Last week was spent visiting with family and friends in Wisconsin and Michigan. Even being there a week it is never enough time to fit everything and everyone in! We sure tired though. Our first stop was to visit Colin, Stacey and Ellie. The kids had lots of energy to spare even though the adults were much more tired - wouldn't it be great to tap into their energy?? Outside we went for a little walk down the street!
Meanwhile, Colin mowed their grass at lightening speed! The boys conned their way into a cruise around the yard...
Relaxing on the swing.
The next stop on our adventure took us to Peshtigo to visit with my sister and her family for a bit. Preston, awesome cousin he is, took the boys to Badger Park to play while the grown-ups visited and unloaded the car. She found a ton of trophies and dog ring gates out here in the cities for free so I picked them up for the 4-H club and delivered them - good thing we were driving home two SUVs! We took Preston with us for a visit up north and off we were again. This time we stopped at Wellyns' parents briefly to drop off the good old Mountaineer to its' new owner, Ashley.
We made it to my parents' house for dinner on Monday. We filled up the week with sightseeing and visiting and since I have so many pictures I'll just skip to them!
Here we are at Palms Brook State Park outside Manistique, MI. It's been a few years since I've been there and they have made several improvements on the raft including putting a cover over it, handy since it started sprinkling while were out on it. The mosquitoes were out in full force; Wellyn ran up to the gift shop for some spray so we wouldn't be totally eaten alive.
In case you're not familiar with the area, here's a little bit about The Big Spring aka Kitch-iti-kipi:
Two hundred feet across, the 40-foot deep Kitch-iti-kipi is Michigan's largest freshwater spring. Over 10,000 gallons a minute gush from fissures in the underlying limestone. The flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degree Fahrenheit
A view down at the bottom of the spring and some of the large trout swimming around.
Brendan manning the raft to get across.
My mom, me and Aiden looking down the center of the raft to see the trout and bubbling bottom.
That night we took the boys downtown to play for a little bit. The church we were married in has expanded their playground so the boys couldn't wait to go try it out.
Preston and my mom hit Gulliver Lake while we were gone... all those trout got them thinking of fishing! Preston was top fisherman, bringing in two pike and one bass - all without a landing net in the rowboat; I know, wish I would have been there (in a separate boat) filming that!
Hearing all the fist stories, the boys were anxious to go fishing the next day. However, the boat wasn't quite ready to hit the icy water yet. So, the boys helped Grandma dig some worms and we took off for Garlyn Zoo in Naubinway, MI. It was our first visit and the boys had a good time. There was quite a variety of animals housed along the wooded trails and an abundance of chickens, peacocks and guinea hens running around at will. Feeding the goats is always popular.
The not so friendly llama.
The super loud geese honking up a storm to beg some food.
Aiden getting ready to put his apple down the tube to feed the black bear.
The very lazy black bear that just kind of leaned over and rolled the apple to him, not giving us a good photo op!
The sitka deer that I fell in love with. There were several little babies all spotted and cute in the pen too.
One of the many resident peacocks just hanging out on the path. I love peacocks, only because I have so many memories of waking up super early at my grandfathers' peacock farm to them being so noisy when he went out to feed them.
After the zoo and lunch we headed back to Gulliver and pulled in just as the rest of the fam was launching the boat at the landing. Wellyn all ready to brave the water and help the guys put in the boat lift.
Preston taking Brendan for a little boat ride.
Brendan rowing with a little help.
The guys putting the lift in.
Scaring the boys that they are going to get dropped in the water.
And finally, what they had been waiting for, a ride in the boat!
Later in the evening we went for a fishing trip. Brendan caught this little perch right away and that was it for a long time. He did have a bass at one point, but it shook hook while jumping around. Preston caught one other little perch (maybe the same one??) and that was it for the night.
Aiden was addicted to digging for worms, found it much more fun than actually going out in the boat to fish.
The boys rockin' out in the big teepees outside Big Boy after having some dessert.
Friday we headed back to Wellyns' parents to visit with everyone there. It was a special trip since Ashley was home on his last leave before flying to Pakistan for the next year and a half to be stationed at the US Embassy. He will take all our love, thoughts and good wishes over there with him as we pray for his safety as well as that of all the other service members working to protect our freedom. We are looking forward to 'seeing' him on the computer with Skype.
The boys wasted no time in wrestling with him.
Maxwell hugging Uncle Ashley ;)
Brendan getting a backrub from Grandma Donna and Ellie.
Getting a picture of Ellie sitting with someone is much harder these days, you have just a few seconds before she's ready to get down and play! She has places to go and things to explore. A quick shot of her and Ashley.
Trying out the hoola hoop.
Max hugging his mom, Lindsey, giving me his scrunchy face smile (my personal favorite). Too cute!
Ellie and Stacey paused for a quick smile and photo ;)
Levi lifting up Brendan with one arm... muscles!
Wrestling with two uncles, what could be better? The wild play of boys...
Lindsey and Stacey going for a walk with the little ones to see the new sandbox, swing and slide at Maxs' house.
Aiden got right to work!
Max lending a hand.
Aiden with the little green inch-worm he found in the sandbox.
Checking out the bugs on the apple tree - yuk!
Saturday morning brought about the end of the first Pomeroy Biggest Loser. We started at the beginning of the year and have all been exercising ever since. The 'final' event was a two-mile run to see who could improve their time the most. That percentage was added to the personal percentage of weight loss and the number of exercise hours. It was a painful event (for me!), but everyone finished with better than their beginning times. Colin won the 2 mile race, but Wellyn won the overall title of Pomeroy Biggest Loser! Here we are afterwards.
Uncle Levi took the boys out to his old fort on the 4-wheeler. Brendan LOVES the fort! He has big plans for it too, like reinforcing the floor to put in a mini-hottub and all sorts of other super cool mini- amenities!
We had a wonderful visit with family from Wellyns' dads side; aunts, uncles, cousins and little ones we don't always get to see. It was fun to have everyone together, catch up and relax as the kids went wild ;) I even got to hold their cousins' little baby, Luke.
Little Max looking just adorable during the festivities.
Kids are drawn to Ashley like a magnet; he's just too cool! Here he is with his phone after having the kids yell as loud and as long as they could while he took a movie of them. Boys Carson and Brent joined the crew, very special to see how well Carson is doing these days.
A trip outside since they were all revved up. A game that was to try to spill his beer - little do they know he's had lots of practice holding a bottle of beer.
Ellie not too happy to be inside while the kids were outside!
Ashley getting a little help from cousin-in-law Phillip.
For whatever reason Aiden decided to show everyone his dinosaur underwear during the game.
Sunday morning brought the whole family to church where Max was baptised. The little ones all did really well through church, certainly livening it up a bit.
Lindsey and Maxwell all dressed up!
Getting a picture of the kids all dressed up and together was a challenge. I should have tried to do it before the baptism!
