Vacation 2011

Anybody still out there???  I will be surprised!  Sorry folks - it's summer, what can I say?

We were able to get away this past week to have a little camping vacation.  I LOVE CAMPING!!  What I love even more than camping - is camping on Lake Michigan.  If you've never been there - then I suggest you go!!  It's truly beautiful.  Sand dunes, white sands, clear and seaweed-free water, nothing to bite you, sting you (well in the water anyway) or poison you.  Pine trees, blue waters and the sound of waves - it truly doesn't get any better than that.  If I had my way - we would camp for the entire summer.  My kids, however, have not inherited my love - at least to that extent - of the beach so we don't go quite as long as Mom would like.  We spent a significant amount of time in the water and we are all darker than we've been in years.

We also had some excitement with friends.  We were able to visit with some college buddies, the Knapps for a couple of days.  We stayed up late playing games and Sarah and I spent a night crushing the boys in Euchre.  Oh yeah, I went there :)  Unfortunately while we were at PJ Hoffmaster State Park, a woman ran up to us with her baby in her arms asking for help.  He fell in the water and had inhaled some water as far as she knew.  He was having a difficult time staying awake and was super lethargic.  He was not well.  We called 911 and the paramedics arrived to help him.  He kept going in and out of consciousness.  They whisked him away in an ambulance.  Please pray for the little guy and his family if you would.  We do not know how he is.  Later that same night, we went out to get some ice cream.  We had heard some sirens and when we turned the corner, a building a couple of doors down from the ice cream place was engulfed in flames.  It was a donation center for the church next door and provided clothing for the people in the community who needed it.  Please also be in prayer for this church and community as the building was totally destroyed.

It was a good vacation.  Now we're back to life and reality.  Please also pray as we have to come up with the first payment in these next 2 weeks for Elyse's college.  I am not ashamed to say we need a mighty move of God.  The money is not there and without God's hand, I don't know what we're going to do.  Also pray with us as Jon has tryouts this week for the soccer team at Pioneer.  He is terrified.  As I have explained before, making a soccer team there is a totally different story than making the team at his old school.  They do not have a freshman team and he will have to make JV or not play at all.  At his old school, it was lucky to get 40 kids coming out for the team.  At his new school, there were over 60 kids at conditioning alone.  There will most likely be close to 100 kids coming out for around 40 positions.  With Jon being the new kid on the block, not playing for travel teams in that area, and being so small - it will be hard for him to get noticed.  He is an excellent player and I say that not as his Mom, but as a varsity coach of 15 years.  However, this will be very hard for him.  Please pray with us that God's will be done and that whatever that will is, Jon will be able to handle it without too much disappointment.

We also have some other things going on that we need some prayer for.  I won't say what they are here - but just be in prayer if you would.  I appreciate it.

This has been a very long post and now I would like to share some pics of our vacation with you.  Thanks for sticking with me through months of dry time in my writing.  I will try to do better.  I hope you are all enjoying your summer vacations and please drop me a comment if your still here :)

 Doesn't get anymore beautiful than this!!

 My blueberry pickers.  First time picking blueberries.  I think they are only grown on the west side of the state because of the sand.  Not sure if that's accurate or not - but I've never seen a blueberry farm here.

 Kids not paying attention, Dad tired of trying to get a pick = this!!

 They are not only good to eat - but pretty to take pictures of!

 Another cool shot of the berries.

 Elyse says she's the best blueberry picker ever.

 The most handsome blueberry picker ever.... :)

 The most empty bucket blueberry picker ever (since he eats them instead of putting them in the bucket)!

 So beautiful.  That's Jon and Marty way down by the water.  These stairs, however, are killers.  I would have never gained weight if we hadn't moved to this side of the state!!

 My college girl.

 Oh how I could get used to waking up to this every morning.

 Another shot.

 And another.  I can't get enough of this place.

 Jon taking a nose dive attempting to run into the water.

 My beautiful girl.

 Swimming in Lake Michigan is the best!  Clear water.  You can see all the way to the bottom.  No seaweed = happy Mom!

 Never too old for this.

 Seriously - just look at the color of that water - in MICHIGAN!!!

 Sorry folks - are you tired of the beach pics yet???

 This kind of creeps me out...

 My boys.

 The kiddos headed out to the lighthouse at the city park.

 Lighthouse view

 Up close and personal.  Pretty, isn't it?

Match made in heaven :) 

 One more...

 Love these guys.  Hard to believe the one on the left will spend the next school year living in another state.  Where has time gone?

 Cherish the time.  

 Home for a week.  Love this tent !!

 The amazingly free food tent given to us by our camping neighbors who had no desire to drag it back to Chicago!  It was funny 'cause I said to my MIL the first day we arrived before I knew it would be mine "it would be so nice to have a food tent like that!".  God hears our every word!

The blazer and trailer - so awesome for camping!