A Full Beach Day

I remember, when I was little, my parents putting us in the motor home first thing in the morning, and heading straight to the beach.  We would stay there all day, get motor home "showers," jammies on, and would fall asleep in the motor home on the way home at night.  I have many memories of days like this, and although I have said for the last few years that I wanted to do this with our kids, we just never did.  I said this year would be different.  We would be picking the nicest day each weekend.  Luckily, DJ is on his summer schedule- every other weekend he gets a 4 day weekend.  Yay! 

There are only 2 spots we can pull our travel trailer into in the day area.  They are first come, first serve.  Meaning, we have to get there right when they open.  It is a half hour drive.  We put the kids in the car, straight from their beds, at 6:30am. 

Kids in jammies at the beach.....there are few things better.

The kids played in the sand dune with DJ while I made breakfast in the trailer.  Sausage, eggs, and banana pancakes on the beach...yes please.  All things are better on the beach. 

I wanted to bring breakfast over to a picnic table by the water, but Karson was so excited about being in the trailer that we ate breakfast in the trailer.

Funny aside: I brought my Keurig with me.  It was only 7am when we got to the beach.  I had every intention of making myself a cup (or 3) of coffee to take down to the beach.  I knew we had to run off battery, since our trailer wasn't plugged in.  I did not, however, know that because of this the plugs wouldn't work.  Basically, I didn't realize until I got there that I couldn't make coffee.  Not cool.  Also, the little cafe beach store opened at 10:00-3 hours later.  Also, we didn't bring cash and there was a $5 minimum...yea I got 2 really expensive cups of coffee....at 10:00. 

We were the first ones on the beach.  Which meant we got the spot right on the water, straight down from the board walk!

New toy.  The kids kinda lucked out with the $5 minimum rule.  Mommy got a cup of coffee.  Kids got a new toy.

The kids played and played and played all morning.  We went back to the trailer at lunch time, and brought our lunch to the channel to eat.  

 After lunch, is exactly why we bring the trailer with us:

While she napped, brother did this:

Another cup of coffee for Mommy.  Another new toy for the kids.

He was so excited to take a nap in the trailer, that he couldn't fall asleep.  Funny.  Luckily, he stayed in a pretty good mood all day.

Sister woke up, to join the fun....

Then back to the beach we went.

We played for a few hours, and then it started pouring. 

Sideways.

We got drenched, and while everyone was scurrying to their cars to leave, we were playing in the trailer.  I was determined to "save" the rest of the day.  Even if it meant playing in the trailer.  We decided to take the kids out for dinner, instead of grilling on the beach, to see if the rain would pass over.  It did, and after dinner, it was beautiful out again.  

Back to the beach we went...

Daddy taught the kids the art of running from the waves....which were freezing.

Nana even joined us for a few hours.

 

Ella tries so hard to keep up with Karson, but she have not so great balance.  Also, she got knocked over by a wave, and was extremely leery of the water.  Bad combination.  Sister spent a lot of time on the ground from trying to run too fast.

 

I am wrong.  

There is something better than babies in jammies at the beach...

Babies in matching stripe jammies at the beach...

...loving on their little sisiter.

Before we left, we caught the sunset.  

The kids fell asleep on the way home, and we put their little sleepy-sandy-sun kissed-bodies in bed. 

It is my favorite way to spend our day.

And I love that my kids are making the same memories I did when I was little.

The "Peach"

It has been so warm in Michigan the last week.

The thermometer outside the my slider says it is 90 degrees right now.

Ninety degrees...in March...in Michigan.

The weather has been a great distraction from waiting on Baby Sister to arrive.

Although, I didn't exactly plan on being 9 months pregnant during summer weather.

Monday, when DJ got home from work, I told him we were heading to the beach.

Because it was 85 out...and I LOVE the beach.

We told Karson we were going to go play on the beach, he kept saying and signing peach.

He was so excited, even though I don't think he remembers the beach from last summer.

In theory, a Michigan beach on an 80 degree March day is a fabulous idea.

Except...it was only 70 at the beach.

It was super hazy because the water is still so cold, and the air was so warm.

The board walks hadn't been cleared of the sand from winter, and it was hard to walk.

The ice cream stores weren't open.

Worst of all...there weren't any open bathrooms.

except a port-a-jon which is not an option in my book.

I am 37 weeks pregnant....Karson is just barely 2 and newly potty trained.

There were no open bathrooms. 

It is a half hour drive to the beach from our house.

We quickly realized this would be a very short trip to the beach.

As soon as we sat down in the sand, Karson told us he had to go potty.

DJ and I just looked at each other...um..what do we do now?

Karson started crying and repeatedly telling us he had to go potty.

Our only option was to tell him to just go...

Thankfully, we had extra clothes, and a big enough blanket that we could just fold it over a little.

After we got that out of the way...we played and played in the sand.

Karson kept telling us over and over that we were at the peach.

It was absolutely beautiful!

 I love, love, love the beach!!

 thank you to the random lady that got a picture of the 3 of us

We only stayed for about a half hour.

Because I am 37 weeks pregnant and there weren't any bathrooms.

But a certain little boy had so much fun!!!

 We had to bribe him with ice cream to get him to leave the peach.

Except, we were planning on getting ice cream anyway. 

Because a trip to the beach should always include ice cream!

 He has been asking every day to go back to the peach.

I think he is a little confused. :)

I can't wait until our next trip to the beach...hopefully with 2 little ones! :)

A Michigan Vacation

Remember our wonder years. We began every morning with fresh eyes.  Every afternoon promised another adventure. We lived in the moment, and made every day matter.  Those moments might seem long ago, but that sense of wonder can still be found.  It still lives in a magical place.  Where the mighty Huron, Superior, and Lake Michigan meet. Our wonder is not lost, but flows strong in the great waters of Michigan's eastern upper peninsula. A place of ship wrecks and maritime adventure.  A sacred land. rich with Native American heritage and man made marvels.  Where quit forests open onto rolling shores.  And where we can still see eagles soar over majestic cliffs, rugged shoreline, and hundreds of islands that rise from this fresh water sea.  So lets head north to the great waters, and discover the wonder that is pure Michigan.

{source}

They might be cheesy commercials.  And I don't know if they are played anywhere other than Michigan.  If you are from here, you know them well.  They are a bit over the top.  But let me tell you, they are true.  We often forget how beautiful our state is.  But 10 days of camping in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula and Mackinaw, will remind you. 

We left early in the morning.  Right after Karson woke up.

On our way to the U.P, we stopped at my all time favorite spot in Michigan.  

The Mackinaw Bridge.

I am well aware that it is only a bridge.  But in my family, it is so much more.  My parents always say, when you cross that bridge, and enter the U.P., you leave all your troubles behind you.

During our five days, at Brimley state park...

We roasted marshmallows, and made s'mores.

Karson respected the campfire &learned the sign for 'hot' on vacation

We ignored the sticky mess that you end up with, when you let a 17 month old eat a s'more.

We played on the beach.

translation: Daddy and Karson made sand castles, while Mommy froze in the beach chair, and took pictures.

We ate popcorn from our Camp Hosts.

We couldn't figure out what happened to the popcorn, when it disappeared before it was really gone.

It was right before dinner...

We put Karson to sleep in his stroller.

We went to the beach anyway, when it was too cold to swim.

To eat ice cream sandwiches, and play in the sand.

We ditched our diaper to play, when the water was just too much fun to resist.  Even though it was freezing!

We took more naps in the stroller...

We headed to the Soo Locks in Sault St Marie, when it was too cold to even play on the beach.

We headed straight back to the beach, as soon as it warmed up.

We quickly got everything put away, when it rained on our last night. We all met in the trailer with high fives, a dance party, and ice cream sandwiches.  And, a little indoor play time for the Munchkin.

.  We got to enjoy our nightly ritual, of putting my baby to sleep in the stroller, and watching the sunset, when the rained stopped.

after about 5 minutes...

Our time at Brimley was wonderful.  There were times the temperature got into the 50s.  Ok, only 59, but that is still the 50s.  We lunged in sweat shirts, took long walks and bike rides, played on the beach when the sun was out.  We relaxed during nap time, and walked Karson to sleep in the stroller each night.  We made big breakfasts over the fire, and grilled each night for dinner. 

The morning we left Brimley, the Explorer read 59 degrees.

We headed back over the bridge to Mackinaw City, to catch a Ferry to Mackinac Island

yes they are spelled differently, but said the same {mackinaw}

It is not required that you wear a life jacket on the ferry.

In fact, upon asking last year, I found out there are no infant life jackets on the ferry.

Which I believe should be illegal.

We were asked why we had Karson wear a life jacket, by more than 1 person.

My answer:

In our family, if you are on a boat and you don't know how to swim, you wear a life jacket.

End of story.

We were on a boat.

Obviously, Karson doesn't know how to swim.

Therefor, he has to wear a lifejacket

your child should too

Ok, I didn't say the last line.

But I wanted too.

We took a carriage tour around the island, and stopped at the butterfly house.

Karson was pushing people out of the way, trying to catch the all the butterflys.

After our stop at the butterfly house, we got back on our carriage, and headed for Arch Rock.

Just long enough for some pictures.

When our 2 hour tour was done, we got on our bikes, and rode around the island.  We had to stop half way for Karson to eat lunch, because he slept through lunch earlier.

he threw a rock, and it hit him in the head

We stopped at Mackinac Island Public Schools, for Karson could play on their playground.

See the bride in the background.

I love that bridge!

After spending the entire day on Mackinac Island, we headed to Wilderness State Park, right at the top of the Lower Peninsula.

in case you were wondering, there is a commercial for mackinac island too.

At Wilderness State Park....

Bundled up in the mornings, when it was so cold!

We took walks through the sand, while Daddy cooked breakfast over the fire.

We made delicious breakfasts over the fire almost every morning.

We played on the beach, when the weather warmed up in the afternoon.

We snuggled in our towels to get warm, when the sun went behind a cloud.

We played at our campsite, when it was too cold to play at the beach.

he does not have a mo hawk.  the wind must have just blown what little hair he has.

We laughed when Karson started saying 'uh ohhhh.'

We made sandcastles....

...just for Karson to destroy.

We cheered so loud for Karson, when he got over his fear of walking in the water.

We found Karson standing dancing on the table, in the trailer.

We took a picture.

We watched Munchkin enjoy smores each night.

We played on the beach all day, the last 2 days, when it was actually in the 80s.

We ate home made donuts for breakfast, from the general store down the road.

We helped Daddy carry fire wood.

We caught minos in nets, and put them in buckets for Karson.

We took lots, and lots of rides in the stroller.

We had coffee cake for breakfast, on the beach on our last morning of Vacation.