Manistee

Editor's note: despite the moratorium on travel with Genna outlined in the preceding post, 

we had to take her on this previously committed outing.

Several friends have been recommending Manistee for years.  We just HAD to choose it for this summer's camping destination!   Planning a beach trip to a cooler northern spot on Lake Michigan seemed like a reasonable idea when we reserved it during that amazing heatwave of the beginning of the summer (hard to remember, I know!).  Then it cooled WAY off for the last 3 weeks or so.  I started to have second thoughts about our choice!  But luckily, it got back into the 80ºs just in time for our getaway

 (Phoenicians, don't laugh at "80ºs").  

We arrived on a very calm day with gentle waves.  The beach lived up to its reputation as being one of the clearest and cleanest on Lake Michigan.  However, it really was too frigid to swim.  Maya dunked herself while jumping around a couple of times - but no one was really too keen on swimming.  Honestly, the kids were not too bummed about it either!  Plenty of time was spent building sand castles, lagoons, tunnels, trains, and balls.

A great way to kill some time before nightfall (bedtime).  (above photo credit: Genna)
Sunset at the beach.

Morning hike around Nordhouse Lake.  Note to future visitors: try to stick to the obvious trail at the northern end of the lake, quite back from the shoreline.... Easier than carrying a 3-yr-old over the wetland vegetation.
With the network of trails through Nordhouse Dunes, this would be a great place for an intro to backpacking EVENTUALLY (like when Genna can carry herself and a few things for more than 15 minutes).

Sisters

Playtime in the Orchid Loop.  (busting up an ice block).

This campground had minimal amenities.  Eventually we'll try places with more activities (like river rafting) or features (like an onsite ice cream shack, or showers).  But this location was happily bare bones.  Somehow the girls didn't get bored despite my forgetting to pack cards, games, or coloring books.  Besides Genna protesting walking anywhere, they enjoyed the freezing beach, the forest drive, and a short hike.  
Good Job Girls!  
Of course, when pressed, they will say their FAVORITE activity was: marshmallows.

Chicago Weekend

Jeff had a 3-day conference in the windy city this weekend.  It seemed like a good idea to take the whole family & show the girls the big city.  (Note to self:  Genna is banned from future outings until further notice)

All the requisite stops:  Crown Fountain, Cloud Gate (the Bean), and Oak Street Beach under the John Hancock building.  We should have skipped the beach and done Lincoln Park Zoo instead.

Genna was not hailing a cab (above).
Just waiting for the bus.
Maya was AMAZED at the scale of the buildings.  Not typically a fan of hand-holding, she latched right onto my RULE of always holding hands on the street.

Neither of them was willing to stick their arm in enough to touch a stingray.  They are much slimier than I anticipated.

@ The Shedd.  The dolphin show was Maya's
FAVORITE part of the trip.
Q: "Genna, did you like the aquarium?"
A:  "NO"

 Genna was constantly tired and or hungry.  And I quote (from a writhing floor tantrum on our last night)..... 
"Genna, you are so tired!"
"I'm NOT tired.  I'm just CRYING!"

Killing 90 minutes (to/from Evanston)
before picking Papa up to go home.

An add-on to the weekend was stopping at Grandma Glista's to camp out in the (dark) country to view the Perseid Meteor Shower on Sunday/Monday night.  However, in true Michigan style.... it rained all night.  (BTW, Grandma runs a giant lamp in her east yard all night, so it's really not totally dark anyhow).
Luckily the girls slept through the hard rain, except Maya's brief exclamation at 3am, "IT's TOO LOUD!!!!!"

Mid Summer 2013

Good thing we have a hill or else they would not be able to figure out how to slip 'n' slide.

4th of July at Fort Custer State Park.

What has proved to be more reliable than the air ballon launch at the Battle Creek Air Show?
Air Balloon traffic over our own backyard.

More Aeronautic fun.... kites in uncle Larry's hayfield.

Ew.  A dead snake.
Victim of the previous day's hay cutting?

Kalamazoo County Fair unlimited Ride pass.
Thanks Babçia & Grandma Glista!

It was a great year for berries!  We scavenged blackberries around the neighborhood and U-picked 60 lbs of big blueberries.