Monday, July 12, 2010

Did you miss me?

I’m baaaack!  You know you missed me!  This is actually the first break I’ve taken from blogging since last summer when I first started my blog.  Speaking of which, one week from today is my one year blog anniversary!  Yeah!

We actually got back from vacation on Saturday, but I just haven’t had a chance to sit down and write anything.  I honestly have so many pictures to share, I don’t even know where to start!

Maybe I’ll just go in order, that might be easiest.  We left on Saturday afternoon, after spending at least an hour trying to get the car packed up.  By the time Shawn was done, we totally looked like the Beverly Hillbillies!

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Oh, and see that yellow ladder on the right edge of the picture?  I climbed up on top of the car, and then couldn’t get down!  I was up there whining and crying, meanwhile my children were pointing and laughing. 

On the way to Silver Lake, we stopped at the Country Dairy because that day was their yearly ice cream social!  Hey, I’m all for free ice cream!  So, we ate ice cream, made butter, petted some calves, and the girls got their picture taken with a cow:

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I think we finally made it to Silver Lake around 4pm.  I’ve always loved the view on the road we come in on, you can see the sand dunes, and behind the dunes, the blue part is Lake Michigan:

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We spent our first two nights there in my parent’s motor home, because the people who own the condo we rent wanted to stay in it for the Fourth of July weekend.  It wasn’t ideal, but we made the best of it!  On Sunday my brother, sister-in-law, and baby Ethan came up to spend the day.  We spent almost the whole day swimming at the pool and then watched the fireworks over Silver Lake that night.

Ethan loved playing in the water:

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He is cutting his top two teeth, so he kept biting his top lip…my brother and sister-in-law were calling him a bull-dog!

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Alivia and Lainey swam almost every single day.  By the end of the week, Alivia was even diving into the deep end!

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Ethan stayed awake to watch the fireworks, which he seemed to love!  He never cried or anything, but he wasn’t a fan of me taking his picture:

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On Monday my sister and her whole clan came up.  Again, we spent the whole day playing at the pool and that night the kids went and rode go-karts.  I sat out the go-karts this year due to the fact that I was involved in a crash last year between Shawn and my brother-in-law two adult males who shall remain nameless.  I’m still pissed about that, especially since both guys keep pointing fingers at the other!

Okay, onto the pictures…

Alex and I playing in the pool:

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Before I go on, I have to tell you how stinkin cute this kid is!  When I was in the shallow end with him, he pointed down to the deep end and said “Hey, Aunt Tami!  See that #8 down there?  That’s my favorite number.  #8!”  My sister told me to tell him my favorite number, which is 7, and he even remembered it on Friday when he came back!

My brother-in-law asking me “Hey, does this look normal?”

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Um, no.

Riding the go-karts:

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Watching the other kids ride:

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Grandpa and baby Ryan:

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My niece, Natalie, wearing her Dad’s hat:

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Whew!  That was only the end of the first two days!  I hope I don’t bore you to death with all these pictures.  I’ll leave you with one more picture of one of the many beautiful sunsets we saw:

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28 comments:

Cristy said...

Just found your blog (while you were vacationing actually), and it's so wonderful!

Good for you for getting those kids in the pool so early! My husband is an avid swimmer (swam competitively) and he already wants to get our 7 week old baby girl in the pool! haha!

Jen said...

Glad you are back. Was starting to wonder when you were going to post about your trip.

Loved looking at all the pictures, and by the way, your bathing suit is so darn cute!!

I just went back and watched the video on my blog, totally didn't see the name on the one tag. Thanks for tuning me into it.

Hillary said...

Did Andrea drive a go-kart this year or are you suspect again? Just curious!

Yeah for the girls being little fish! And omg Ethan is so cute!!!

Charbelle said...

Welcome back!!! So glad ya'll had a fun time!! The pictures are awesome!!

Nicole Marie said...

Love the pics--looks like everyone enjoyed themselves! Ethan is such a cutie!

Kelsey Claire said...

I did miss you! It looks like you were very busy and had a great time the first two days you were gone! Can't wait to see more!

Liz Mays said...

Welcome home!!! You had so much fun in the sun!

Love the little tooth cutter cutie!

Lindsey said...

Your vacation sounds like so much fun! I love that you got to spend time with your siblings and nieces and nephews, those are the best times. Glad your back safe,sound, and hopefully rested.

Erin said...

love all the pictures. Looks like a blast. Glad your back to the bloggy world, breaks are nice though and needed sometimes!

Amanda M. said...

Looks absolutely beautiful and SOOOO glad you're back. :)

Shell said...

What a gorgeous sunset. And b/c I hate you just a little for being in a bikini, I feel okay telling you that I laughed a little at you being stuck on top of the car. ;)

Jenny @ Practically Perfect... said...

Of course we missed you! Your vacation looks like an absolute blast :-) Can't wait to hear more!

Christa said...

Glad your back!!!! Looks like you had a great vacation!! Loved all the pictures...what a beautiful picture of the sunset!

We are totally like the Beverly Hillbillies when we pack too! Last year when we left for Florida at 5 A.M. my bra wasn't dry....so wear do I hang it? The rear view mirror! Ha! When we pulled up to valet park at the hotel I almost didn't take it down to see what the valet guys would say!!! LOL.

Melissa said...

It looks like you had a great time! Those pictures are awesome..

P.S. You were definitely missed.

Sara said...

Looks like a blast was had by all! Love all the pictures!

Heidi said...

I was under the impression that Silver Lake was more for the big kids these days. Glad to see it's still family-friendly!

Meghan said...

Welcome back!!! Your vacation reminds me of so many I took as a kid - family time, swimming, ice cream, go-karts - I love it! You have one good-looking family, lady!

Tiffany said...

Love all of the pictures! It looks like you had a great vacation :)

Llama said...

Wait a second...lets go back...they left you on the top of the car while they laughed?!?! hahahah! opppsss! i mean, oh no! how could they? You are so freakin adorable! Your trip looked absolutely amazing and relaxing! Welcome back friend!

Laura and Ryan said...

Cute kids!!

We missed you while you were gone!

Emily said...

looks like you guys had soo much fun!!! what a fun vacation! I love all your pictures.. your girls are just as cute as can be!!!

Nikosmommy said...

looks like your having one heck of a wonderful summer!!! Love it!

ty said...

It's about time, damn you. My week has lacked wry humor and swear words (not really the swear words at all, but you know).

Yankee Girl said...

I have been on my own break too! They are so nice sometimes.

Your pictures are great. I love seeing picture post, it helps remind me that everyone I blog with is actually real, and not just a figment of my imagination!

Beautiful sunset!

Amy said...

OMG! That baby Ethan is yummy!!

LWLH said...

You wouldn't want to go kart with me.....I have no mercy!

Old people, kids, Big Man, get the eff out of my way.

Unknown said...

I missed reading you! :) Glad your vacation was fun!!! Welcome back to bloggy land.

Unknown said...

Great pictures. I'm glad y'all had a great vacay. Now I want to know what your tat is of.