Construction is booming in Ada right now and it seems like everyday something new is opening up. I took the girls for a bike ride into downtown and surprised them with a trip to Sprinkles, our new donut shop! You think they liked it?
We got Carson back from his week long camp and it wasn't as awesome as the first one unfortunately. He had lots of fun times but he's going to stick with Camp Henry next summer and ditch this one. He was one exhausted boy when we got him on Friday night, but by Saturday we felt like we needed to get out of the house with him. So on a whim we tried out Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. Laney couldn't help stalking the roaming birds.
There's a rhino back there in the corner.
Evie loved this little train ride we all laughed so hard at her waving off the back. She went by herself the last time!
The zoo was nice but pretty small so we had all afternoon for Patrick to take us on a walk down memory lane at Michigan State. We started off with lunch at Pizza House. Laney couldn't believe we had gone on some dates there in our younger years. Mind. Blowing.
We walked all over campus including looking up at Patrick's old window at Wilson Hall and rummaging through the book store. We just had to end up at the Dairy Store.
This girl took down a whole ice cream cookie on her own! That's my girl! It was unplanned but a really fun filled day in East Lansing!
Poor Big Brother :-)
We continued our annual tradition of taking the kids to Michigan Adventure with my Dad! I think next year Everson will be tall enough for the little kid rides. This place gives us so many great memories and yet it's so painful on our bodies! I don't know how we did this as kids! It's the most fun, exausting day...with a dose of motrin to top it off at the end.
Meanwhile Everson had a special "Grandma and Me" day back in GR. Meijer Gardens and Wendy's!
Farmer's Market Cookie.
The Morin Family invited us to join them for a couple days on their family vacation up North in Greenbush over on Lake Huron. It was an almost 4 hour drive for us but man was it totally worth it! Every single one of us had the best time...probably our most fun experience of the summer! Thanks for having us, friends!
We pulled up to the cottage and Carson jumped out of the car first, by the time we walked the girls around back and down to the lake to say hi to everyone, Carson was already neck deep in the water with his buddy Luke, all his clothes on and all. He just couldn't wait another minute!
It's the little mermaid! She did this forever and she kept inching closer to the lake like a baby sea turtle.
Ellie and Laney enjoying a swim way out there. Those girls can go! The boys mostly kayaked but the girls totally kept up with them with their swimming!
Dinner time! The kids so greatly outnumbered the adults ahhhhh!
If this doesn't look like fun I don't know what does. My kids were ecstatic to get to sleep in their sleeping bags with their best buddies.
Luke and Carson were like free birds our whole time there. They would walk the beach, skip rocks, they swam, they explored far out places lie "Pride Rock" on the kayaks, and went on endless bike rides. They were so happy to just go as they pleased. I just love these two together.
And Everson and Drew oh my! Evie actually played with Drew, it was the first time she really stuck with another kid and played with them. Drew we just love you up!
And I'm so happy that Laney has a special girlfriend in Ellie. These girls did lots of swimming, rock and sea glass finding, and lots of karaoke.
Short movie break while the rain passed through.
Everson even joined in on the fun and went out kayaking with Carson!
The boys are each out there kayaking and pulling one of the girls on a tube behind them.
Lake life ain't bad.
Ben worked so hard to get the kids s'mores before we had to leave for home. What a guy.
Courtney, Ben, Luke, Ellie, and Drew you all are the BEST! We left with sore stomachs from laughing so hard, full hearts, shoes filled with sand, sea glass in our pockets, and heads full of fun memories with our best friends.
Can't stop won't stop! We got back from the cottage around 11pm and then first thing the next morning we were off to the Ada Business Festival!
There's real money in there. Carson came out with $3 on his second try.
Gravel Bottom Brewery helped the kids brew root beer for root beer floats and it was sooooo good.
Gotta share how star struck we were at our friends Tammy and Jeff's wedding. Carson wanted me to post these pics so he can still see them when he's older. We are standing with Michigan State's TJ. Duckett (RB) and Jeff Smoker (QB) who completed the famous last second game winning pass to defeat Michigan in 2001. Carson has watched that play so many times with Patrick ever since we met Jeff. TJ Duckett also played for the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons. Patrick was OVER THE MOON chatting with these two! And Carson was so excited because his Dad was so excited.
Laney was telling Evie not to be scared of "The Grinch" and Evie was eating it up.
She finally started swimming around with the wings on. Now I can sit back and relax, just a little.
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