Mckenna at the splash pad at Hawk Island
The girls getting somebody with the squirt gun
Mckenna splashing Ayla
Ayla too cute
Camping look how dirty she is and we haven't even been there for an hour
upside down Mckenna at Lake Michigan
My family at Julena's wedding on the beach at Lake Michigan. Me, Baby Bump(Sean), Herb, Mckenna, and Ayla

Here is what we saw When we pulled up to the lake. Left

But we made our own way. Right

This is the view from our favorite campsite. 2009

The Same view in 2010

What a difference a year Makes. the shore line in the background is the same shore line. Both photo's are from our canada fishing trips. The one from the left is 2010.


We Had Fun exploring a totally new lake and caught a few fish for dinner.

I think everyone will see why I posted this right away.

Home Again Home Again

Jim and I enjoyed our trip to Vermont to visit Ashleigh this past week. We met her new roommates, Abby & Faye, and got a look at the outside of her new apartment. I know she will enjoy the extra room and the better location. We ate lots of good food, went on a couple of bike rides, took a day trip up into the mountains, and spent time enjoying the change of pace that comes with a different routine. Now things are getting back into full swing with the fall schedule. Jim has his first football trip on Thursday and so another school year begins.

Michael - this picture is especially for you. Do Vermont bees look any different than Michigan bees?

Jim & I on our day trip in the Green Mountains.

Of course we had to go to Ben & Jerry's.

A trip to the Vermont Teddy Bear factory provided a good tour and I was surprised to see Both of the bears I have in their "museum". Apparently the Kaleidoscope Bear I purchased last year is no longer available either.

Summer in Michigan

Here it is August already and that means summer is quickly sliding into fall! My summer has been glorious. Weather has been ideal, occasionally too hot and humid, our two long weekend trips were fun, and we have truly vacationed at home. For the next few days I'm a fishing widow. Grandpa, Don, Mike, Steve and Uncle Jerry stayed at the cabin last night and probably got an early start this morning for Rocky Island Lake, Ontario. The pick up was fully loaded with 2 canoes on top when they left Don's and they were meeting Jerry in Clare to had his pack(s) and canoe!!

Tonight I'll join Barbara at the DeWitt High School Band camp finale: a family picnic and a concert showing off their fall program. It is always a good evening. Lansing has a new pontoon boat trip through downtown this summer and I plan to do that one day. It will be a different view than usual. Zucchini Bread is baking so the house smells good. The vegetable harvest is plentiful and delicious. Both Dad and I have read a lot of books this summer. A series you might enjoy is the currently popular series by Larsson. I've read the first two and plan to read The Girl Who Stepped on the Hornets Nest. Each one is an attention grabber. I didn't like the abuse of women but even so the first two are good.

This week I'm cheering for Dana and Andy at the National Swim competition in Irvine, CA. Swimming hits a whole new level with a duo like them in the family!

I have registered for Pray 40, a United Methodist program to pray daily for college students. Via e-mail I'm sending you the information from our minister thinking you might want to commit to 40 days of prayer too. With Ashleigh, Stephen and Liane all graduating from college next year and Laura graduating from High school anticipating college coming up after that and Mike in his sophomore year I wanted each of them surrounded with prayers. I hope we can attend all the graduations.

Enjoy August with lots of love, Grandma/Mother