to fall into place for us to purchase the resort and God took care of each item in His perfect timing. That gave us so much confirmation.
We moved onto the resort in September of 2024 and had our second baby in October. Up until the end of July 2025, we worked late into every evening making big updates to the property, chasing babies around, and running a real estate brokerage.
Demo Week
The week of Christmas 2024 we had multiple old buildings removed from the resort property.
How do we do it? Very imperfectly and with the strength of the Lord. I am typing this with a chuckle. I really don’t know what else to say. We would not be able to do this in our own strength. Some days we try to and it doesn’t work out so well!
This life is messy, it’s busy. And yet, it’s ours. Summertime is hustle time. Family life happens in between check-ins and evening campfires. When people picture resort life, they probably imagine peaceful mornings on the lake and kids running barefoot in the grass. While that can be true, raising a family on a lakeside resort is also a life filled with early mornings, unexpected chaos, and yet, moments so meaningful they stop you in your tracks. Our kids have a front-row seat to what hard work looks like, how to treat and serve people well, and eventually how to clean the fish guts out of the fish cleaning house and clean a cabin!
Taking in the Scenery
This little man is so curious and wants every minute to be outside exploring!
The Beginning of The Shore Shop
One of my favorite photos because we were doing this thing together, as a family. Aaron was so proud to show us the building pad he had prepped. It took so much just to get to this point! And looking back now at that beautiful Shore Shop and the support we’ve received from our community since opening day on July 25th, 2025 is absolutely astounding. The support and sales blew us away to say the least.
The Legacy
They may not remember these days, but Aaron and I sure will! Trucking around these two everywhere we went in their hand-me-down and sand-filled diapers (insert the laughing emoji) :D
And that’s why we chose this life. Raising a family on a lake resort means the kids are dirty.. a lot. They want to be in the lake every moment. And we live where other families make their best memories. I’ll never forget Memorial Day weekend of 2025 walking through the resort after dark. The lights of the cabins were lit up and one in particular was a family gathering spot with so much laughter. Mmmm such good memories here!
Raising a family on a lakeside resort is demanding, it’s beautiful, and it’s unforgettable. At least to us!
If you haven’t experienced our resort and are considering it for your 2026 family vacation, I want to invite you to reach out to us We love chatting and planning vacations, and are available by phone or email to answer all your questions!
Contact us at 320-766-8226 or info@theshoresonlakeida.com
