If you’re curious, you can see pics of our Family Vacation Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3!
Did you think I would EVER show you the pictures we took of our kids at the beach? Or did you forget about it all together? I’m just a tad bit behind, that’s all.
In fact, I feel so far behind on all the posts that I want to write and recipes and ideas I want to share I’m not sure I’ll ever catch up. Hopefully you’ll be patient with me and keep coming back each day to see if I’ve posted something new in the Simple Steps Toward Healthy Eating series and the Becoming a Better Help Meet series. Or to see if maybe I’ve finally posted a new High Five Recipe…or maybe a new recipe for Healthy Celebrations. Or to see if I’ve finally answered the questions you’ve sent me via email. Or the questions you’ve left in the comments section. I really haven’t forgotten about all of those things. I just have a very long list. At least I’ll never run out of material!! Thank you all so much for being patient with me!
Anyhoo…here are the final pictures of our trip to Michigan in July.
Our boys (with the exception of our oldest) had never been to a beach (ah, but they’ve seen their fair share of corn fields, yes they have). We really wanted to be sure and carve out some time to take them to Lake Michigan on our way home. We didn’t have tons of time and since we were traveling, we didn’t put the boys in swim gear. We just found a good (free) beach location and stopped for a little while to play in the water.
I can’t even tell you how perfect the weather was that day, or how perfect the water felt, or how much fun our boys had just standing in the water and jumping small waves.
I don’t think I stopped smiling and laughing at the kids the entire time we were there. The younger boys seriously squealed (in that manly way boys squeal of course) for an entire half hour. I’m sure the folks around us who are used to being around that much water thought we all must be loony. Yeah well…we’re used to corn fields, remember?
Asa found some really cool rocks. And oh yeah…Malachi insists on wearing jeans almost daily. Even when it’s a hundred and fifty degrees outside. Today was no exception. I rolled his pant legs up, but…
I think they started weighing him down a little bit.
Here we all are taking an awesome boat ride in Lake Michigan. Just kidding. Here someone else is taking an awesome boat ride in Lake Michigan. We just watched and took a picture.
And here’s a house Matt found for sale along the beach. We’re thinking of buying it. You know, because it’s totally within our budget to buy beach property in Michigan.
Yeah, just kidding. As nice as it was to be at the beach, I’m afraid if we moved we’d miss the corn fields too much.
The funny part is, if you bought the house in Michigan for your summer home I might actually have a chance to see y’all again. My sister lives in Michigan. Looks like y’all had a great time up there on your vacation.
I live in MI near Lake MI – I can guarantee you wouldn’t miss the corn fields =) We have sand dunes, orchards, blueberry and raspberry patches and on and on. LOVE this side of the state and so glad you enjoyed it too.
I’m wondering what beach you were at? We live 10 minutes from Lake Michigan, my 3 boys swim there a few times a week. They were shocked when I showed them this post, maybe they won’t take the beautiful lake for granted now! :)
Glad you enjoyed your vacation in Michigan, we know it’s a beautiful state and we love the fruit and beaches that it has to offer, come back any time!
I’m actually not sure. We were very close to the border if I remember right (Indiana border). Oh, and then we drove a few more miles down the road to eat at Redamak’s because we were told we HAD to eat there before we left the state!!!
Ahhh, Lake MI. We were just there yesterday! We live in West MI and that was our first trip out there this summer (we almost always go to Holland). Sad, I know. It is a wonderful place to be/live. MI has it all.
I totally hear you about the corn fields. We live in the Evansville area, and we have our share of corn! Glad you had a great time!
Apparently you have a lot of followers in W Michigan! That’s where we are, too. We haven’t been to Lake MI this year, but we have tons of inland lakes in our area where we boat and swim. Lake Michigan can have dangerous currents and rip tides–too many people drown there each summer because they aren’t aware.
I just learned that not everyone can jump in the car and drive to a beach for the afternoon! We were in St Louis Mo visiting our friends who moved from MI and when they asked what we wanted to do, I suggested taking the kids to the beach. They laughed and said there is no beach! I can count at least 10 lakes within an hour of oru place–there are likely more smaller lakes I don’t know of!
Wow, you have quite a following in Michigan, looks like we should have all got together and had a party!! :) I LOVE Lake Michigan, when we do move back to the cornfields of NE or KS someday, I will miss it. We’ve never been on the lake in a boat either and we don’t have beach front property! :) Thanks for sharing your pics, totally enjoyed your whole trip!
Looks like a lovely time!
I love that lake. I’m from Muskegon originally, which is situated half way up the state, right on that gorgeous lake. It defines who we are. It makes the weather different. No matter where I move, I have to keep coming back to that place because it’s so divine. Forget the corn fields (which we also have plenty of here) and get yourselves to Michigan!
Just got home from two weeks on lake Michigan, my favorite place, only a few hours away. Were you there in time for cherries? I brought home boxes of pitted frozen cherries because we were too late for fresh cherries this year.
My hubby just took our top three kiddos to Lake Michigan a couple of days ago. They had a blast! According to my husband the beach in Petosky, MI is more beautiful than Myrtle Beach :) I agree with the other commenters; you should totally move to MI!
Another one from MI, but the UP. Looks like a great time.
Enjoyed your vacation updates. I couldn’t take all the cold and snow in MI myself. I did not realize they had beaches there. Florida or the Carolinas, or Savannah, GA would be the closest beach to us, I think.
another west michigander here. buy the beach house; you totally wouldn’t miss the cornfields. ;) we have plenty of those. plus, we have the fruit belt.
I never knew how blessed we were with lakes and the big lakes in MI until we moved away. As a ND transplant, my boys and I have been on a hunt to find beaches. The only one so far is a man made swimming hole with a pebble beach. Your pictures make me miss it there. There are perks and drawbacks for every location.
If you ever make it down to sunny FL, I can take you to some beautiful beaches:) I just told my kids that yours had never been to the beach. They were astonished! It started a great discussion on the geography of our great nation:)