Over the hump

This week marks the beginning of our 4th straight week up here. Even though we still have a full 4 weeks to go I am occasionally having the summer wind down feeling which includes little moments of panic, Did we do all the things we wanted to? What other places and people did we want to visit? What summer activities do we still want to do? And oh s*** what do I have to do to get ready for fall?

We are thankful to have some friends who moved north two years ago and we have been able to  rekindle that friendship. It has been nice to have familiar faces, easy relationships to fall back into. Last week we had a fun and busy week with visitors. Our friends from downstate came to visit. We've been friends for a long time and our daughters' friendship began as babies in a playgroup. Wonderfully and amazingly the girls are still friends. We had a great visit. When the girls saw each other for the first time they had a smiley, long embrace. It was so sweet. We enjoyed some fun adventures here with them. It was crazy windy here the day they came to visit so there was no swimming, but the consolation prize was a last minute decision to have  a sleep over. It's hard to believe our kids are getting old enough for sleepovers! Another family from this playgroup will be coming up to visit at the end of our stay here. It's wonderful to have such friends who are truly like family.  The bummer, and one of the reasons I haven't updated here recently, is that our camera battery pooped out on us about a week and a half ago. And wouldn't you know it we left the charger back home. So we are patiently awaiting the arrival of our charger via snail mail. Our sweet friend and house sitter is sending it to us. Maybe you'd want to check out her website,   http://www.abigailstauffer.com/ She's got an awesome new album out! And while I am promoting music and people that I love, check out Joe Reilly's newest album as well, Greyhound Bus Tour at http://www.joereilly.org/  Healing Walk is a particularly fun dance favorite of mine!

Our friends departed at lunch time on Wednesday last week just as Nana arrived! We were all happy to have another great visitor (and she brought her camera!!!)! The kids took a lot of pride in showing her around all by themselves while I got Rosie down for a nap. We had a lovely happy hour (a station favorite to have any day really) with some smoked white fish, yum! And then the next day we all traveled to Mackinac Island! The kids and Nana have never been so the boat ride alone was exciting. Our day could have ended there, but it didn't. Our day was full and fun with a picnic lunch, riding bikes, a trip to the fort, and the blacksmith shop, ice cream, fudge, dinner with my cousin and his beautiful family. A special thanks to my cousin Ryan, for helping us get to the island in an affordable manner. It helps to have relatives who work on the island. We ended the day well past bedtime with a great meltdown and a close run in with some horses with no injuries, thankfully. But can you believe no one fell asleep on the way home?  Things have cooled down here. We went from an entire week of living in the water due to the heat wave to a week of sweaters and hot chocolate. This week is supposed to warm up and at the end Nonno and Gammy will be here! Yippee!

Fort Mackinac

Picnic lunch at the park just below the Fort!

BIKES!

Children's Games at the Fort- Jacob's ladder and Graces

dancing at the Fort

Lizards sunning on the rocks....or...tired kids after dinner

the boat ride back to the mainland

Friday was a cooler, cloudier day, but we hiked along one of the trails to find blueberries. The kids ended up by the water instead, which was fine and quite fun with some naked frolicking but while the water was warm the air was chilly and we brought no towels or spare clothes! Thankfully we weren't that far from our cabin.

I should know by now that playtime by the water means IN the water. 

cold kids huddling in grown up sweaters!