Lake Mitchell - Cadillac 2011

Our annual Lake Mitchell get-together with the loud, big, crazy side of the family was last week. 

I might post more pictures if I ever get them all from my brothers and sisters. There are also more pictures on facebook if you are really into looking at photos of all us in swimsuits and other slobby vacation wear.

Missing 2 of the grandkids (Lydia and baby Makayla)...and very soon there will be 15 total!

Lots of fishing for Dawson again this year. 

Pretty much all fishing, and a little baseball here and there (in between sleeping & meals.) 

He was pretty proud of his catches this year...included in the mix of sunfish and bluegills caught from the dock - were a Large Mouth Bass and pretty big Pike (while fishing with Uncle Chuck, on his boat).

There were fires everyday, thanks to David's fire building skills.

and....some bird roasting.

Lots of boating, on many types of boats.

Seven kids piled on this pattleboat and got stuck way far out away from shore. 

They had to swim it back, before they sank. 

Jamie had quite a story to tell us when they got back.

David & Taylor sailing, and Chuck/Julie/Sarah.

Dawson attempted to ski again this year (maybe not on his own will...but he tried at least).  He couldn't quite get up, so David took him around instead.

Jamie is getting more brave every year behind the boat.  She was even going no-hands for part of the time.  Maybe next year we will convince her to ski or kneeboard.

Taylor doing what 16 year olds do, and David taking his annual lap around the bay.

Lydia, Joel, Emily and brand new baby Makayla visited for a day.

Makayla

Hoping he will be this eager and helpful come November.

Topper came with us this year too.  He did what he does best...sit around. 

Not sure how no one got hurt with all the firey sticks in the hands of minors.

Besides all the fun shown above, most of us (who weren't busy building fires all day, or fishing, or boating) did a lot of reading.

Now, back to reality.

School starts in just a couple weeks!

Their Faces Pretty Much Say It All...

St. Joe Vacation / Family Reunion

We headed to St. Joseph, and the beach (more importantly) over the 4th of July weekend. 

37 people stayed in two houses, so that we could have a reunion, of sorts, with David's family. 

Here is the well coordinated photo that we took together before going home.



Look how happy and excited everyone is to be getting ready for a group photo!



Kayden & Jamie



Cousins

This is how we slept (or didn't sleep) for the few nights.  All four of us in one tiny room, basically camping.

The kids probably had the most fun in Mark & Leanne's cooled down hot-tub.  They wanted to go in everyday.

Josie is two and she sort of knows how to swim, which is a little crazy.  Sometimes she swallows too much water though, and here is what happens.

The bluff overlooking Silver Beach and the really fun splash pad fountain below.

Scavenger hunt fun.

Bags (or corn hole) fun.  Dawson is pretty good at it...who knew?  Ask him about how well he did in the tournament!

Grandma & Babies

Beach Fun.

We had a pretty good time even though all of us were a little grumpy by the end, due to lack of sleep.  Thanks Chuck and Julie for watching Topper while we were away, and thanks to Mark & Leanne (and their neighbors) for hosting us!

No More Training Wheels

Jamie has been working over the last two days to master her bike without training wheels.  You would think, knowing Jamie, that she would have mastered this a long time ago...but we kind of missed almost a year of biking opportunities while in the apartment.  She is making up for lost time now.

She was doing really well...until a major wipeout (going full Jamie speed - which is FAST). Good thing for helmets.

Don't Talk I Can't Concentrate!

Father's Day Weekend

Father's Day weekend consisted of a lot of 'manly' activities for us...

...like jackhammering...

...and sanding/staining stair treads.

Thanks again to David's hardworking parents for coming again this weekend, to help work on the money-pit, that we now call home. 
(I didn't take a picture of David's mom doing her 'manly' work, because she would kill me, but man did she whip that disgusting basement into shape!)
The place is feeling a more livable, little by little, after a lot of hard work each day. (On our own, and by our, I mean mostly David.)

Interviews with Jamie & Dawson on their last day of school

Jamie (Just Completed Kindergarten):

I am really good at:  Skipping
I like to:  Hula Hoop
My favorite thing to learn at school:  Reading
1 person who makes me laugh:  Miss Phillips (Wondergarten Assistant)
My best friend is:  Elizabeth B.
One word that describes me:  Cute
I am really happy when:  My friends are with me
I am really sad when:  I am alone
My favorite book:  Pinkalicious
My favorite TV show:  Phinneas & Ferb
My favorite movie:  Kung Fu Panda 2
My favorite vacation spot:   Mexico, where I got my hair braided
I like school when:   I'm in gym class
I do not like school when:   I have to take tests
My favorite season:  Summer & Fall
My favorite toy:  Littlest Pet Shop
My worst nightmare:  The witch from Ariel (Little Mermaid) steals me
This makes me mad:   When people are being mean to me
My favorite sport:   Soccer
I like my dad because:  I get to ride on his back
I like my mom because:  She hugs me
I like my family because:  They take me out to dinner
I like my grandparents because:   They have lots of games for us
My favorite thing about Dawson:   He looks like me
One thing I hope to do this summer:   Go to the beach
What I hope for the fall school year:   Have my birthday

1st day of kindergarten.



Last day of kindergarten.

Dawson (Just Completed 1st grade):

I am really good at:  Reading
I like to:  Watch TV
My favorite thing to learn at school:  Math
1 person who makes me laugh:   Me
My best friend is:   Jack T.
One word that describes me:   Artist
I am really happy when:   It is recess at school
I am really sad when:   It is raining at recess time
My favorite book:   "Watch Me Grow: Puppy"
My favorite TV show:   Looney Tunes
My favorite movie:   Kung Fu Panda 2
My favorite vacation spot:   Mackinac Island
I like school when:   It is the afternoon
I do not like school when:   It is the morning
My favorite season:   Winter
My favorite toy:   Nerf Guns
My worst nightmare:   Home Depot had an ice rink in it and polar bears & seals tried to eat me
This makes me mad:   When someone messes up my drawings
My favorite sport:   Baseball
I like my dad because:   He helps me build stuff
I like my mom because:   She helps me write
I like my family because:  They go ice skating with me
I like my grandparents because:  They take us to fun places
My favorite thing about Jamie:  We watch TV together
One thing I hope to do this summer:   Finish building my fort
What I hope for the fall school year:   To have all my friends in my class

1st day of 1st grade.



Last day of 1st grade.

Last Day of School!

Finally, it is officially summer! 

Today was the last day of school.  Jamie has happily passed kindergarten and will move on to 1st grade this fall, and Dawson will be a big 2nd grader!

Saying goodbye to our great Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McMaster.

Last lunch as a 1st grader (with his best buds Danny & Jack).