most evenings….the sunsets into the water right in front of our bluff/cliff.
quite an amazing site.
wiffle ball games and big pushes on the tire swing while we soaked up that yellow light.
photo by talby. :) i think this is my i-love-being-in-this-place-so-much-and-i-don't-ever-want-to-leave face.
suddenly the dads proclaim "bonfire on the beach" and all the kids run to the stairs.
i think to myself "really? do we have to go down those stairs again?"
but i go because there is no place in kansas to have a beautiful bonfire on the beach that will trick your mind in to thinking you are on a tropical island or living in a LOST episode.
this is not even the halfway point….
goofy boys. jake telling me "don't put this on your blog!" and me saying "you didn't sign the waiver jake!"
sean discovered monarch caterpillars at the bottom of the stairs. my favorite!
depending on which way you faced the pictures turned out quite differently.
making smores on a windy beach is challenging….but they find a way when there is chocolate involved.
and the fireworks came out…..
and then it was dark.
i used my flash….the first time in years.
the smoke from the fire made it look groovy man.
i think they were jedis? or harry potter fighting? who knows.
they are using the cardboard the glow necklaces came in….not sticks.
it was beautiful.
and fun.
and worth the 223 steps back up…..i think.
………………………………………..
school enrollment today.
yippee.
$$$$ writing checks and filling out forms……my favey……..not.
………………………………………..
you can enter to win a $100 visa gift card from Degree motionSENSE
deoderant over here…have you done it yet?
why not?
it's $100!!!
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how is your summer list coming along???
deb - I am a native of Northern Michigan,and still live in the same town I was born in. After seeing your pics, and reading the comments, I am reminded of how very BLESSED i am to live in “God’s Country” Mario B., Michael Moore, and a few other well knowns have now made this area into home…you should come for a visit!
Kim Barlow - Our summer list is about half way done. Only a few things left on it and some of those just aren’t going to happen! HA!
shasta - love your pictures…the “golden hour of photography” makes everything look so perfect and dreamy!
Jenny B. - Oh, it all looks so dreamy… And the weather… Sigh… 🙂 Thanks for the reminder about the summer list. Ours has been sorely neglected. Maybe we need to do a fall list. 😉
Heather Bachman - Long time lurker, first time commenter… I feel like I know you even if you don’t know me. 🙂
Talby looks like a mini-Lauren in those pictures. So beautiful!
Your vacation looks like so much fun.
Trisha - Just wanted to say that I love your Michigan posts – I am from a suburb of Detroit, and I so love my state (despite all the bad stuff), ESPECIALLY Western Michigan. Heaven.
tara - talby is beautiful.
pictures are awesome.
what a wonderful trip with loved ones.
makes me think I’m gonna really miss being 40 minutes away from the beach when we move from Orlando in 2 weeks….
amber - I love monarch caterpillars too. That picture of Talby smiling on the beach looked so much like Lauren. And…the beach is our favorite. Texas lakes do not have beaches like that. Crazy, awesome, huge lakes…God is so cool.
happygirl - Such wonderful pics. WHAT A LOT of STAIRS. You got to do cardio every day. Awesome. 🙂
elisa - You are making me want to go to Michigan so bad!!!
Love the pics!
jen - Those stairs remind me of a lot of things. Most of all, they remind me that God has so many blessings and good things planned for our lives. Sometimes we look at the things that He asks of us and are like, “Are you kidding me?” and the work to get there seems tremendous. But the blessing at the end of it is SOOOOOOO great! Enjoy the rest of your summer. BTW…this is my official delurk post:)
Ayca - where is waffle?
Kristin Cronk - Ahhh Michigan. We like to savor our summers here too… because come winter we’re itchin to get back outside and see some sun!
I adopted your Treat Tuesday tradition in my house a few months ago, and I have to say… it makes me soooo happy! 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
Amy Slavik@ Little For A Little While - We are rockin’ our summer list! Thanks for such a fun idea! We’ve checked off about 2/3 of it, and with a few more weeks of summer we just might do it all! Love the monarch caterpillars, all butterflies are just gorgeous!
jennibell - WOW!!! The tourism dept for the state of MI should contact you and GET those release forms signed and pay you top dollar for these photos. . .who doesn’t want to visit the beaches of northern MI after this post???? I would post these *everywhere* in my house to remind me of happy, happy days on even the crummiest and cold winter ones. You are a blessed momma, Megan.
Tina I - We only have 2 things left on our summer list! It’s a catch 22….I’m so sick of my kids that I can’t wait for school to start, but know I will miss them terribly when it happens. Glad you enjoyed your vacation! I really love reading your blog. Wish I could be as calm and laid back as you seem with my 5 kids. Also wishing for a Lake Michigan vaca, now, too:-)
karen - very nice. i love your ‘i-love-being-in-this-place-so-much-and-i-don’t-ever-want-to-leave face’!! go black meg..would be stunner with your eyes!!
Tracey - We have one week left and have gotten through about 1/2 of our summer list. As much as my kiddos can make me crazy, I LOVE summer with them, and I am not ready for school to start back up.
Lisa - Every time you share your pictures of Michigan it makes me want to vacation there. Even with all those stairs! 😉 Really beautiful pictures.
julia - I love those stairs…in theory.
alicia @ la famille - that is quite the set of stairs…bet you’ve got some toned up legs after that vacation! our summer is list coming…just not ready for school yet. 🙁 we homeschool, but i have TONS of planning to do…TONS!
Gretchen - These pictures make me want to abandon my declaration of being done with summer.
LOVE the bonfire on the beach idea. NC usually bans them. Oh, and waves without the fear of sharks? Divine.
I CANNOT believe the picture of the stairs. I sure hope no one had to make a potty run back to the house 🙂
Kimberly Dial - I’d go down (& back up) 223 steps for some s’mores & that sunset! 🙂 I’ve never been to Michigan but you sure make it look like an awesome vacation spot … you should contact their Board of Tourism, show ’em your blog, say “You’re welcome”! LOL 🙂
Kimberly Dial - I’d go down (& back up) 223 steps for some s’mores & that sunset! 🙂 I’ve never been to Michigan but you sure make it look like an awesome vacation spot … you should contact their Board of Tourism, show ’em your blog, say “You’re welcome”! LOL 🙂
Ali - Wow, that all looked like so much fun! Wish I was one of your kids! Although I think you are a year or two younger than me! 🙂
Do your kids go to a private school? Is that why you put $$$$ in your posts about back to school? Or do you just talking about school supplies and back to school clothes?
~ Ali
Tiffany - amazing photo of ur talby on the beach. ah.mayyyy.zing!
michelle - Hi Meg!
Just wondering if you can tell me the name of this place you rented on Lake Michigan? It looks like a super fun vacation and fun to do with another family….if you are able to send me the name of this place, I would be interested in looking into it. We live in MN and when we head to Duluth we always enjoy time on the beach on Lake Superior. THANK YOU!!! Michelle
Heather - I totally get the “I love this place and I never want to leave” thing. It’s how I feel on the gulf coast of Florida. It’s why we’re going back May 2012. It’s why I have a hard time when we plan a trip elsewhere. The fireworks shots are great!
Valerie@Chateaualamode.typepad.com - Love that you’re sharing your trip with us. Looks like such a fun time.
Pamela Gordon - That is a lot of steps but so worth it. What great pictures!
Secret Mom Thoughts - Those are some stairs. These photos really show that you had a great vacation.
Karen Gerstenberger - Those photos and memories are treasures that you & your family will dip into for years to come – so beautiful! And the steps? I can see that one would have to eat a lot of s’mores to have enough energy to go back up. On the plus side, all of you probably slept so well after the glorious fresh air and exercise!
Aimee - What a divine trip. I would love to create a family tradition trip like this.
We never got around to making a summer list this year! I can’t believe it. After a long, busy school year, we’ve just been having the laziest, most relaxing summer EVER.
Katie - Wow looks so amazing, a bonfire on the beach sounds like heaven! 🙂
Cindy - We’ve had tons of fun with our summer list! But sadly two of my favorites won’t get checked off this year…we sort of missed the window for them: catching fireflies (why, oh why are there none around our home? next year we will SEEK them out!) and picking blueberries at the berry patch (apparently the robins beat us to them this year!) But we still have a few fun activities to carry us through the end of the summer…and then we start our Fall List!! Totally think it’s my fav season…pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, apple orchards, football games, hot apple cider…ahhhh!
elma - WOW All those steps!!! School is comming way to fast.
colette - gorgeous. a campfire on the beach sounds wonderful.
i’ve been following your blog for a while but have never commented. just wanted to tell you that i love it and am always so inspired by your words and pictures. thank you!
Jill - The vacay looks so peaceful. The stairs are lovely, I think I’d get a bad case of vertigo on them!
Diana D - I have been reading your blog for a few months now and have never commented. I really enjoy your wit and outlook!
It looks as though you guys thoroughly enjoyed Michigan. We still have 3 weeks of summer break left (although the heat will stick around much longer here in Texas), but we have accomplished most of what we had on our Summer List. The extreme heat has sidelined us a few times, but we have traveled quite a bit to escape!
Seriously Sassy Mama - We have almost completed our entire Summer List. It was so much fun to be able to do all the fun activities with my girls. Only three weeks left till school starts.
Jen Brandt - What great pics, Meg. Love the one Talby took of you. 🙂 Summer list is almost done = 🙂 and 🙁
Jenna - Summer List: have a baby
Check! Now just trying to find time to sleep 🙂
Jenna
momofmanyhats.blogspot.com
Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - Since we start school in two weeks I was just thinking last night of making a FALL List. We never actually made a formal summer list. It seemed everyone else but us made them. But we seized the opportunities that came at us each day and made the most of our summer. Its been amazing and I cant believe its almost over{sniff sniff}. But we’ll be moving on to new things, the changing seasons and cooler weather. Lots to look forward to:)
Darcie L. - Almost done with our Summer List, but we only had a few items on ours… just a 3-year old and me, plus newborn, so we don’t get too far! Still have to have a Poker Nite for daddy and his friends. Love your blog… next year’s list will include finding time to come meet you!
staci amy - What a gorgeous place =) our enrollment is next week!!!!!! We are sooo ready!!
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Can you believe school starts to soon?! Forms, forms, forms… that has been my week! Ugh!
Jessi - I’m loving these Michigan posts. Gah… I need a vacation. Is that possible with a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old? Do people even do that?
Gemma @ Musings of a gem - I’d love to go there someday..it looks like such a get-a-way!
Gemma xXx
Kerry - Meg you look sooooo relaxed! And I love the last pic of Lauren, so cool. Looks like you had such a chillaxing time, Kerry x
Holly - our summer break ended last week but we got a ton done! Do you make your older kids help fill out paper work for school? I totally do! ha!