Friday, August 12, 2016

Start of August!

August! Last month of summer! Here we go....

Flavor Ice has been a big hit for the girls this summer :)

Each week we would work on Taylor's "Summer Stretch" book for her school - writing and math. Camryn had her own workbook, too. :)

The girls think that the new bed is still pretty cozy - and prefer the lazy mornings of summer. (I do, too! :))

We met Annie at the splash pad - but the girls did more playing on the ramp and rails than anything else!



Freedom Village, where my grandparents live, had a "carnival" for families. We went with Papa and Gaga - and although it was 90 degrees out, the girls still had a lot of fun!


Face painting


And lots of games to play!


Mem came up for a visit - and a beach day! It started out very cloudy, but ended up sunny and beautiful!





These girls love looking for rocks, and they found a bunch on the beach with Mem!



Gotta love snack time with a view, too

We got a coupon in the mail for free coffee at Anna's House - so of course we had to go! Yum!





The girls were very creative with their play this summer - lots of different imaginary scenarios and games (house, doctor, babies, pet shop, sleepover...). This one morning, they took all the little My Little Ponies they could find, and put them all around this little playhouse. Very cute. :)




And.... so it begins. This week they have been back in my classroom with me as the upcoming school year starts to get closer each day!

Lake Charlevoix with the Ohio Parkers :)

Jeff, Jen, Tess, and Abbey were able to make the trek up to Charlevoix this summer - and it was a very fun weekend!


I made goodie bags for the girls on the drive up on Thursday, and it included some new little lovies - Taylor loved her new little penguin. :-)

We got up midday on Thursday - and after some swimming time, we decided to go for a boat ride to Boyne City.

After dinner at Red Mesa (our favorite), we headed back to the boat - love this view of the lake

Cam fell asleep on me during the ride home (a common theme of this vacation as you will see) :) :)

Jeff and family arrived late that night, then the extra fun with cousins began. :)

Breakfast in Froot Loop pj's for all the little ladies :) - eating little boxes of Kellogg's cereal, too!

Lazy mornings in the hammock and swing...just hanging out by the lake

I am a huge fan of sleepy kid cuddles :)


Swinging in the hammock with their new little friends - Slippery the seal, and Pocket the penguin



Aunt Jen had to work on school stuff during naps - Cam helped keep watch of Tess and Abbey on the video monitor :)

Lunch with Tess- yep, there is a Cheez-It on my shirt :)

We headed into Charlevoix during the afternoon
Tay and Cam got ice cream

We all walked down to the pier



 Cam and Bapa walking under the drawbridge





Dinner was the Landing - gotta love eating right by the lake!

Saturday morning, the lake was gorgeous and calm

We went into town to go to farmer's market and play on the playground.

More snuggles with Cam
Quiet relaxing in the hammock - she dozed a bit right on me

We went with Bapa in the boat to get gas

Cam fell asleep hard about 5 minutes after we left the cottage - something about the rocking of those waves (and late nights playing in the bunk room with Taylor when they should have been sleeping ;))

While idling through Round Lake, I tried to find a cooler breeze sitting on the back of the boat instead of down in the seat - she slept so hard!

Swimming that afternoon in a very wavy lake (the pictures don't do it justice!)

That night we celebrated Jeff's birthday - and ate some of the cake that dad ordered. His confusion about what a "1/4 sheet cake" meant, and a desire to have a "full cake" (that he expected would be round) landed us with a full SHEET cake - it was humongous. And rather hilarious.

After cake, we headed up the driveway to Wern Road to watch the Jeff and Bapa shoot off model rockets at the driving range.




Cam even took a turn!





One last pic of the group the next morning (it was literally starting to rain on us) before heading home.

It was a weekend full of really great memories!