Summer Vacation 2011

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Last Day in MI

On our last day in Michigan, we went to Lexington with Ryan's parents.  We ate lunch at Wimpy's, which was pretty funny.  The owner guy or whoever, kept coming back to our table and telling us really random stories.  Apparently, my boot and crutches attract all kinds of people who need to tell me about all their injuries and car accidents.  Who knew that when I got hurt I would become a Member of a very Elite Club?  Anyways, he was actually pretty nice, it was just funny that he kept trying to talk to us.  After lunch, we walked around some shops and enjoyed the cool weather.

The railroad tracks near Black River Acre's.

That night, BOTH the boys got to drive lawn mowers around the yard... 

Ben and Isaiah had a great time!

Last Campfire... getting ready for sparklers

Love these silhouettes...

My favorite picture from the summer...

Walking through the corn again... this time they held up cornstalks so the little ones could see where they were...

... then they were ALL harvesting the corn, so we made them come in.  If there is a corn shortage this fall, you know which kids to thank for that!!

A beautiful vacation!

Crafts and Jumping... Michigan Style

We did make a few crafts while we were up in Michigan... you could hardly think I'd go somewhere and not make SOMETHING.  Well, actually, I didn't make anything, but Carly and her sweet Grandma embroidered some towels for the kids to take to camp.  Very fun looking for designs and fonts online, and then watching the machine go!

Carly picked all her own designs and threads... while we were inside "sewing",  Grandpa took Ben outside for a little fun with the lawn mower... he had a BLAST driving this around the yard!  NOT cutting the grass, just driving it around.  Very fun.

Back to the crafts...  the finished products, designed mostly by Carly and realized by Grandma!  You had to know there would be Peace Signs.

Mom made these hand towels for our 1/2 bath downstairs...

... and Ben's Camp Towels.  

I'm happy to say, ALL TOWELS made their way back home to me after camp, so I am feeling pretty optimistic.

The Cousins on the trampoline!  Ben had just "Launched" Isaiah into the air... although, I'm pretty sure he can get himself that high on his own.

Kristi and Adriana

And the Jump Off...

Kristi's sister, Jamie, was visiting while we were there... with her cute little boy, Judah.  I had to take their picture, mostly for MY sister, Tracy, as we have very, very fond memories of Jamie, when she visited me with Kristi (and Tracy was over, too) when Carly was an infant.  She made us laugh so hard telling us about wearing Kristi's wedding dress... anyways, it was a great memory and it immediately endeared Jamie to us!  Sister's are AWESOME and I'm so glad I have so many of them!

Parker!  Love that red hair!

Ok, now I was TRYING to get pictures of these boys... but they don't look at the camera.  Anyways, Julean and Matthias.  Kind of sad I didn't get better pictures because they are so cute.

One more day of our Michigan Visit coming up...

Monday in Lexington, with friends.

While we were on vacation, we met up with some long time friends of ours, Steve and Kristie Scott.  The kids had so much fun playing together at the park and waterfront in Lexington.  This is probably when it occurred to me I was doing a TERRIBLE job of taking pictures while on vacation.  No family picture of The Scott's... ANYWAYS, I always love friends who you see maybe once a year, and when you get together with them, you just kind of pick up where you left off.  Steve and Ryan knew each other growing up, hung out at camp in NY every summer, went to Tennessee Temple University for a few years together (as did Kristie), and were in each other's weddings.

While I have been horrible at pictures, I DID manage to click some of the kids playing together...

Their youngest, Lindsay!  Adorable girl... she was happy to be playing in the sand, and pretty much did that the whole time we were visiting.

Ryan sat for a while playing with Lindsay (well, and the other Scott Children!).  When he tried to get up from playing with Lindsay, she pointed to the sand and told him to SIT! 

Brady in the blue shirt, and Morgan with the green bucket...

Olivia with the green bucket now, and Morgan is burying Carly in the sand!  Wow!  I can't believe I actually caught all the kids in pictures!  

Random Picture #10

I walked (let's be honest... limped) into the living room to see BOTH my children wearing their swim goggles and watching TV.  Oh boy.

Sunday on the Farm

While we were in Michigan, we got to attend the church the Rick started, Chamber United.  They meet in the Youth Center where they do most of the Chamber Ministries meetings for the community.  It was very cool for us to be a part of the church, to hear Rick preach, and to be led in worship by Johnny!

Ryan's mom took a few pictures and she was kind enough to email them to me!  (Thanks Mom!)

Sunday afternoon, we took all the kids to see CARS 2, which was pretty cute.  Never saw the first one, but I was still pretty entertained.  Everyone came over that night for dinner and a bonfire....

Randee and Babykins.  AKA Parker.

        McGregor Men.  

Matthias being attacked by his mother.

I love this picture:)  Kristi and Matthias.

Very cute scene that we got to see all week... this little crew of cousins hanging out, talking, giggling, jumping...  they had a good time!

  

and of course...