Family Vacation. (Or Family Vacation, Part 2)

WARNING:  This post contains too many pictures.

But I just couldn't decide which ones I could eliminate.  My sister-in-law, Molly, got her camera back from cleaning just in time for our family vacation.  She has worked really hard to develop her eye - and took so many great pictures.

(And, if I can say so myself, captured a few fun moments on 'film' as well.)

Scene:  Gladstone, Michigan.  The town where my dad grew up.  As children, we spent a week every summer there, sometimes more if Mom could pawn one of us off on Grandpa & Grandma, with a ride home.  Grandma's house sold (see previous post), so Mom and Dad rented a vacation house right across from the beach, Kid's Kingdom and the bike path.  Lovely!

Cast:  Mom & Dad, Me and my four children, my brother and his family, and my sister.  14 in all.  Glen had to stay home to work.  Bummer.

 Celebrating Cousins!

 My brother, his boys and Isaac.  

Where was Nathaniel?

 My brother and me.

 Nathaniel was probably avoiding the pictures...

 The house where we stayed.

See those goofy boys in the window?

 My sister made ribs - YUM!

 Cousins!

 We toured Fayette State Park.

The kids cooling off on the hotel porch.

 Isaac, our resident historian, completed the entire tour with the adults.

 Papa & Nana and the grandkids.

 Mom & Dad and their kids.

 See how much my sister loves me?

 Elijah organized his siblings and cousins and filmed a short movie.

I've not seen the final cut yet - but here we have the assassin and the hero.

Can you tell which is which?

 A rousing game of Trivia Pursuit - the 90's edition.

(Molly & I were cleaning the kitchen, so our girls rolled in our stead.)

 Our favorite place and activity in Gladstone:

reading on the beach.

 Cousins and best friends.

 Our annual ice cream picture - in grandkid order!

 My four.  When did they get so big??

 Mary & Anna enjoying time together.

 Digging for worms for fishing on the pier.

 Our official photographer.

 Papa and Ben 'mickey-mousing.'

(my dad's favorite term for goofing off.)

 Playing the thrift-shop find of the week:

How Things Work board game.

Isaac loves it.  Mary tried hard.

Pre-Family Vacation. (Or Family Vacation, Part 1)

I had decided I wanted a few extra days in Upper Michigan.  A week never seems quite long enough to relax and enjoy the beach.  Plus, we were going to miss the Gladstone Fourth of July parade, which made me sad.

We usually camp out in my grandmother's house.  My uncle's been trying to sell it for the past four years (at least), so I wasn't worried.  Until my dad told me in April that Grandma's house had sold.

What great news!

Wait a minute...

No July 4th in Gladstone!  I was very sad.  Dad said, "Call my cousin!"

"I hardly know your cousin!"

"Call him anyway.  He says he wants to stay connected."

I wrote Nolan, Dad's cousin, a letter.  I boldly asked to invite myself and three of my children (Glen was working & Nathaniel on a youth trip to New Orleans) to their house for four days.

They said yes!  And we had a great time!

The kids and I started with a family tradition:  Gladstone's July 4th parade.

 Lydia was grumpy about sitting in the smallest chair.

It was really hot, so we went back to Nolan & Carol's to rest & nap.

Thursday, Nolan declared it too hot to stay in Gladstone, so we headed to Munising.  We went to the waterfall (which we could not walk under, much to Nolan's dismay), then had a quick picnic lunch before heading out on the Pictured Rock boat tour (gorgeous).  The way home included a stop at Pete's Lake in Hiawatha National Forest for a swim, a stop at Carol's brother's house to clean up after the swim, and a stop at a small store for big bowls of ice cream.  Whew!

 Nolan & Carol - our hosts

 Pictured Rock Boat Tour

 Nolan & Isaac enjoying a snack

 Anna loves Pete's Lake!

She read while Isaac played in the sand,

 Carol and I took pictures,

 And Nolan threw Lydia & Isaac in the water 

to wash off the 'stickies.'

Wednesday night's fireworks had been postponed because of a storm that blew up right before they were to be let off.  So we had a double dose of fireworks.  Thursday night we went to Escanaba for their fireworks, and Friday night we watched Gladstone's.

 Lydia & me in Escanaba

Friday and Saturday we hung around the house, so Nolan brought out a plethora of airplanes and gliders for Isaac to throw.  He was in heaven!

So much for Gladstone's beach!  Nolan and the kids went to the pool on Friday afternoon for several hours, so the kids did swim some before we headed down to town for a week with my family.

Which is your teaser for Family Vacation.  (Or Family Vacation, Part 2).  More pictures to come of biking, fishing, swimming, beaching, reading, relaxing, touristing, etc.

Stay tuned!

Queen of the Tournament

As I was downloading pictures off my camera this morning, I found pictures from our family outing last month to celebrate the end of school.

Oops.

So, before I write about our fabulous family vacation (minus Glen) in Upper Michigan, I'll share some overdue pictures of....

Medieval Times!

(I had received tickets for our family to attend a show as payment for writing an article for a local magazine.  Yippee!)

 Yes, they were excited!

 Glen and his girls.

 Anna got a picture of Glen and I.

 Nathaniel tried hard to not get his picture taken -

especially with that crown on his head.

 But Dad made him!

 The knight we were cheering for was handing out flowers.

Lydia wanted one, but didn't get one. 

He came back with this sash for her.

She was super-excited!

 There's 'our' knight - black & yellow.

(My other pictures of the show didn't turn out well.

Bummer.)

A fun time was had by all!

Sew Determined

This morning, Isaac said to me, "Mom, I want to make a kilt for Lambie."

I heard, "quilt."

"Isaac, honey, you already have a quilt. We made it months ago and has buttons on it. I know it's for Teddy, but surely he'll share."

"No Mom, a KILT."

"OH. That's another matter entirely. I'd have to have a pattern... and... " (picturing in my mind a Scottish kilt with all the pleats etc.)

Subject dropped so we could get to his sisters' softball game.

I forgot about it.  Isaac did not.

After lunch, "Mom, I'll clear the table so we can make Lambie's kilt.  I found the perfect fabric, and even white fabric for the inside."

Me, "WHAT?"  (In my head.  I did not say it out loud, thankfully!)

So, instead of a nap I so desperately craved, here's what I did this afternoon:

Button for the back of the kilt

Decorative button at the front of the kilt.

Apparently, it has the emblem from the Delaware flag on it.

Of course, Isaac would know that.

Of course, I would not.

Lambie in his finished kilt!

(I realized Isaac wanted the plaid fabric.  He wasn't worried about the pleats.  SO much easier!)

Grandma Sabourin's sewing kit

My sewing kit.

(Maybe I'm a tad OCD? Just a tad though.)

This was one of those moments I was very glad I sacrificed my nap to help Isaac's dream come true.  He even volunteered to clean everything up so I could go lay down.

He did.

I did.

Everyone was happy.  Except Lydia, who did not get an opportunity to sew today.  However, she will soon.  I promise.