Sleeping Bear

We took the kids to climb the Sleeping Bear Dunes on the shores of Lake Michigan. The view is beautiful at the top. The kids at Interlochen do a field trip out here every session and then Will and I did it when I picked him up last year, so this climb was old hat for Will. Bill and Eva had ever been here.

The kids are at play on top of the dune. Will looks like he's falling off a cliff but it is really a gentle slope! Eva finds a gymnastics opportunity wherever she goes.

Here we are at the top of the dunes; a nice guy took our photo because Bill and I rarely have photos with both of us in them. I think these make the dunes at Kitty Hawk look very small. I carried Lyra up in the backpack and my calves were SCREAMING. This makes up for not doing any running this week.

Blue Angels

The Blue Angels did some flying at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City. I love to watch them fly, it is just amazing! I don't want to know what the fuel cost was. We saw them warming up while we were waiting for fireworks on the 4th of July. At dusk, it was very clear just how much faster light travels than sound. We'd see the lights of the planes and then the sound would follow behind it in the sky. That night, they were flying much lower and faster. It was LOUD. Lyra is sort of afraid of planes now. We found her some earplugs for this performance.

This second photo looks just like the Air Force Memorial in Washington. Will and Eva call it "the french fry" memorial but it is clear that the memorial is supposed to represent flight, not food.

4th of July

Doesn't it look like the elk is watching the fireworks? Don't the fireworks look sort of like his antlers? Because Traverse City is so far north, it didn't get dark until quite a bit later than at home. The fireworks show didn't start until 10:30! The kids were wrecked and begging to go to bed. Isn't that funny? Bill took this photo as we were walking back to the car.

Eva is a Monkey

I have never seen monkey bars like this. We were walking around Traverse City and found a little playground with some different equipment from what we usually see at home.

There were 3 or 4 wheels mounted on a bar that gradually declined a bit from one end to the other. When you grab a wheel, your weight pulls you around to the next wheel. Then you have to grab that one quick and your weight pulls you around to the the one after that. It was not easy to hang on. Eva LOVED IT. She kept begging to go back to this playground.

How Much is That Doggie in the Window?

Lyra continues to request her signature 3 pony-tail hairstyle. She is starting to look like those little lap doggies that you can carry around in a purse. Which do you think is closer, the Chinese Crested or the Yorkie?

Adventure Baby!

At the International Cherry Festival in Traverse City, they had this big inflatable obstacle course thing. Will took Lyra on it. I think she went on it four times. Once she got the hang of climbing up over each obstacle, no one could keep up with her!

Ice Cream at its Best

Our connoisseur (or should I say "connoisseuse")...The mint flavor in this ice cream is just exquisite! And the dark chocolate is a perfect complement.

We had ice cream at Moomers which is supposed to be some of the best ice cream in the country. There were cows there an everything. As you can see, Lyra thoroughly enjoyed hers.