Mid-summer trip to MI

The last 10 days in July were blocked out for our travels to MI! Unfortunately my sisters had circumstances preventing them from making it to MI while we were there, but we decided we'd just devote a little more time hanging out with our nephews while Patrick's family was all in the country, and then trade that out at Christmas. As per the past few years' tradition, the Wombles rented a house on a lake for a week for plenty of outdoor fun and interaction.

Patrick teased at one point that he could shoot fire out of his fingers. The problem was that then Isaac asked to see it! :) Since the boys were going to have smores in the afternoon, Patrick decided he could somewhat satisfy that curiosity by starting a fire without a match (we couldn't find any at the house anyway). He did shoot some flames, but without a string it was much more laborious to get the woodpile ignited. (We did try dryer lint, which Calum is holding above, but it just never got hot enough.) Eventually we decided that eating smores was much cooler than flamethrower fingers anyway, and sought out some other way to kindle things. :)

I was standing on the boardwalk while Grandpa did drive-bys to give Isaac an opportunity to ambush me with a watergun. In between snapshots I'd chase him off with my own loaded weapon!

Sally and John fishing for seashells with the net.

 

Some sibling R&R!

Our timing for arriving in Grand Rapids was fortunate in that it afforded us the opportunity to go to our friend Mike's birthday dinner at Mangiamo! Italian restaurant.

 

We had a nice visit with Cassandra & Tyler and their girls, with additional entertainment provided by the slightly early b-day gifts we brought. Glow-stick star-shaped glasses (not yet glowing) and stretchy "sticky hand" toys were fun to introduce to Mattie and Anya.

Patrick and I are not the most prepared aunt & uncle. We get everyone their bday gifts late! Count it a leg up that the girls' presents were early, but to our shame we did go to the store a little before our visit. Realizing I didn't have any tape/scissors/etc. (and the finger painting portfolio pad was too big to get in a bag), I got creative and used up all the bandaids in my purse to wrap it. I figured it was kid friendly at least!


Even though we also had some great quality time with just my parents, and got to go to lunch with Mike & our other good pal Brad, the time goes by too fast and there just isn't enough to go around. So naturally we're looking forward to our next visit at Christmas! In the meantime we'll try to get the rest of our blog material posted soon! :)