Pentwater Trip July 2013 - Part I

We are fortunate again this year to make a big summer trip up to Michigan.  I absolutely love it here - my soul gets its juice here.  Part I of the trip was all of us with the Dunscombes, our dear friends.  This is their 3rd annual trip up with us on the 4th and we love our new tradition!

When I was packing up our car (Luke met us in MI, going there straight from Columbus) I told the boys to get their backpacks of toys and blankets etc.  I found them all packed with their must-haves ready to go and they were patiently waiting on the stairs! :) They were a little bit excited.

 

 

 
 We did our trip up the dune and to the outlet of course.  Dane hiked up the whole thing (I helped him of course) but it was his first year not on daddy's back.  Daddy was happy happy happy! :)


Getting ready to go up!    

And then down he goes!  (Actually this was our second trip down it.  The first time he went down he was with Daddy.  But we didn't get a picture :(  

 And then to the outlet.  It had changed so much since last summer.  Daddy helped the boys find some good skipping rocks. 

We ran across a pretty cool mermaid that someone had made.

Of course the Cosmic Candy Company - an old school candy store - was a must. 

 

 

We went up to Ludington for the first time this year to watch the fireworks.  We've watched them from the beach before but that's pretty far away.  So we headed up to Ludington, not sure where we were they let off from - somewhere on the beach.  The place was filled - we had to go back blocks just to get a parking spot.  We happened upon this little place and decided we would try it and it ended up being a fantastic place!  We will definitely be going back there to watch them again. 

 

The kids waiting patiently for them to start.  

 I got in a little reading time on the back deck - but the reason I'm posting this picture is because of my precious baby boy on my lap :)  Kramer got in a good snooze session while enjoying a rare trip out in the open.  (he's been banned from even thinking about stepping his little paw outside since he decided to take off for 2  1/2 days a couple of years ago!)

 Good buds.  Dane, Fisher, Nellie and Will.