Traverse City

We headed up to Mike and Alison’s for a few days before the 4th.  It fell on a Wednesday this year so it was confusing for everybody when to celebrate it.  We chose to go before because Adrienne could join us, and I wanted to be home to help her get ready to leave for Sri Lanka on the 8th. 

Another benefit was that we could take the boat.  Brian was going to have it on the 4th and after, so the plan was for us to have it first and switch with him on our way down state and his way up state.  It was a genius plan really.  That is until the trailer axel broke half way through our drive.  The boat and trailer spent the next three 90+ degree days in a parking lot of a body shop 2 hours away.  It was a serious bummer.  However, we don’t need it to enjoy our time there!

There’s a little hidden beach we go to.  You park on the side of the road and walk down through the trees.  It’s perfect and has some Petoskey stones!

It was so hot we spent the whole time in the water!

The girls all look forward to Alison’s iced coffee!

The next day we packed up and headed back to the beach!

Is it even summer up north if you don’t get ice cream?

That evening we got a good storm(which actually knocked the power out for a good 6 hours!). 

The next day we were hoping to get a call that the boat could be picked up.  We figured we’d go downtown and as soon as Mark got the call he could take off to get it and we’d be on it by afternoon!  Alas, that was not meant to be.  We did enjoy our time downtown though!

We had no choice but to head back to beach!  Not the worst thing that can happen, definitely first world probs.

We caught an amazing sunset that night. 

The next morning Mark and Sof got up at 6am to drive 2 hours to pick up our boat when the place opened.  They were back by 11, and we were on the water by lunch time!  It was so totally worth it!  Couldn’t ask for a better day!

We pushed it til the last minute before heading back and packing up.  We met Brian at a gas station where we gave him the big white van and boat, and we got back in my minivan.  We hadn’t really thought about that transfer much…

There’s a lot of space in that white van, and we had used it all!  We realized we’d have to prioritize our needs and leave some things in there!

In all the years of trailering we’ve done, we’ve never had a problem.  It was a bummer, but we had an awesome time regardless!

June

June started off big!  Or should I say little?  Our two favorite littles added another little.  Three girls now, which(if you ask Em and I) makes it complete.

One night while having a drink on John and Jill’s patio, the kids were drawing with chalk in the driveway.  Upon inspection Sof said, “I was trying to make a little girl, but it just turned out to be Donald Trump”.  Indeed it did darling. 

One of Sof’s little buddies had a dance recital we went to.  We love supporting our friends!  And let’s be honest, it’s not hard to get me to a dance performance!

Sof’s school switched up their volunteer luncheon into a volunteer ice cream social that you could bring your kids too.  It was really fun and a good change!

We had some cute school mornings.

We had  a visit to see Grandma Jackie planned and at the last minute the boys decided to take some of the kids and go a night early.  Totally self serving.  They dumped the kids with Grandma Linda and went out to the breweries with my Dad(who doesn’t drink).  Of course he drove and at the urging of our boys parked somewhere he shouldn’t have.  Somewhere around 1am they got the car back out of the tow lot.  All the eye rolls. 

Luckily Grandma was treating the kids to some more wholesome fun.  Ice cream and a ride in the banana car!

 

The next day Em and I showed up with the other kids for a visit.  Grandma had been having some bad days, but she was a trooper!  Visits from the grandkids always lift her spirits!

The last week of school was so high maintenance!  A spirit day EVERY DAY.  Seriously, don’t we have enough to think about?  You’re lucky my kid is even dressed let alone in the correct theme!  We pulled it off though, and she was on point every day!

Crazy hair day…

Sports day(and she brought her teacher an end of the year gift which was a personalized yeti tumbler!)…

Twin day(Which was most annoying to me, but I must eat my words because Sof totally planned it with her friend and they used all clothes they had!  I wish I had a pic of them together!)…

The last day was school spirit day.  My third grader is now a fourth grader.  There’s that part of me that feels it’s all going so fast, but a bigger part of me is enjoying watching this girl become such an interesting young lady.  Her future is so bright.

I’m so lucky to have great neighbors that include my kid even when I can’t be there.  They meet the kids at the bus stop with water balloons, then Jill hosts lunch.  I wish I could join them, but last day of school is kinda non-negotiable for teachers, LOL! 

   Our subdivision has the Kona ice truck come in the afternoon.  Hero neighbors to the rescue that make sure Sof doesn’t miss out!

 

Livy and Natalie had a dance recital.  Nat went back to dancing this year after being out of it because we deemed her too shy for the stage.  Well what a difference a couple years makes!  She loved it and she was the leader of her class!  So proud of our Natty Bugger Boo! 

Livy has grown so much in a year.  Her dancing is so much more mature and technical. 

It’s so weird now to think of Adrienne doing this just a year ago!  It seems like forever!

It worked out perfect because the day after recital was Father’s Day, so my Dad was in town.  We had a little time with him in the morning to exchange cards, and then we spent the rest of the day on the boat!

 

Adrienne and Cullen were able to join Mark for a couple of sailing nights.

We spent some hot nights swimming.

Anne stayed in Dc with Joni to help with babies, and Rick came home mid month.  We were happy he joined us for some Friday nights!

Sof had a pool party with some cheer friends!

It was time to get serious about Adrienne’s Sri Lanka trip.  Plans were finalized with the travel agent, and I took the trio to the International clinic where they all got a Typhoid shot!

With Adrienne going to Sri Lanka and Emily and Livy going to dance nationals, there had to be a good bye Friday night!

Here’s to June, the best month of the summer because there’s still so much ahead of us!