Up North

This year we decided to spend some of our time here in Michigan up north on the coast of Lake Michigan. We wanted the girls to have a beach experience, so we got a hotel room for a few nights and drove four hours north from Sue and Larry's to the beautiful little town of Traverse City.

Road Trip!

1st Stop: Good Harbor Beach

Swimsuit? check, Floaties? check, American flag? check!!

A giant sandbox, here's Addie laying in the sand after belly flopping into the waves while yelling "Catch a wave!"

Emily got right to work collecting rocks

Let's get as sandy as possible!

Plant the American flag and get snacking

Chris loved the cold water

A nice lady offered to take a family picture

Sand Castles

Yay!

That first evening, we stopped at a beach playground at Suttons Bay before heading out to dinner.

Swinging in the sunset

The girls found daisies 

Warm sand

Elizabeth wanted to go wherever the seagulls went. She was on the hunt.

Wearing dresses CeeCee made

The next day, we went to North Bar Lake, a tiny little lake that is just a short dune climb away from the huge Lake Michigan.

The girls had a great time in North Bar lake. It was small and unintimidating, and it was a wonderful spot for splashing. 

Then we took the little hike over a dune to see the big lake, where the shoreline was thick with rocks.

Emily was in rock collecting heaven

After swimming, we stopped at the Sleeping Bear Dunes, where Addie was psyched to race to the top.

Hiking.

We could not catch up with the girl!

The other two needed a little help

Very warm sand

After getting to the top of the first little summit (we did not make it all the way to the top, but we'll be back again another day!) Addie decided to log roll down the entire dune. She'd stop every now an then, when she started going sideways, to reorient herself, but she really did roll the whole way down. After running up and rolling down the whole thing, she was wiped out and snoozed hard in the car on the way to dinner.

Dinner was at Boone Dock's in Glen Arbor, a restaurant Eric and Cathy had introduced us to when we went two years ago with Elizabeth. It's has a wonderful covered outdoor seating area, and the burgers are delicious.

After dinner, we couldn't resist the ice cream shop next door!

Hotel Shenanigans....this was our family's first experience in a hotel room, and even though we played a lot of musical beds during the three nights we were there, we figured it out and made it work.

Our last day up north was a little cloudy and chilly, so we shopped in town and then ate lunch and played a little at the Suttons Bay playground.

Aunt Ellen gave each of the girls a five dollar bill to spend on whatever they wanted on our trip. Addie chose a music box and a bottle of juice for Addie Bo, her baby. Emily chose a music box and a coloring book, and Elizabeth finally chose a crawling caterpillar after picking up and dropping just about everything in the store. :)

Cutie!

Good climbing, Em!

Addie Bo, Addie's baby, went everywhere with us on this trip

Sweet smile from a sweet girl

After lunch, we took a car ride to Esch beach, where it was so drizzly and windy, Chris was the only one to walk into the water. We ate dinner at a little fish n chips joint and then headed back to our Motel 6, where we slept one more night before heading back south to Sue and Larry's.

It was a wonderful little trip, and I hope to do it again next year. There are so many beaches to explore, and it was so fun to play, relax, and unwind together. 

Addie's First Best Friend

Addie made a best friend in preschool this year. His name is Trent, and her face always lit up so much whenever she had a story to tell about him after school. I often chatted with his mom, Jenni, while we waited for the kids to get out of school, and oftentimes we would let the kids run around together for awhile after school. We didn't have our first playdate until April, and then we had a few before the end of the school year, and all three girls loved playing with Trent. He is a sweet natured boy who had a lot of tolerance for three little girls surrounding him and competing for his attention (he has two older sisters, which probably helps!) Unfortunately for us, Trent and his family moved to Arizona at the end of the school year. I keep in touch with Jenni through Facebook and I will show Addie pictures of Trent that Jenni posts and she's always excited to see his face.

We ran into Jenni and Trent at the zoo in February. It was like striking gold and winning the lottery at once. Addie was so excited.

Of course, Trent was first on Addie's list of friends to invite to the girls' birthday party, and while all the kids were listening to the gymnastics teachers tell them the rules for play, Addie just couldn't contain her excitement and had to give Trent a squeeze.

On Saint Patrick's Day, all the kids were looking so cute in their green I just had to take a couple pictures.

Elizabeth and another one of Addie's friends, Mitchell, wanted to join in the picture too!

In March, Sue and Larry came out for their annual ski trip and we joined them in Breckenridge for a few days. Addie found a Ninja Turtle stuffie at a gift shop and bought it for Trent with her birthday money.

We got to go over to Trent's house in April, where the kids had all kinds of fun in his backyard.

Towards the end of the school year, Addie and Trent participated in the Tarver Trot. Here they are with their school mascot.

While Addie was having her Tarver Trot day, Emily was having crazy hair day at Little Lights. Even though the girls were at separate schools this year, it worked out that they both had special days, which was wonderful.

Addie is holding Mousie, the mechanical hamster she bought at a garage sale and became obsessed with for awhile.

Last day of school. Addie was so excited to wear the graduation hat she got to make at school.

~Bye Trent! We'll miss you, but we know you're going to have so much fun in Arizona!~