Michigan

We just got back from vacation on Wednesday night.  Ok well, I guess that was a week ago now.  I am having some bad real-world reentry syndrome.  I'm not sure what is going on.  A certain 2 year old is pushing the limits on everything and I think it is pushing me over the edge.  It's a good thing he is so cute and funny.  I thought the kids were going to have a hard time coming home and not having so many friends/cousins to play with.  But, I think it is me that is having a hard time with not having so many friends for them to play with.  On top of that, it is July 4th and our fireworks were cancelled because of the giant storm we had last Friday.  Seriously...first world problems.  Well, I am just asking for forgiveness, praying lots and moving on.  I'll get the hang of this real world stuff again.  

Anyways, I guess it means it was a great vacation if we are having a hard time adjusting back to the real world.  We spent a week up in Michigan with these wonderful people above.  That's Andrew's awesome family.  His mom's sister, Donna, husband, Roger and their 2 kids and families.  It makes for a very fun and entertaining time.  

Lucy was eying the John Deere.      

Look how happy she is!  She's such a big girl.  10 months old now.  

Sophie offered to push Madeline around on it since the battery was pretty much dead.

2 days after we left, most of the family flew down to Guatemala for a missions trip.  They are doing a vacation Bible school for kids down there.  We helped, and I use that term pretty loosely, put together a color bead necklace craft for the kids to do.  It was the least we could do after kicking Aunt Donna and Roger out of their house for the week before they left the country.  

We had a great time eating popsicles, tubing, wakeboarding, boating, bon firing (pretty sure that isn't a word) and swimming.  

This hammock entertained the kids for hours.  

I love this girl.  She's getting so big too.  

I love Oliver too.  Just want to clarify that after saying he's been pushing the limits.  

See why I am having vacation withdrawal?  Look at all the entertainers.  It's hard to remember being 8 - 15 years old.  But, they never seem to get tired of playing on the trampoline, playing hide-and-seek for hours or pretending to be scared when Oliver says "boo" for the 4,339,383rd time.   

Oliver can even get all these big boys to play Ring Around the Rosie.  Cute stuff, people.   

Madeline loved swimming out to the dock all by herself.  She had a life jacket on.  But, she didn't need/want us to swim her out there.  She just paddled her little self out and back.  I think she will be swimming all by herself by the end of this summer.   She wants to really bad.  

Not only did we have a great time at Green Lake (where Andrew's aunt and uncle live), we headed out to Lake Michigan one day as well and had a blast.  We even got in the water.  It wasn't as cold as I remember.  

After dinner we went back down to the beach to take some pictures and hang out.  Ezra and Madeline had the best time making a bridge between these ottomans and jumping off them.  I asked Madeline to jump off so I could take her picture.  And she jumped off and did this flip.  She's crazy sometimes.   

Noah played his guitar and sang praise songs.  

And Andrew taught everyone the poke game.  

We actually managed a quick family picture.  

 And one of all the cousins together.  

We had a great time in Michigan.  We look forward to it every year.  Andrew's family are some of the most generous people I have ever met, his parents included.  And we are so grateful for their hospitality.  Now I'm off to find some 10 year olds that want to live with us.  Know anyone?