Sunny Beaches!

Vacation was lovely. It wasn't as laid back and relaxing as I would have liked, but with 4 kids (one of them 3 yrs. old) how laid back and relaxed could it be, right? Besides, nearly everything is hard for me right now. I am a miserable pregnant woman after all. I also suffered from an ear problem that made me feel ill while away. But all in all, it couldn't have gone better!

And partly it was the run up to vacation that was hard to recover from and which set the tone for the following week of vacation. As you may remember from my last post, we were busy the week preceding our travels. We bought a new mini-van in a town far away, got an auto loan, installed guttering and downspouts on the pole barn, fixed the garage door opener, got new living room furniture, prepared for a new school year, hunted for escapee cattle, attended a Holy Day Mass, arranged for a farm insurance policy instead of a homeowners policy, changed insurance providers, returned library books, took garbage and recycling to the drop-off location, and packed and planned for vacation- among other things- the week before we left.

(Disclaimer: I neglected to pack my camera cable, so I have no pictures from this year, as it was needed to recharge the camera battery that had drained. You get to enjoy a few pics from a previous vacation at the same location.)

We rented a cottage on glorious Lake Michigan, with its sugar-sand beaches, stunning sunsets, wind, wildlife, and waves. We had a blast in the water jumping waves, riding floats, and paddling. We constructed things in the sand. We took wave-side walks along the empty beach. We flew our giant kite, even playing tag with it and using it to kite-surf (pull a rider on a float across the water.) We waved at the pilot of the pontoon plane that did low fly-overs. We read books for pleasure. We went to sleep with the sound of waves in our ears. We reveled in the lake breezes whisking through the screened patio doors. We could even see the lake from the kitchen table!

Then there was the food! We stopped at a natural foods market on the way in, and made most of our meals. But we also ate ice cream. We ordered take-out pizza. We ate fresh, organic, local blueberries. We grilled out. We dined out next to the water for lunch one day. We picnicked on the cottage's patio overlooking the beach. We made s'mores the night before we left.

There was also our sight-seeing excursions. We walked the harbor front and pier to the light house. We witnessed a magnificent moon-set. And we stayed for the giant musical fountain performance. We raced go-karts. (I didn't, obviously.) We visited the Holland Museum and the historic Capon House and Settler's Houses. We toured the USS Silversides submarine. They even started 2 of the 4 diesel motors while we were aboard- a rare (and noisey/smokey) treat! We also toured the associated museum and a prohibition-era Coast Guard Cutter. 

And of course there was the fauna. We saw 3 different kinds of mantis, 3 different types of squirrel, hummingbirds, bats, butterflies, a wild swan, migrating geese, deer, and of course sea gulls. They are fun to feed. How blessed we are!

But now we're back to the "real world." This week isn't much less busy. I started things off on Sunday (our first day back) by spending 5.5 hrs. at PromptCare for my ear after Mass, and then followed that with grocery shopping. A correction to our loan paperwork was needed Monday. I had a visit with the midwife. My oldest daughter tried out for IU's Allegro Choir (and made it!) A video needed to be returned to the library. The girls needed to be registered for choir. Normal things needed done like bills needed to be paid, laundry and dishes needed washed, etc. (Keep in mind we're 45 minutes from where all of the errands were.)

And tomorrow our mattresses are being delivered. I have an OB appt. Choir rehearsals start. I also have some things left to unpack from vacation. Violin lessons need to be set up. And then there's school, etc.!

Oh, and the cows are still here, in case you wondered. (Here they are at "nap time.") They are picturesque from a distance. But they are mucking up our camping spot, and are not staying off the dam. I suppose we had better rope that off soon.