Burt Lake- Day 4

You couldn't ask for a better start to the day than blueberry pancakes! Lena really dug in, and she had it from the top of her head to her chin.  This was the only day that it was even remotely cloudy.  I let the girls get super messy with breakfast, and we killed some time after by taking a bath. Maddie took a pretty good spill this morning.  She tripped and fell (twice) on the driveway and scraped up her legs.  Chris brought her inside and put some Dora bandaids on her knees.  She refused to walk.  I assume her knees were pretty sore, because neither of the girls really cry when they fall.  She wouldn't even climb out of bed after nap time.  When she finally decided to give walking a try, she limped.  I knew she was really ok, so it was pretty funny.  How did she know how to limp?!  The weather cleared up by lunch time, so Dad took the girls for a ride, and they picked some wild flowers.  That night Chris gave the girls a ride behind the lawn mower.  They thought this was pretty cool.  They sat down the entire time they were pulled around the yard.  They waved at everyone as they went by, and smiled the whole ride.

Burt Lake- Day 3

On Wednesday the girls played outside quite a bit.  We drew with sidewalk chalk all over the front porch.  The kids ran around in the huge front yard, and actually worked up a sweat.  Throughout the trip everyone took turns with story time.  That evening we took about and hour and a half drive over to see Chris' Uncle David's new cabin.  We hung out with David and Linda, had some drinks and dinner, played yard games, and got to visit quite a bit.  M and L really liked the ladder ball game.  They chased the balls as the adults threw them from end to end.

Burt Lake- Day 1 and 2

Our first couple days on our annual trip to Northern Michigan were spend on the water.  We went on a few boat rides, swam off the boat, took the jet ski out, and pulled the girls in the neighbor's double tube.  Lena is officially part fish.  She threw a fit every time we took her out of the water.  We anchored the boat on a sand bar where it was just shallow enough for the girls (and Max) to touch.  Lena didn't want anyone to touch her.  She wandered around the entire time we were there on her own- of course it made me extremely nervous, but she did awesome.  In the evening, the adults enjoyed some quiet time watching the sunset next to the fire pit.  The s'mores were a perfect ending to the night.

Yesterday evening we took the girls to the New Albany Pool.  We had so much fun!  There are buttons to push, wheels to turn, slides to go down- you name it, they have it.  Mom and I followed the kids around while they played and splashed in the water.  Maddie was getting especially brave with the slides, until she started jumping at the top, slipped, and whacked her head on the way down.  She was fine, but it sure did take the wind out of her sails.  She clung to me for the rest of the time we were there (which I didn't mind, because they rarely do that).

I added this last picture, because I want you to realize my kids might have a slight hoarding problem.  They constantly have their hands and arms jam-packed-full of toys and sippy cups.  Mom brought each girls an Elmo doll and little ball, and I think the only time she has put them down is when her muscles relaxed while she is sleeping.  She wore this balloon from dinner until we insisted she take it off for bed.

One quick note about the Elmo doll- Maddie thinks there is something wrong with his mouth.  She keeps saying, "What happened mouth?"  We have finally figured out that Elmo's mouth is usually open in a great big smile, and the doll has a skinny smiling line in it's place.  Immediately upon seeing the doll, she asked what  happened and threw it down.  I kept trying to give it to her, but she said something was wrong with it and put it back on the ground.  I showed her how your mouth can be open or closed (Lena loved this game), and I think she is accepting my explanation.  She is coming around, and now she tells Elmo to open his mouth.  Now it is either, "Elmo, open mouth," or "Elmo happy!"