Some of M4's comments:
"Let's just enjoy this lovely, lovely sun."
"I am attracted to that." (Referring to a moon-walk jumpy bouncy thing.)
"It's just so nice to get away from the hustle bustle."
This was just in the span of a couple hours!! Good grief, I can't write down his hilarious words fast enough. I know there were more, but I can't remember! Ugh...I need to carry a wee notebook with me just for that purpose. My little old man...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Shipwrecks!! Real live shipwrecks!
Another highlight of our trip was taking a Lake Superior shipwreck tour. I was afraid it was going to be a rip-off tourist kind of thing (the words "glass-bottomed boat" just scream tourist!! to me). It turned out to be SUPER COOL! Even though things-underwater-that-aren't-supposed-to-be-there creep me out.
M4 checking out the Bermuda, the first wreck we saw:
People scuba dive these wrecks, too. That wouldn't really be my thing, but you go, divers!!
I don't remember which wreck this anchor belonged to, but isn't it cool anyway? The captain took us to see the rock reef that sank a lot of these boats. It's pretty spooky to look down and see the bottom of the lake under you, then just watch it drop away to the depths. Gulp.
Nice hair in the wind shot:
The tour was close to Grand Island, the whole of which is a national recreation area. We saw this fella hanging in his aerie:
I'll even put in a plug for the shipwreck tour company, if you ever happen to find yourself in Munising, MI.
M4 checking out the Bermuda, the first wreck we saw:
People scuba dive these wrecks, too. That wouldn't really be my thing, but you go, divers!!
I don't remember which wreck this anchor belonged to, but isn't it cool anyway? The captain took us to see the rock reef that sank a lot of these boats. It's pretty spooky to look down and see the bottom of the lake under you, then just watch it drop away to the depths. Gulp.
Nice hair in the wind shot:
The tour was close to Grand Island, the whole of which is a national recreation area. We saw this fella hanging in his aerie:
I'll even put in a plug for the shipwreck tour company, if you ever happen to find yourself in Munising, MI.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Beach tour
Did I mention that the beaches on our vacation were amazing? In order of our visits to them:
Petoskey State Park on Lake Michigan:
Still Petoskey...I love this pic of the water splashing up around M4:
An extra scenic view of the shore of Mackinac Island on Lake Huron. If you go, definitely rent bikes to get out of town...a trip around the island follows 8 miles of shoreline:
This beach was a 1.5 mile hike from our campground at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior. It was called Twelve Mile Beach. Twelve miles and NO people!!
And finally, Chapel Beach (still Lake Superior) was the last beach we hiked to. This was three miles from the trail head. That meant three miles back, but it was worth it! The kids did great! A waterfall from Chapel Lake falls right onto the beach, making a little river that heads out to the big water:
So maybe the Michigan Board of Tourism should hire me; clearly I was impressed!
Petoskey State Park on Lake Michigan:
Still Petoskey...I love this pic of the water splashing up around M4:
An extra scenic view of the shore of Mackinac Island on Lake Huron. If you go, definitely rent bikes to get out of town...a trip around the island follows 8 miles of shoreline:
This beach was a 1.5 mile hike from our campground at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior. It was called Twelve Mile Beach. Twelve miles and NO people!!
And finally, Chapel Beach (still Lake Superior) was the last beach we hiked to. This was three miles from the trail head. That meant three miles back, but it was worth it! The kids did great! A waterfall from Chapel Lake falls right onto the beach, making a little river that heads out to the big water:
So maybe the Michigan Board of Tourism should hire me; clearly I was impressed!
Friday, August 21, 2009
First day of school
How could I be such a terrible parent?? I didn't even take any first-day-of-school pictures!! Geez, I'm really falling down on the job. School started yesterday and both kids are very excited about the new school year.
I think they both have good teachers, although I hope M3 is challenged enough. I don't want her to slack because some things (reading and "language arts") come easily to her. We'll see how math is for her this year. Fortunately, her teacher last year helped her recover her enjoyment of math. (Thinking about her 1st grade teacher still makes me mad!!)
We took our new international student, who is from China, with us to M3's open house at school. M3 has about 21 students in her classroom. Our student said there would be at least 50 and up to 70 students in a room the same size at her school in China!! It's kinda hard to wrap my head around that.
I think they both have good teachers, although I hope M3 is challenged enough. I don't want her to slack because some things (reading and "language arts") come easily to her. We'll see how math is for her this year. Fortunately, her teacher last year helped her recover her enjoyment of math. (Thinking about her 1st grade teacher still makes me mad!!)
We took our new international student, who is from China, with us to M3's open house at school. M3 has about 21 students in her classroom. Our student said there would be at least 50 and up to 70 students in a room the same size at her school in China!! It's kinda hard to wrap my head around that.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Iowa State Fair
It's been almost a month since I posted??!! Crazy summer! I will post some vacation highlight pictures later, but I was insane enough to go to the Iowa State Fair a day after we got back from vacation. Despite the madness, I love going. Oversized farm animals, myriad foods on a stick (I actually had to trek ALL OVER to find a corn dog that was NOT a "foot-long." I mean, c'mon people, that's just obscene.), one-man bands, blistering heat...what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, and the best ice cream in Iowa!! (Sorry, Dairy Barn. Sacrilege, I know.)
M4 on his first roller coaster!! You can just see him on the left:
On the Sky Glider, above the madding crowd:
M3 and her buddy on this thing, whatever you call it:
M3 and her buddies on the Sky Glider (don't lose your flip flops!!):
And of course, the piece de resistance:
Apparently, Iowans voted "No" on a butter Michael Jackson. :-(
M4 on his first roller coaster!! You can just see him on the left:
On the Sky Glider, above the madding crowd:
M3 and her buddy on this thing, whatever you call it:
M3 and her buddies on the Sky Glider (don't lose your flip flops!!):
And of course, the piece de resistance:
Apparently, Iowans voted "No" on a butter Michael Jackson. :-(
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
July fun!!
Sorry it's been so long since I posted, but with four sets of visitors since July 4, it's been crazy around here! And a TON of fun! Not to mention my trip to Madison tacked on the end, which was also a blast. With my dad serving as SAG wagon/bike tech extraordinaire, some of us rode a few miles along the RAGBRAI route this past week:
My tandem riding partner, M3. She was a powerhouse!! It's nice to have two people to pedal up those hills!
M3, Noelle and Nick...M3 pedaled 18 of the 33 miles we did this day.
Lovely baby V...she's not too photogenic or anything... It was so fun to have her around! And it reminded me of how exhausting a mobile baby is!! OMG, Nick and Lauren can't be farther than a foot from her or she will find the most dangerous object in the room. And eat it.
I promise I will post more this week before we leave for our camping trip. As soon as we get back from that, it will be time for school to start...I can't really believe the summer is almost over! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
My tandem riding partner, M3. She was a powerhouse!! It's nice to have two people to pedal up those hills!
M3, Noelle and Nick...M3 pedaled 18 of the 33 miles we did this day.
Lovely baby V...she's not too photogenic or anything... It was so fun to have her around! And it reminded me of how exhausting a mobile baby is!! OMG, Nick and Lauren can't be farther than a foot from her or she will find the most dangerous object in the room. And eat it. I promise I will post more this week before we leave for our camping trip. As soon as we get back from that, it will be time for school to start...I can't really believe the summer is almost over! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
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