Camping Trip 2010

We took an 8 day camping trip for our summer vacation! First we headed to Straits State Park in St. Ignace. It is on the other side of the Mackinac Bridge on Lake Huron. Scott had gone there camping with his family when he was younger. There was a gorgeous view of the bridge! We could actually see it from our campsite! At night, the stars were so amazingly bright and close that I felt like I could reach right up and pluck one out of the sky! I have truly never seen anything like it. Despite the fact that the campground had seen better days (like in the 80s), there was poison ivy everywhere, mosquitoes and spiders were everywhere, there was no playground, and there was no beach (except for painful rocks) - we all had a fantastic time. We took advantage of being somewhere we had never been and did a lot of activities we didn't plan on doing...walking the boardwalk to the lighthouse, having breakfast/lunch at Java Joe's, visitng the Ojibwa Culture Museum (really great)and Father Marquette memorial, climbing Castle Rock, visiting Mackinac City (a couple of times), eating pizza at Mama Mia's and exploring the Mackinac Bridge Museum (including watching the exact same movie Scott had watched when he was younger), having a blast at Colonial Michlamackinac, eating delicious fish and chips at Scalawag's, and driving all the way to Sault St. Marie to see the Soo Locks - for all of about 15 minutes. I think we all had the best time skipping stones and roasting marshmallows.

Next we headed to Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs. What a beautiful place - Harbor Springs and the farm! olivia and Ethan loved seeing the month old piglets and running around the place. Scott enjoyed his angus burger. Their cafe had some delicious food - gotta love farm to table eating! Shortly after being there Olivia announced she wanted to be a farmer and Ethan said he wanted to be a "flower garden." It really is a very special place. We then stopped at Harbor Springs and I felt like I was walking into an issue of Midwest Living (one of my absolute favorite magazines)! We had some scrumptious ice cream cones from Kilwin's - worth every penny. Then drove through Petoskey (a little too busy for me - I prefer Harbor Springs).

We finally arrived at our next campground...Young State Park on Lake Charlevoix in Boyne City. What a perfect campground for us - our campsite was close to the bathrooms, there is a beautiful sandy beach, a great playground, fishing pond, and camp store! Scott said on more than once that he wouldn't have minded if we were at Young State Park for the whole time! We spent alot of time at the beach - Olivia loved the water and Ethan loved the sand. We visited Horton bay General Store where Hemingway used to visit, had Kilwin's ice cream again, went out to dinner at Red Messa Grill (which really was featured in Midwest Living Magazine)and had the best sandwich int he world at Lake Street Market. I think we would all agree that our favorite part of Young State Park was the beach and telling stories around the campfire. Ethan would probably say that he also enjoyed his "s'mores" - s'mores(that's what he calls marshmallows)not roasted, chocolate bar broken up, and potato chips. Gotta love that boy!

Swim Lessons

The summer started off busy with swim lessons every day for two weeks! Olivia was in Level 1 (same as last year) and Ethan was in Pre-Level 1.

Olivia learned so much and improved greatly from last year! Some of the things she learned how to do: head bobs (a very frightening thing for her), blow bubbles from her nose, go down the slide (although she only goes half-way), and jump off the diving board with someone catching her (usually someone had to lower her into the water), kicks and arm strokes (ice cream scoops), and safety with a life vest. We are very proud of her and can't wait to see how much more she can do by the end of summer!












Ethan was such a good listener and followed directions so well, the only problem was that he was miserable and crying the entire time. He just looked so little and hearing him scream and cry to me, "Mommy I need a kleenex...hurry...help...I need you!" or some version thereof just broke my heart! I can completely understand his fear, the water must seem so vast and deep to his small self. So after a couple of days we took him out. He just wasn't ready. We'll try again next year. I think being members and being able to swim a lot will help both Olivia and Ethan become confident swimmers.







I have to say that both kids had the best instructors...patient and encouraging, yet challenged them.


And here is Ethan in the kid pool - he jumps in, dives in, and goes under water for quite a while...and some of Olivia practicing, both kids playing...

Olivia's Kindergarten Teachers

Olivia had a wonderful Kindergarten experience and her teachers are to thank for that!

Mrs. Tagg, her teacher


Miss Lisa, the parapro in her room (who will also be in Olivia's classroom next year which is awesome because Olivia loves her!)


Mrs. DeGroot (the specials teacher that Olivia adored and after being in her gym class one time I can understand why Olivia liked her so much - what a sweet lady!)

Justice's 8th Grade Recognition

Congratulations to my beautiful niece Justice who recently graduated from 8th grade! I remember when Justice was a baby and didn't really seem to like me much, she would cry when I held her and spit up all over me! It was a little tough to take because I just adored her - still do! Now she is a beautiful, intelligent, athletic young lady heading to high school in the fall. She is wise and mature beyond her years, enjoys tennis, her friends, and a good laugh. Scott and I just think she is amazing!

Dance Rehearsal and Finale

Olivia started dance at Diane's School of Dance in Fruitport in January. The theme was Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: We're on the Move. The dancers have been practicing their routine for the production for months. Olivia's class performed to a song called "Chickens on a Plane." Their outfits were adorable! Here are some pics from one of the rehearsal days...





Scott and I were so nervous for her on the night of the big show. We were nervous because all the dancers have to wait backstage for the entire show (2 and a half hours)and it just seemed like a long time. Olivia brought coloring books, ponies, and snacks to keep her busy. Thankfully, her class was 2nd to perform so she could relax a bit after that. Scott and I both had tears in our eyes the minute we saw her skip onto stage. Her class' performance was absolutely precious and hilarious!! Worth every penny. I will never forget it as long as I live.

Waiting backstage(I have to note that she wanted nothing at all to do with the make-up they were required to wear but I managed to get a little blush and gloss on her - I didn't want to get yelled at by Miss Diane...hehehe)...



Okay, these next pictures are not good at all because for one thing I was shaking, one moment from trying to hold back my tears and the next from laughing, and I didn't know we could take pics during the performance so I didn't have my zoom lens with me!



That's Olivia's teacher, Miss Lauren, second from the right.


And here they come...(my heart was pounding so fast!)


This little girl to Olivia's left got mixed up and couldn't find her spot. Olivia is in the correct spot and wasn't moving for anything (she follows directions like nobody's business). Olivia is used to standing in her spot and looking at Cici (the little blonde to the left also). Olivia isn't a "go with the flow" kind of girl so this threw her off a bit. Poor Sydney (the girl who couldn't find her spot) she spent about 90% of the time trying to find it! The sad thing is she was one of the best dancers, one who really knew the routine!








Taking a final bow...


And tired and ready to go home (we didn't even take pics with her fans...us, Ethan, Nana, Papa and Grammy)...