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...

Michigan... more to love!

More from our time in Michigan... when I said we were relaxing, I wasn't kidding.  My favorite part of the day is the evening, watching the sunset over the corn fields!  So pretty... we had great, cool weather, without humidity, which was VERY FUN for the Floridians.  I have lived in Florida longer than I've lived anywhere else, so I guess that makes me a Florida Girl now.   

Here's Aunt Randee on the trampoline.  One of my favorite Carly Quotes came last summer when she asked Randee if she jumped on the trampoline all day long when she wasn't working.  Carly is still a little confused that Randee said no.  Anyways, Parker on the tramp!  Carly had a fun time playing with Parker.  He's a happy little guy who looks an awful lot like his Mama and his Uncle Ryan, with the little ring of curls at his neck!  He's almost one and has been walking for quite a while, so it's pretty hilarious to see him cruising around.  He's too little for that!!!

The "other side" of the yard from previous pictures... the building on the left is the indoor pool, the garage is in the middle and Ryan's Parents House on the right... I think Ryan is on the porch listening to the Rays game on the computer!  

2nd to the Sunsets on the Farm, are the Campfires!  Carly might argue that the s'mores come first, though!  Johnny made a nice fire for us...

Amazing sunsets... who needs the beach, right?!!

More of Michigan to come...

Tree Trimming...

...not the Christmas Tree, however.  Although, Michael's is starting to put out Christmas Stuff.  Really??

This is our house and the Enormous Oak Tree that resides in front of it... with some Smaller Tree That Starts With an "L" (according to our Tree Guy) behind it... and 2 more Enormous Oaks (we will call them, "A" and "B" since the Tree Guy did) in the back.  Hitting our house.  In fact, Enormous Oak Tree "C" (in the front) had a branch smacking against the house, hitting Ben's Room every night, scaring him.  His words, not mine.  Well, when Ben gets home from Camp today, he will have to find a New Reason To Get Out of Bed To See What My Parents Are Watching On TV.  (Sorry, Rochel.  I probably should have told you THAT is never going to end!!).

*oh look!  There's the Elusive Platinum Grey Jetta Sportswagen, parked in my driveway:)

... and after the Tree Guy.  He did NOT steal my car.  I moved it so he wouldn't smash it.  Pretty certain my insurance company cringes when I call them.  Tree People did almost drop a huge branch through the window in front, though.  Head Tree Guy had some quite colorful language over that one.  So, good thing I moved my car.  Just saying.

The Big Scary Branch.

Back 

And more pictures all cleaned up...

Michigan

A few pictures from our recent trip to Michigan...  we had a wonderfully RELAXING time.  We had planned to do some hiking and camping and roller coastering (at Cedar Point), but The Foot.  So we just took it easy with Ryan's family, and it was GREAT!  Who wouldn't want to relax on that GREEN GREEN GRASS???? 

Carly having a blast on Grandma's Trampoline.  It's a Hit, that's for sure!

And a view of part of the enormous backyard... that's Ryan's parents house on the left, the center white house is Great Grandma's House, and the building to the right of the trampoline is where Ryan and I usually stay in the winter, The Shed.

The Corn Field, and Isaiah and Ben exploring.  Pretty sure Julean was out there, too, but he's too little to see over the corn!  The kids loved playing out there!

While we were up there, Ryan's brother, Rick had a 5K fundraiser for his ministry, The Chamber.  We all went over to help out.  Ryan and Ben ran the 5K, and Carly ran the kids 1 mile Fun Run.  She made a friend while she was running.  Of course.  She said she finished in 12 minutes, but she was timing herself.  When I time myself, sometimes I finish a mile in 6 minutes.  Just saying.  Ok, kidding... she probably did.

The kids all got medals... Adriana ran VERY fast, so she'd been relaxing for quite a while when these girls strolled up.

The Results Table... I was writing everyone's names and times down.  Very Official Job.  It was kind of chilly and windy that morning, but a really fun event and apparently a nice run.  I, sadly, wouldn't know.

Ben relaxing in Grandpa's hammock.

More pictures to come...