Summertime in Bay View

We were blessed to be able to spend 2 weeks this past August in Bay View with Luke's mom, stepdad, and grandmother.  We all had so much fun....just relaxing.  You know when you go to a place that's familiar....that you've been to enough times that you don't feel like you have to "do it all" in a week?  That's the beauty of this community up north that's captured our hearts.  We can just go and be.  We can sit on the porch in the rocking chairs and just rock.  Stare at the bay, watch people walking their dogs down the street, breathe in the crisp, cool air, and actually visit and spend time with the people you love.  Plus there's all the FUDGE....and Tom's Mom's Cookies....and American Spoon Foods Gelato ice cream....

It was a fun summer.  And we did do a few new things....I took the girls to a fun musical, Nanny and I got cultured and went to a fabulous concert, and Luke and I got even more cultured and went to our first opera, The Marriage of Figaro.  It was fabulous!  Here's a few picture highlights...

I love this pic of Logan and Faith Anna at the end of the dock...

Tag loves cookies.

On the patio at Tom's Mom's Cookies.  Man, we ALL love cookies!

Faith Anna and I having "special time" watching the boats in Charlevoix.

Nanny and I on the way to a concert.  We try to do something "just the two of us" each summer.  I love spending time with Nan.  She is so wise, spunky, and just plain fun to hang out with!

Tag loves Boo's cat, Harley.  Me....not so much. :)

Nanny and Faith Anna washing potatoes...

Putt-putt for the fun of it!

I love this pic of the girls riding home from Club.  Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.... (sing along with me!)

Jordan and Audrey down at the dock.

Playing at the beach.  Sandcastles were fun, until.....

....they decided to try to brave the freezing water and swim to the dock!

They made it!  I was especially proud of Beth, not quite five, keeping up with Logan and Faith Anna...

Can you see them shivering?  Those are serious goose bumps!

Another favorite pastime....decorating the front walkway with chalk!

Tag and I got lots of special time together.  We dropped the big kids off at club each morning and then had 2 hours to ourselves.  It was so much fun!  I never get that kind of time with just him.  So here we are doing his absolute favorite thing..."Throw rocks water!"

We went to the playground everyday.  He loves to swing...

And here he is chasing the seagulls.  I love this picture.  He saw them across the ball field and exclaimed, "Mama, birdies!"...then took off running after them.  I was cracking up. :)

I love you, Tag.  I loved noticing all the little things that I often don't take time for...the sound of your laughter, your sweet dimples, your cute voice, your funny run, the way you throw your arms around me and say "Hold you!"  You are so much fun, Tag.  I'm so glad God put you in our family...

Faith Anna and I went cherry-picking one afternoon....to have special time together. (Are you seeing a trend?)  We had a blast!

And then we pitted ALL of those cherries and made a home-made cherry pie.  Very fun from start to finish.  But the best part was getting to have special time with my girl.  She is very into that right now, in case you haven't noticed.  We all need to feel special, don't we?