even our breakfasts were grand in michigan.
the daddies made pancakes….jenny made french toast….craig made bubble loaf (monkey bread)….
i made…..
coffee.
my brain does not function well in the morning.
breakfast and me don't usually mix.
we allowed tv time until 10 AM and electronic time a little after that.
there was lots of art time with these girls.
and friendship bracelets were made.
there was a night of Dollar bowling!
oh yeah….
there was a field trip through town….the flowers were GORGEOUS!
truly beautiful.
and ice cream.
you wouldn't even believe at how expensive it was….i dare you….guess how much a single dip cone was.
it was reedonkulous!
their town had animals on display made by artists.
i was in love with this mosaic cow.
like….i would put in this in my yard….it was my FAVE.
LOTS of games were played.
apples to apples…farkle….uno….blokus….sequence.
apologies were made.
the Loma theater makes me happy.
$5 tickets.
.50 pop
.50 popcorn
dancing in the kitchen.
to florence and the machine.
annie was SO HAPPY that someone would dance with her.
and she replayed the song.
scott found The Hunger Games at the house….and read it!
he plays so much basketball he hardly ever reads.
he is dying for the second book now.
lauren read almost the entire time.
i read magazines and pottery barn and Boden. :)
hot dogs for the kids and STEAK for the grown ups.
and lots of goofy times around every corner.
can i go back?
can i
just live on vacation?
can we be a family that "summers" in michigan?
it would be dreamy.
Holly - Oh, and you can bid on that cow if you want! They’re all up for auction on September 10. You could do a write-in bid π
http://www.stjosephpublicart.com/barnyard-at-the-beach-auction.html
Holly - St. Joseph Michigan! I live here. Couldn’t believe that through random clicking and reading I came across your blog with a post about my town and a picture of one of the animals that are on display! I actually did 3 of the chickens! In my opinion, Kilwin’s is WAY OVERPRICED and the scoops are of average size! It’s not even fancy ice cream. I suppose it’s the name of the store that allows them to charge a crazy penny. I can give you some hints to some local ice cream next time! Did you go to the carousel or the fountain? Ride the horse trolley? What a fun town I grew up in and returned to!
Pam - I am typing this from my camper at a KOA in Petosky MI. We started in Ludington and are working our way all the way around the state. Tomorrow is Mackinac Island, I love giving my kids these memories!
Jane - I am from Michigan, but live in the west…I love, love love Michigan!
Kristin Hayne - OK…. I give… how much was that yummy looking ice cream?
Sara - Looks like an amazing vacation!!
Kat - It all looks so wonderful! I am envious.
I keep thinking “hm, now which family could we add with our family of six and go away with and get along so well?” Hm…
Love Florence and the machine. Annie has great music taste!
BriBedell - You can never go wrong with St. Jo!!! We are actually going to be moving there soon!!! I love love love that town!!!!
Sara - Where in Michigan are you? I grew up there & my parents retired to Mackinaw City (not Island). Your photos remind me of how much I miss home, plus it is like a million degrees down here in Atlanta, GA.
Jenna - I have to say I am partial to MI too π Us Michiganders are proud of our state!
Also, Hunger Games…like crack! And Boden is too!
Jenna
momofmanyhats.blogspot.com
Doris - so many great pictures!
I’m happy you had lovely time.
Tiffany - Meg, I want to live on vacation too. One day Sweets, One fine day.
alicia @ la famille - great vaca! i read an article about macinac (sp?) island a while back and saved it…it looked so fun and beautiful.
oh, and tell ms. annie, that one of your readers LOVES florence and dances daily in her kitchen to her latest disc…the dog days are over, ya know? π
Gemma @ Musings of a gem - Loving the pictures! Lots of yummy food : )
Gemma x
flyer printing - You guys are not wasting time! I really enjoyed looking at your pics. I heart you and your family. So impressed how you manage your kids.
Katie Sellers - Love Hunger Games–you should read it too!!
Jinee - Love, love, love St. Joe Michigan! We were just there two weeks before you and did most of the same things. We loved the bowling, and the kitty cats at the U-pick farm. I want to go back again and relax on our “secret” beach as mu 7 year old called it.
Penny - I am also from Michigan. It is really nice to hear the good things about our state. we do get a bad rap sometimes. We have so many beautiful things to see and do here. I love all four seasons! And yes, there are nights we pull out the sweatshirts. Not lately though! It has been really hot! So happy you enjoyed your visit. Your photos reflect the love and fun! Thank you for sharing.
Julie - Five generations of my family have “summered” in Michigan – I usually manage to make it about two weeks out of the summer. I never get tired of it. All of these photos are the reasons why!!!
Gina - We were just in Michigan last weekend (from Chicago) and I was secretly hoping you were there again this summer and I would run into you somewhere so I could tell you how much I love your blog. And you were! Crazy! But we were up in Holland…so clearly, our paths did not cross. Looks like you had a fun time. We wish we were the kind of people that “summered” somewhere too. Michigan would be great. =) Oh well…back to reality I guess…
Trindin - I also live in MI and would love to know where you rent from? I am looking in the Area I think you are vacationing in and need a big house for lots of peeps!
Thanks
Trindin
amy jupin - i see your photography changing…and it’s even more amazing than it was before.
this group of pics is fabulous.
there is such a relaxed and happy feel to them.
it’s a contagious feeling–i found myself smiling through the entire post.
p.s. i love that little measuring tape bag from paper source too. π
Nicole - It’s strange to think that I read your blog religiously and you were only a little over an hour away for a few days! π
In all seriousness, though, Michigan is pretty wonderful. I hope I never have to leave.
Kimberly - Looks like you have a MI following! I grew up on Lake MI & it is wonderful Love the atmosphere of lake towns π
karen - My cousins live in Birmingham MI and their neighbourhood is so charming! Where do you guys vacation?
Kelly - $6 per scoop? At least $5 I’m guessing. but 50 cent pop and popcorn, wow! Kelly
Chas - I live in Michigan and it is great to see families who love to vacation in our great state. It is truly beautiful here!
Caitlyn - do you have a tutorial of how to make those friendship bracelets? i’ve been looking everywhere and can’t find how to make those!
Meg - Love the Loma!!
elma - OH I just love the all the pictures!! WHAT a fun tim:) So tell me where do you go in MI ? I would love to know.
Maria - Sigh, I long for the days when my boys will take hot dogs over steak…
We made the oh-so-delicious-mistake of grilling a skirt steak earlier this summer…it was to.die.for. And while half the boys already were steak lovers, this convinced the other half forever…
And now…I want steak.
love the vacation pics…looks like everyone had a blast!
Ali - Ooooh, what fun! Looks like an incredible vacation! Now I wish to go to beautiful Michigan for some family fun! π
~ Ali
Janet C - I also live in Michigan, and it’s so nice to see our state reflected in a positive way. I love our 4 seasons, and you’re never more than a few hours away from water. Although I’m not sure where the previous commenter is talking about when she said she wore a sweatshirt in the summer. Maybe up north? It’s been in the high 90’s here for over a week. You MUST go to Mackinac some time. It’s about 4 hours drive from the Detroit area.
Emily - It’s so nice to hear that you loved your visit to Michigan. Michigan is a wonderful place to live and I’m glad you can truly enjoy the beauty and everything that we have to offer. Love reading your blog!
tiffany m gardner - Just wanted to say thanks. Thanks for being my go to blog girl! Daily you make me laugh. Daily you remind me to depend on God. Daily seeing your family reminds me of mine and makes me grateful. A few days ago you sounded a bit discouraged about all the work of your job…jobs. All the pressure. Today…I just wanted you to know that it matters. I always use a bit of my 6 month old sons naps to enjoy this blog! Sometimes I have to return several times in the day just to read one post. Like now…I have to go to pick up my big kids from school. Anyway…today..just wanted to say thanks.
happygirl - What a wonderful vacay. I’m glad you take pics. FUN
Katie - Looks so amazing! What is free smells?!
elisa - Where did you stay? St Joe, Holland, Sagatuk? I can’t remember if you said….
Kimberly Dial - What a great family vacation! I could ‘feel’ the love & laughter … it would be awesome if vacations lasted forever but alas, I fear we would soon become bored of all the fun & no longer appreciate those precious moments with family & friends. Thank you so much for sharing you vacay with us!
Kimberly Dial - What a great family vacation! I could ‘feel’ the love & laughter … it would be awesome if vacations lasted forever but alas, I fear we would soon become bored of all the fun & no longer appreciate those precious moments with family & friends. Thank you so much for sharing you vacay with us!
Terrie - $4.50…but .50 for pop & popcorn?!! Awesome!!
Loved the cow! I’d put in the backyard with my bird feeder pole. Let’s make one for craft week?!
If you go to live on vacation…can I go with you?
Jen - I live in Michigan and can’t imagine living anywhere else. We love it. Thanks for sharing your vacation photos and your thoughts. It’s so fun to hear about the place you call home through someone else’s eyes.
merlin - I need to know the cost of the ice-cream. I complain terribly about the nearly 3$ a scoop in my area, try to make it a single summer treat event and use the money I “save” by avoiding the ice-cream store toward quarts and gallons of ice-cream from the grocery store. Not the same, but it is ridiculous that taking the family for a simple ice-cream cone is not affordable, takes more than a 20$ bill…not doing it, no! Please, share the cost so I can readujust my attitude, up or down depending on your news.
Toni :O) - LOVE the west side of our state! My hubby and I want to retire year round on Lake Michigan…if it weren’t for lake effect snow though…sigh!! We say redonkulous all the time too! Go to Mackinac City/Island….it’s a little bit of heaven. Oh, and check out the Cherry Festival sometime in Traverse City, major fun times!
Sarah - Was that Kilwin’s Ice Cream?!! It looks like their shops…. I grew up real close to where you guys vaca and I miss it so much! These posts are making me so homesick. π
heather - i love that you say redonkulous.
we say that a lot around here.
π
Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - Looks like a wonderful vacation! Can I come next year?:)
seriouslysassymama - Looks like a great place to vacation. Friends and I would play endless games of farkle when we were in college.
holly - i know this is a random comment, but the mention of hot dogs for the kids and steak for the grown-ups made me smile… When we were little, my parents would do the same thing, except dad would say we were also getting steak… Tube Steak he called it, and they thought it was hilarious. We did not. π
Deanna - I live in Michigan and summers rock here! So many beaches to go and visit! And as someone mentioned above– Mackinaw Island is a must..we vacationed there every summer for 18 years… when I was a kid! Lots of memories! Now I am married and we are headed up north friday! Can’t wait!
mel @ the larson lingo - Your vacation looks like a blast! So fun. I am guessing the ice cream was $4 a scoop. But, at least the cheap movie snacks and $1 bowling made up for it, right? Glad you guys had such a great time in Michigan!
Danielle H. - I saw that sign for Mackinac Island Fudge and started salivating! DEE-licious! My dad lives in Michigan and it is just so beautiful there in the summer. In the winter and spring, not so much. I just can’t do the snow and cold! I am also so surprised to have to put on a sweatshirt at night when I visit there in the summer. I live in Texas – the thought of a sweatshirt in the summer makes me die of heat! Have you been to Mackinac Island? It is a great day trip. That’s also what I love about Michigan – you can go across the whole state in about 3 hours! Your pics are awesome as usual! How you all can stand being in that FREEZING cold water is beyond me too!!!
Alice H - I read all 3 Hunger Game books in 6 days. LOVED THEM!!
april - that vacation looks like so much fun!!! and i want that cow for my house…i love it! hahaha
xoxo
Kerry - aaah looks like an awesome holiday Meg! I lurve Florence and the Machine, that pic is so cooooool xx
deborah@applesinwonderland - we summer in michigan and it is the BEST!!!!! though, we also autumn, winter and spring in michigan too:) free smells…..you get what you pay for;) annie is a hoot.
Holly - That cow is pretty awesome! We are putting some “cow art” in our house soon. I am excited about it. Michigan looks great! Oh and isnt blokus a fun game?
danielle burkleo - LOVE boden.and LOVE that cow. it would love perfect in your front yard!