Another fun summer weekend

I took Friday off work (again!) and we drove up to Sutton's Bay on Thursday night after Asher's gymnastics.  We figured since we were leaving so late that the kids would sleep in the car, but they were so excited they didn't sleep a wink!  We got in at about 9:30 that evening and the kids were excited that Granny had set up the bed in the end bedroom just for them so they could have a sleepover.  The sleeping situation different because Alex was there!

Friday we woke up and it was raining.  Boo!!  Mom and I went to town to get a few groceries, and of course we had to shop a little downtown!  I bought the kids slippers, because the fact that daddy had thrown Asher's away because they were too small and he couldn't wear them in the car, had him crying.  We came back and when it didn't appear to be letting up, Jamie and Alex took the kids to the mall in TC.  I got a chance to lay down and take a nap and spend some time with mom. Thankfully by the time dinner rolled around it was sunny and beautiful.  Great Grandma came over with her little cake and goodies for the kids (that's why we call Great Grandma "great" you know) and we had fajitas for dinner.

The next morning we got up early and drove across the peninsula to take a kayak trip on the Platte River.  After shuttling the cars and securing a picnic site at the park at the end of the trip we were off.  Mom and Paul had a double kayak and towed Avery behind in a tube while Jamie and I towed Asher.  Alex had his own kayak and he and Jamie were driving me nuts trying to race each other!  The kids had a blast and kept getting into the river, swimming along the kayaks.  The ride was exactly long enough.  At the end we turned in our kayaks and unpacked our picnic and lit the coals for the coneydogs.

I didn't bring my camera so don't have pictures (boo!) but this place was beautiful.  On one side of the river was the park, and directly across the river were big sand dunes.  The kids loved running down them, or rolling, and splashing into the water at the bottom.  After we were done eating (a seagull tried to steal our last hot dog off the grill and burned his beak... amazing), we all took our boogie boards and floating things and drifted the rest of the way down the river, which dumps right into Lake Michigan.  At one point near the end, all you can see is bright Caribbean blue water, white sand and sand dunes across the way.  It nearly took my breath away, and to see my whole family in that 'mental picture' I took was priceless.

We left there at about 2:30 and stopped at Tiffany's for ice cream.  We were so thankful we came early, as when we left we saw about a million people on the river, looking like one solid mass.  Sloppy joes for dinner after quiet time and we were all ready to go to bed.  But we didn't.  Of course, we did FIREWORKS!  Paul had bought a ton and Alex was the designated shooter (he could run faster than grampy), and the kids loved it.

We usually leave on Sunday morning to return home, but because Friday rained we hadn't gotten a chance to go on the boat.  So, after Paul, Jamie and the kids returned from breakfast we all packed up the boat and went out.  Avery and Alex broke in the new tube, which handled really well.  We were amazed at how strong Avery was, and know that it's all the conditioning from gymnastics that helps her be able to hold on so well.

Finally, after a Roman Wheel pizza and sub lunch we packed up the car and headed to Midland.  I wasn't excited that I had to go grocery shopping, but I took Avery with me and it turned out to be a lot of fun!  We, of course, couldn't break the number 1 rule of grocery shopping (never go to the store hungry) so she thought it was cool that I drove through and got a couple burgers and fries for us.  Avery thought it was way cool that she got to sit in the cart and share my soda, and asked me whether I eat burgers every time I go grocery shopping! :)

All in all, not a very restful weekend but very fun.  I remain thankful every day that we live so close to family, and on the occasions we make these memories together I'm even more grateful.