Summertime

I know it has been a long time since posting, but we have been having a lot of fun and going on adventures every day. We've spent a lot of time with cousins and family friends. The boys have gotten to play with the grandkids of all of Nana and Papa's friends, which has been fun for them.

The first week we had played a lot outside and caught up from jetlag- we also all had a day or so of a nasty stomach bug, which set us back, but we fully recovered quickly. Matthew and his cousin Claire attended a kindercamp at the Sherman Lake YMCA, so they got to do many fun outdoor activities- the beach, sandcastles, rockclimbing, water fights, etc. They seemed to enjoy it, but I am glad it only lasted for about two and a half hours a day because both of them were very happy to see us when we picked them up. :)

The first week ended with a day trip up to a friend's cottage in Northern Michigan. The boys and their cousins loved it and keep asking to go back. What boy wouldn't like to run around in a bathing suit all day, play in the sand and water, eat chips and cookies, take boat rides, etc? Patrick and Matthew also tried out tubing in the lake, which they both had a blast doing. They kept wanting to go around again and again.

Last week, we had fun with several adventures such as blueberry picking, jumping at bounceland, eating at the Taste of Kalamazoo, and playing on the beach and swimming in Lake Michigan. We went to South Haven, Mi and in the evening took the boys on a pirate excursion, which included going out into Lake Michigan and acting like pirates to capture the treasure from another boat. The lake was very choppy, but the kids didn't seem to mind. They got eyepatches, pirate hats, swords and spy telescopes. At the end, we got the treasure and the kids all got to choose from the box of treasures. I think they had a great time during the trip. Luckily no one from our group got seasick, which unfortunately was not the case for some people aboard who just couldn't stomach the big waves.

It is now Sunday (the 27th) morning in Michigan and I returned yesterday from Chicago where I spent two days doing girl things with friends. We shopped, ate, karaoked, walked, people watched, and just caught up with each other. It was a nice break and so great to be back in the Windy City. We ate at PF Changs- yummy!! We also ate at Berghoffs, which is a very popular German restaurant in Chicago. I even got my Norstrom fix and coffee at Caribou :) We moved away from the Chicago area almost five years ago- Wow- I can't believe it has been that long. Brian and I love Chicago and spent a lot of time in the city while we lived in the Northern suburbs. Brian went to grad school at Northwestern so he has quite an attachment to the area. I know he is jealous that I have been back twice since moving. Thank you Patty and Maria for another awesome girls adventure.

While I was in Chicago, the boys went with Nana and Papa to Shipshewana in Indiana. This is an Amish village. Patrick had seen something about the Amish a while ago, and he has been asking some questions about their way of life, so we thought since it isn't that far away, they would go visiting the area for a day. From the sounds of it, they had a great time. They saw all of the horses and buggies, their farms, the people and ate in an amish restaurant. I guess they loved the roast beef, mashed potatoes and noodles. Patrick and Matthew are still trying to figure out how little boys their age survive without tv, nintendo, and electricity.

We have a week to go and we'll have to see what's in store for us. Brian, if you are reading this blog in Diego Garcia, Happy Anniversary. I can't believe it has been twelve years. Today, the weather in Michigan looks and feels exactly like it did twelve years ago. We can't wait to see you in a week- I love you!!