Independence Day 2016

Why hello there, Gladwin!

We left Thursday early afternoon anxious for blue skies, refreshing lake water, and those familiar sights and smells of Northern Michigan.  And thus, our 6 day stint Up North began.

Not even an hour at the house and we were finding rocks and shells, paddle boarding, and jet-skiing.  Nana and Pops arrived later in the evening, just in time for a boat ride and some fishing.

We caught a beautiful sunset over the lake, while Pops was busy catching "big fish".  The boys helped Pops reel in the fish and put it in the fishing net.  Clearly, Evan was really excited!

Friday was a much cooler day.  Cloudy in the morning and cool enough for long pants and sweatshirts, but it warmed up and the sun came out as the day went on.  We figured this was a great day for some more fishing.  This time, the boys did the actual fishing.  Sean would be proud to tell you he caught 5 fish!  Evan?  Not quite as lucky, but he caught one before we went back home.

The water activities and sand fun continued into afternoon.  After dinner, we decided it was a good night for s'mores, so Pops built a fire and the boys enjoyed their treat!

Saturday morning the rest of the family arrived!  The boys were excited for their cousins to show up and somehow we managed to make it the next few days with four kids and four dogs that all got along.

That evening we celebrated Adelaide's 5th birthday a few days early.  Of course, we had to the annual "grandkids on a jet-ski" picture too!  Adelaide opened gifts, we had cake and ice cream, and the rest of the kids got their "goody bags".

In case celebrating a 5th birthday complete with Finding Dory everything wasn't enough, it was also the lake's fireworks that evening!  All the kids got decked out in the fourth of July attire and posed for my favorite picture!  I even got a few of the dogs to pose too.

A bonfire, sparklers, and whipper snappers were how we spent the rest of the evening waiting for the fireworks.  Just before the show began at 10:30pm, my two boys fell asleep.  So, I took them up to go to bed and made it back downstairs in time for most of the show.

Sunday was another full day of beach and sand activities.  Some of the adults went golfing, while others stayed home with the kids and dogs until lunch time.  I was amazed this year at how entertained the kids were with the sand and water all day.  Not too many indoor breaks were needed, but we took a nice pontoon boat ride to the park.

And this is the aftermath of being out in the sun all day.  Pre-dinner naps for some and mid-dinner for one particular person...on the floor!

That evening was a trip to the Sugar Shack for some ice cream.  And man, they have the best flavors.  This trip it was "Cookie Jar" - Oreo pieces, Cookie Dough, and M&M's all mixed up together.  Perfection!

Monday, the fourth of July, was some of the family's last day Up North.  Some went golfing again in the morning, while others did some outlet shopping.  It wouldn't be a trip to Gladwin without a stop in West Branch at the outlets!  Throw in some water time and some nap time...

In the evening, after the house quieted down and some family went home, we did some more fishing in hopes of catching some big ones.  We hit the jackpot!

Tuesday, it was just us and Nana and Pops.  They were leaving late afternoon to head home, so we played outside some more enjoyed our last full day Up North.

After they left, we warmed up some leftovers for dinner and took the kids to the lake's indoor pool.  I figured they needed a break from the lake water and sand.  And I was right!  They were swimming like crazy and learning to do somersaults off the edge in the deep end.  They are quite the fish!

Wednesday morning we hit the road and made a pit-stop in Birch Run for a happy meal at McDonalds.  Just in time because their toy was a Secret Life of the Pets little stuffed Max.  We came home to our air conditioner working, laundry already done (thanks to Nana's new washer and dryer at the lake house), and an afternoon to just unwind and relax at home.  We had an amazing time with family on the lake!  But, it's sure nice to be home...