Our Family Vacation...

We usually go to Canada for about a month every summer. Since my parents were here last month we decided that we would stay here and see some sights in Michigan. We have lived here 8 years but every time we vacation, we leave the state! We had a great week. We stayed at the home of some friends in Traverse City and saw lighthouses and The Sleeping Bear Dunes National park. Then we drove down the beautiful west coast of Michigan and saw more white sand beaches and got to camp out. The best part of the trip was being so spontaneous. Aaron and I used to take spontaneous trips all the time. Life has become more structured with kids! It was a great way to relax and have fun. The weather was beautiful. It did rain once, but the kids were SO happy to find an indoor cosmic mini golf. There are no regrets from this trip. Only great memories.

Lake Michigan...

We camped in Holland, went to the Ottawa County Fair and saw a Demo Derby! We swam in 76 degree water in Lake Michigan. When we got there the flags on the beach were set to Yellow: swim with caution. About 2 hours later I noticed that the beach had cleared out. Then the waves started coming up the beach toward Brooklyn and I playing in the sand. About the third time we moved our stuff back from the water I noticed the flags were set to Red: NO swimming -too dangerous! The boys sure had fun swimming in those huge waves!!!

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park

Overlooking Lake Michigan

We decided that Chandler is old enough and mature enough to take to the Grand Canyon after this trip. Now, even though it appears that if they took 2 steps backward they would fall to their death, that was not really the case. I hope that the next few pictures will show the angle a little better. Even still, Chandler was VERY concerned for everyone, especially his younger siblings and was very cautious for himself.

In the Car....

Around the campfire....

Smores

Smores, Smores and some more Smores......we had smores EVERY night and even one morning for breakfast!!!

Frankfort, Michigan

We loved the lighthouses and white sand beaches in Michigan! Frankfort was one of our favourites!

Baseball

Jacob on the Muck Dogs was quite the hitter this year! He made some great hits off that handsome coach of his! :) Next year Jake is moving up to kid pitch and may actually be on the same as Chandler, yeah!
Chandler on the Athletics. He made the baseball travel team, so baseball is not over for him yet.

The cutest Muck Dog cheerleader around!

Still in awe...

Ok, for real...those of you who REALLY know me...can you believe that I actually encouraged my kids to do this? I've come a LONG way in 10 years!!

Mud Day 2008

Every year Wayne County Parks puts on a Mud Day! They bring in dirt and the fire trucks come and turn it into mud! I have heard about Mud day for a long time. This was the first year I was brave enough to attend! This is before....My nice, white, squeeky clean kids with their cousins....
Kids? Kids? Where are you?
Who do you think had the most fun??? Oh yeah, he is covered in MUD, can you make out that that is Jacob? Heaven for an 8 year old boy.

Happy Canada Day!

July 1st was Canada Day. I was so lucky to celebrate it with my Dad here. My parents came in June. My Mom spent a week and then flew home to catch a flight to England with 2 of her girlfriends. My Dad stayed another 10 days to keep me company while Aaron was in California on a business trip. The best part was, Jacob got baptized while they were here! It was the best baptism I've ever been to. GREAT talks, started on time and kept short...you know, all the good things! :) We went to Greenfield village with my parents and Kirtland, OH and the Toledo zoo. My Dad and I also worked on NUMEROUS projects around my house. The best project was ceramic tile on my bathroom floor...LOVE it. It was a sad, sad day when he left. I would LOVE to show you pictures Jacob's big day and all the fun we had with my parents but you see, I am always the photographer. Always. So when my Mom is around I get to put my camera down and let her be the photographer. SO nice to do sometimes, especially because she is a great photographer. But, see, I am computer illiterate and I can't figure out how to get her pictures which are copied on a CD for me to this website. Sorry.

We went to the Toledo zoo with Aaron's family also. The butterfly house was awesome! Chandler had so many butterflies land on him. Afterwards he told me that he dipped his finger in the butterfly "food" and they were attracted to him! Why didn't I think of that?!?

JUNE!!!

Ok, as much as I try, I just can't seem to be a regular blogger. SO, enjoy pics from June... Chandler turned 10 ...double digits!!! WOW! He had a few friends over for pizza, cake and then we took them to the movie. FUN night!

Chandler's soccer team took FIRST place! And now he just found out that he made the Select soccer team for this fall season.
Our friends Kim, Addy, Emma and Cooper came to visit from Florida. We went to Mexican Fiesta for Chandler's birthday.
We still managed to see each other with Aaron's travels in June, baseball and soccer and scouts.
Jacob's friend party. It was nice to have four 8 year olds and realize that our 8 year old is completely "normal"!
Daddy, can I pleeeeeassssse have another piece of pizza and a piece of cake and the keys to your car!?!?