Ah Michigan.....

...this is why-  We.Love.You!

We love you for your beautiful beaches....your sparkling water and your pure sand!  

You are beautiful!

Summer seems to zingy by so fast these days!

We miss out on the lazy days of summer. 

So, I called up my friend Caryn and we set up a beach date!

Some sunny hi-lights!

digging in the sand 

Troy 

Troy burying Carson & Trent 

all buried... 

all seven kids..... Ben is in there, just behind Carson.  

Troy got out and then covered all six kids 

last picture to leave you with.... 

Trent and his rocks he collected! Apparently, he has a little of his Grandma Sharon in him!  

G-ma Sharon loved to collect rocks, I frequently recall hauling rocks home from vacations and beaches. 

 She loved beaches!  She loved the sun! She loved pictures of sunsets!  She loved driftwood!

She saw beauty in nature! 

Gerber....

...your more than baby food! 

You are a festival in Fremont!

A town was put on the map after a young entrepreneur put his dream in motion.

Back in 1927.....the factory in Fremont MI started manufacturing baby food.  

Interesting Fact....Gerber controls 86% of the baby food market.  Sadly, they have moved a lot of their manufacturing overseas.  Steve's grandma retired from Gerber

 after putting in 25 years (according to Steve...but his tone wasn't of real confidence!)

Back to the Festival.....

We attended the 10:30 parade with friends, the Wilson's....

Joel Tacey on stilts 

Trent giving Ronald McDonald a high five, minus Ronald McDonald...to quick on the shutter. 

Trent's street fair purchase...black Spider Man mask. 

Dakota volunteering at the Joel Tacey show 

holding the ball on his head... 

fun day in Fremont!

Blog-mercial

Another Blog-mercial coming at ya!!

On the heels of my birthday...I had some cash to spend.

I've never been happy with my blender...at least that's what Hamilton Beach calls it!

I put ice cream in it to make a smoothie..and it says "no thank you!!!!"

I mean come on...your a blender...aren't you?

Problem solved!

If this looks good to you....read on!!!

I did it!

I got the Ninja!

Let's just say...impressive!

Troy and I wasted no time..testing this baby out.

Right out of the box---we tried the ice!

We didn't have un-even clumps of ice...we had snow!!

It totally made snow cone quality ice!  

I think that is a pretty tall order for any blender.

Then Troy & I quickly moved to something more appealing.....

a Snickers Blizzard....YUMMO! 

it has blades at the bottom and about 1/2 way up..hence more even blending!

Mine also came with a smaller container for mixing small batches.

I purchased it at Pamida for $39 (on sale, of course, $10 of the regular price) 

I've also made Strawberry Smoothies...I have to say...pretty awesome!

You are suppose to be able to make salsa & dips (avocado...)..I have not tried that...so, you are on your own if you choose to purchase a Ninja!

The only thing I have noticed is it only has one on button..it's like a 'pulse' button..you can do quick bursts or hold it down.

This is a MUST for smoothie lovers!!

Einstein

He's a near Einstein!  Really, he is!

He's my Einstein!

This is how he came up with a 'fix' for my 

outside spigot..Unique huh!

Now we have to say...go turn on the door knob!

Summer Fun...

Sprinkler fun gone bad!  

It all started out as a sprinkler spraying on the trampoline.

Then it turned to making a mud puddle for the bikes.

Then it turned to body mud masks.

Trent and Jack...

Jack in his "mud shirt" 

all in good summer fun!  

A couple of years back this would have thrown me for a loop!

I would have been pretty upset....but in my old age, I have learned to roll with the 'things boys are made of'!!

These are the things boys live for...girls, not so much...at least not me!

I have always felt my boys have missed out by growing up in town.

I wish they would have had a woods to built a fort in 

I wished they would have had a creek to build a dam in

I wish they could have had a real tree fort.

But these kids didn't have that...so I guess they get mud puddles!

Week-end

On Saturday we surprised the kids and picked them up at Lake-Ann.

It was fun to walk around and remember our years as campers and hear all their fun camp stories!

Here is what welcomes you....

the rock under the sign... 

The Welcome Center...this is defiantly a change from when I attended camp.... 

Tyler, Troy & Florin with their counselor 

Trent stayed in Otter 2 

after picking up the kids we went over to the Isenhart's to have lunch . 

and we did a little boating

Craig, Steve & Captain Jim 

the girls..Kristi, Joanne & Renee 

We had a wonderful time!! Thank you Jim & Renee!!

We were also able to visit with long time friends Jon & Susan Freyer.

Grand Haven....

This has become somewhat of a tradition for us...

when the kids go to camp, we take a night to head over to Grand haven to watch the sunset.

I checked the weather and Wednesday seemed like the best choice...so over we went!!!

I'm no photographer and I don't have one of those ritzy cameras..so this is all I got!

I look at others pictures and love them and how they look..but I know my A.D.D. self and know I would never be able to teach myself all the things you need to know about photography!!!  I would need Steve to read it all and and explain it to me...and then remember it when my feeble mind forgot it! Not gonna happen!!! 

that's all folks!!