THE BEAUTIFUL U.P…

Eli’s first trip to the Upper Peninsula!  We were here 5 years ago with the girls so it’s been fun to introduce Eli to the great outdoors up here.  We’ve enjoyed some great family times together….focusing on each other and God….which is easy to do up here in His country!

 ~1 Chronicles 29:11 

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.

We spent several days on Lake Huron just north of St. Ignace with a day trip to the sand dunes on Lake Michigan.

Picture Perfect!

Eli enjoying the sand dunes on Lake Michigan…

A lil’ standoff between siblings… Eli showing jealousy because Lexie’s on my lap!

Our next stop was Munising, which we love, love, love!  Jody had the amazing opportunity to take, and pour into, some young men from City Mission in Detroit to camp, hike and kayak in Munising.  So, the kids and I enjoyed some hiking and beach time at some favorite spots…

We enjoyed a boat tour of the Pictured Rocks…

Our camp beach was on Lake Superior where the rocks were plentiful… we spent many hours looking for the best ones!

Eli trying so hard to make it til’ s’more time…

A short hike to Horseshoe Falls…

Playing in the water at Miner’s Beach…

Hiking to see Castle Rock… well, somebody’s getting a free ride!

Here it is!…

 A quick stop to take a dip in Lake Superior on our way to pick up daddy! Yahoo!

We stopped at Au Sable Point to play… so glad to have daddy back!!

Lexie & Emily making their own waterslide in the waterfall- great fun!

Our next stop was Marquette… we’d never been this far west in the UP so explored all there was to see!  We spent some time biking around Presque Isle, a picnic lunch and some play time at South Beach, an interesting ride up Marquette Mountain on a two track road to view the city and a hike up Sugarloaf Mountain.

We made it to the top!!  Sugarloaf Mtn…

Mom needed a break after the ascent!

We had a rain day so decided to hit Northern Michigan’s University’s fieldhouse.  It’s the largest indoor wooden stadium in the world.  The kids were able to run off some energy on the field!

We’ve had a whirlwind trip so far but so grateful to be experiencing this time together!

ELI’S 1ST 4TH OF JULY…

We celebrated 4th of July this year pretty low key.  Grandma, Grandpa and cousin Connor joined us for a BBQ and fireworks.  Due to the new fireworks law, we had an AWESOME fireworks display on the lake this year…. so many neighbors decided to purchase, and put on, their own show so we benefitted from that;-)  I thought you might be a little startled at all the noise, but you truly enjoyed all the hustle and bustle that night, as well as a late bedtime!

In true patriotic form, you waved your little American flag to the popping of the fireworks!  

We, of course, brought out the 4th of July headbands to show our Medford support!

Aww, your sisters…

Gettin’ ready for the big show!

HAPPY TIMES AT HIGGINS LAKE

We headed up to Higgins Lake to camp with friends!  Good times as always;-)  Campfires, which means s’mores & great music with Mr Partyka & Mr Mencke, beach time, bike time, euro-bunge time and, of course, dirt time!  Elijah HIGHLY enjoyed the big bikes!

                                                                        Lib, Lex & Eli                                    

Great music around the fire

A lil’ brownie bite                                

                                               

The awesome Ashelmans…. Mr and Mrs, Alexis, James and Elijah…

Cool bike time…  Ride on, Mr Mencke!!

The perfect Partykas… Mr and Mrs, Libby and Evan…

The magnificent Menckes…. Mr and Mrs, Donevon and Delaney…

The great Gigi and Papa…

          Crusin’ with Gigi                                                       

Papa hard at work

Your superb sisters…

LOVIN’ SUMMER…

Eli’s had fun enjoying some MI summer time activities!  We, of course, took him tubing for the first time last week.  Wasn’t sure what his reaction would be, but he loved it and since then enjoys sitting on the tube in the yard just waiting for daddy to hook it up to the boat;-)

Lexie shading his eyes so water spray wouldn’t get in them… his wife is going to have a very difficult job ahead of her one day;-)!

 
We also celebrated Emily’s graduation from Kindergarten this year! She’s officially a 1st grader now! Oh, and she lost her 1st tooth!

Eli loves to play outdoors, especially on a bike of any kind!  He gets the idea of pushing the pedals but needs to grow another inch or so before this can happen.

He’s on the move with his water bottle!  One of his favorite outdoor activities at the moment is collecting “treasures”….i.e. sticks and rocks!  He’ll spend mass amounts of time searching for these special items, which he brings to us for “Ohs and Ahs”;-)