Vacation!!

Ahhhhhh......there is NOTHING like a good vacation to get your heart, body, and mind where they need to be.  While rest wasn't on the top of my priority list, not having an absolute set schedule for 10 days straight was a form of rest for me.  You want to know what is also restful?  Full loads of laundry with all stains gone, completely folded, and placed on our bed all of which was done by my wonderful mother!!  She is an amazing person and SO great with "baby Spencert" (yes with a T)(that's what our neighbor's little boy calls him!!).  She just kept trying to force B and I out of the house with just each other so that she could steal our little guy for a few hours.  She is never impatient with him (even when he is being naughty) and she couldn't love him more!

Warning, the next two days of posts are going to be picture overload, so feel free to ignore them if you could care less about our little family vacay!!

The first day we were there, it was warm but slightly overcast.  Not really what we would consider a "beach day".  My aunt and uncle bought a new boat this spring, so we were able to go out on it Sat afternoon.  It was SYT's first boat ride and he seemed to love it!  I was a little nervous as I can get a little queasy on boats at times and I wondered if he would have the same issue.  He didn't seem to have one bit of trouble, thank goodness.  The last thing I wanted was baby puke all over the nice white leather seats!!

(The sun finally came out!)

Spencer and my mom- "Mimi"

Gorgeous boats on the bay

Saturday night my mom and Ralph watched SYT so that we were able to go to dinner with friends.  It was a great first night as we were able to catch up with everyone.

After dinner we were all able to stay out a little longer and have drinks at a new place downtown.  They have a great outdoor roof deck, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. 

After Saturday afternoon, we didn't have one even remotely bad day of weather while we were there.  It was simply gorgeous!  Sunday, and most days thereafter, we spent part of the afternoon (either before or after SYT's nap) at the beach with our friends and their children.  Spence loved the baby pool, the lake, and the sand.  He occasionally got a little testy when another child was playing with a toy he wanted, so I would have to intervene a bit.  Sharing will take awhile, I think!!

Sunday night we went to Vespers with my Grandmother.  The theme was patriotic music (being on July 3rd and all), and it was perfect.  I feel so lucky that B is willing to attend things like this with me.  Most of the members that go to Vespers are, on average, between 50 and 70 years old, but I adore the weekly Sunday night concerts and went almost every Sunday with my Gram even when I was 17, 18, 19, etc.  After the concert we went to a party at SSK's parents cottage.  It was so much fun!!  A few cocktails later, B and I called it a night and headed home to prepare for my favorite day of the year!!

 A few shots of the kiddos at the Harbor Springs Parade.  Spence loved the parade.  He was clapping every time a band or a float with music went by, and he would wave and wave at all the cars.

 

A friend of mine monogrammed his outfit and it turned out to be cuter than I could have hoped for.  He had on little blue sandles with stars on them too. 

B and I did the Paul Revere Run the morning of the 4th (B pushed SYT in the stroller so that he would have a slow enough pace for me to run with him!) and spent the time before the parade exploring the art show.  We had a family dinner at my Gram's that night and watched a few fireworks but were so exhausted, we didn't end up seeing most of them.  The first big fireworks didn't start going off until after 10:30.  With a little one who gets up between 6 and 6:30, numerous late nights in a row make for a tired mommy and daddy!! 

More pics (and the rest of the week) to come.....