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.