First Day of School

Chandler is in 5th grade and Jacob is in 3rd grade ....Brooklyn started preschool mid-September.

Labor Day

On Labor/Labour Day :) we went to Point Pelee National Park in Canada..the southern most tip of Canada
Standing on the TIP....

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....