August 3, 2016
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| My family all arrived on August 3, dribbling in from about 3PM to 2AM. Mom was the first to arrive because we picked her up in Wisconsin from my sisters house. |
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| Next, my daughters and Nana kids arrived. Jamie and Blake couldn't make it this year because of work restrictions. While down by the lake Madalena found nature can make great bracelets (birch bracelets). Next my niece and her girls arrived and last my sister Karen arrive at 2AM. Her train was late and she missed her connection in Chicago, making her arrival in Grand Rapids, MI late. From there she had to rent a car and drive 3 hours in the dark to our place. I would have rented a hotel at that point and drove the next day. Not my sister, Karen, nothing stops her! |
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| With the entire family of 12 together (including Joe and I) our cottage cabin was full to the MAX! So the next day we headed down to the lake where there was more space. |
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| Joe helping the kido's with the water toys. |
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| The biggest hit was our new purchase, the Big Mable. |
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| We had originally bought this for the young adults, but the kids were the ones that enjoyed it the most. Noah, my grandson, and Cairy's my niece's daughter getting ready to rock and roll! |
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| Next our grandson's Noah and Lennox. |
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| Cairys (10) and Madalena (5). Madalena went once but it scared her and she didn't want to go again. I wasn't in the boat and was so surprised Lennox and Maddy went at all. |
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| Lennox age 7. |
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| My daughter Tiffany hurt her knee this year at a new trampoline business called the "Factory" that just opened in the Gulf Shores, AL. area. She tore her ACL, MCL, and Meniscus. I didn't think she was going to be able to make it, since it happened 2 months prior to the scheduled family gathering. She had surgery a month after the incident and then went into physical therapy. Her story will be told on my daughter Alisha's blog at http://thefracturefactory.com/ soon. A month after they left our place, her husband Jamie hurt both his knees at the same place requiring surgery on both. Both are still recovering and far from 100% When Tiffany arrived, I took her to my chiropractor and he did laser treatment on her knee, 3 times that week to help with the recovery. |
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| The next day, we went to Whiting Park/Campground which is just a mile up the road from our home. My mom June and my sister Karen. |
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| Since there are no tether ball poles in the south (all the kids live in Alabama and Florida) it was another big hit. Thank goodness for old fashion fun. |
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| Maddie and Noah on the slide, and of course Noah always has to do it the wrong way. Every family has a dare devil. |
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| Noah would be the one of the Nana kids. |
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| Me and my oldest daughter Alisha. |
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| It was a bit of a windy day, so the water felt a little colder. Hunting for rocks was a good alternative. |
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| We were looking for Petoskey stones. This is the biggest one I have found of yet. Tiffany also found one. They are really pretty when polished. This one is a really good one for it's size. |
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| We also had water guns for the kids to play with, |
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| Lennox |
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| My sister Karen and her daughter Traci, and her granddaughters Falon, 13 and Cairys, 10. |
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| That evening Joe treated us out for dinner at the local Thick n' Juicy hamburger joint. We pretty much took over half the joint. |
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| Falon, Mom, and Maddie. |
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| I took some of my daughter the photographer, pictures to post on this blog. You can tell hers from mine as the quality of color and angles. |
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| Noah and Maddie |
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| After dinner we stroll downtown Boyne City for their "Up Town Friday Night" that is held every Friday night through the summer. There are local musicians on almost every corner, free bottle of water, popcorn, horse and buggy rides, and balloon hats for the kids and more. Here the kids are getting a book signed by the author. |
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| A picture of the kids in front of a store front. In all the pictures, Noah was always behind the flowers. I guess he didn't want a picture like he does most the time. |
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| Of course the kids found stuff animals from a shop in town, from a recently seen theater movies, "Secret Life of Pets" Lennox got Max, and Noah got Buddy. |
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| When we got home the kids just had to go for an evening swim. |
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| We were really "Blessed" as the water temp hit 79 degree just before the family arrived for the gathering. |
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| The next morning the girls and some of the other early birds hit the Saturday morning Farmers Market in town. |
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| Farmer Market pictures courtesy from Alisha Ann Hilamen. |
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| One of the two Food Trucks at the Wednesday and Saturday Boyne City Farmers Market. |
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| When everyone got back from the Boyne City Farmers Market, Alisha said, "Your Farmer's Market put Gulf Shores Farmer's Market to shame". I said, "I know"! For a town of 3000 people, we have an incredible Farmer's Market. |
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