Once again, we all packed up for an amazing summer vacation at my folk's place in northern Michigan.
There is simply no better way to beat the Houston heat than to get out of dodge!
And so we did.
For three weeks :)
It was fabulous.
The first week I was solo with the kids and my parents so we did some typical touristy stuff.
First stop, Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and the dune climb!
A seven mile round trip hike over dunes, treacherous pathways, and more - ending up with a final descent to Lake Michigan. We only do the first dune :)
We stopped for a quick pic and then began climbing...
And climbing...
Just when we thought we were done because we made it to the top of the FIRST hill, Will KEPT CLIMBING! You can barely see him way off in the distance!
And then came the fun part, after all that hard work, you get to run down!
John was a trooper, climbing all the way to the top on his own!
And even a tad further...
Before finally puttering out.
But again, it's all about the run down!
One time wasn't enough - so Nana and Will made another trip up the face...
And met back up with Papa, John, and me for a bit of a rest.
And we somehow got the strength to continue on higher and higher!
Again, John puttered out and couldn't go on...
So while Papa and Will continued exploring...
Johnny and I made our way toward the car :)
It was an exhausting morning to say the least! But that didn't stop us from hitting the beaches in Leland (Lake Leelanau, an inland lake) after nap time!
The next morning, we were off for some exploring, a picnic, and park time at Peterson Park...one of my favorite picnic destinations!
Peterson Park is a strip of rock beach on the shores of Lake Michigan and is completely unique!
Papa helped the boys find good skippers...
And Nana helped them find some good stones for polishing...
The kids had a blast, skipping, throwing, finding, and collecting rocks!
After a picnic an nap - we were off to the beach again in Leland!
Local knowledge (as if it isn't obvious) the inland lakes are warmer than Michigan!
Nana and Papa did their best to entertain the kiddos while I chilaxed on the beach!
Another way to warm up after time on the water is to play some whiffle ball with Nana and Papa!
The next day, we spent the morning at Good Harbor Beach - normally one of the most amazingly rough sections of the shoreline where you can body surf etc - but on this day, it was calm and warm - perfect for a picnic!
Here we are at the trail leading down to the beach...
The boys discovering the warm water and beach...
And then they discovered the bluffs - and jumped and jumped and jumped for at least an hour! Check how much air Johnny gets on the side view below!
It was a great way to spend a morning!
And then we headed to Suttons Bay beach (Lake Michigan) for some beach time activities...
And finally, after an exhausting day, the most fun family tradition of all time - a serious match of croquet!
That was week one! Week two and three will be posted soon!
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