Go Fly a Kite

Beach-camping wouldn't be complete

without some kite-flying.

This year,
 as my oldest was further down the coast,

I realized he was about to learn about 

the birds and the bees

if we didn't redirect his kite-flying.

But the wind was loud,

and so were the waves,

and he was completely oblivious

to the head I had seen peeking up from the beach grass,

and the arm pulling it back down,
as he ran even further and let out still more string.

His kite was really high up in the  sky,

and if it crash landed,

it was gonna nose-dive into

something worth telling the kids at the lunch table.

I told my other son, who was close to me,
"See those people?  Don't go over there."
He replied with alarm-
"MOM, Don't they know there could be a snake in that beach grass???"
(!)

How does it end?

Of course, we had to go get him.
He's still a baby.

Almost There

That's what you would say 

just as you crested this dune...

...before your descent down to the coast.

Back to Muskegon, Michigan,
Hoffmaster S.P.,

best family friendly local getaway 
within 3 hours.

Just got back from a few days of doing 
 absolutely nothing

except camping out,
 eating mo's
and some roasted wienies, too.

Maybe dodging a little rain,

and swatting some mosquitoes,

~but no serious business~

what.so.ever.
except serious beach-camping.







It's July and it's full-blown summer.

Pumpkin Farm Fun

Lewis' Pumpkin Farm in New Era, Michigan offers all the family traditions you're looking for in a family pumpkin farm.

Acres of pumpkin farm surrounded by loads of family fun.

Pedal cars and pumpkin jumps...

...pumpkins everywhere.

This was our second year in attendance.

Lots of cool things to climb on,

a kids' train through the orchard,

a lengthy haunted hay ride through an orchard --complete with pumpkin chucker,

and hands down the best petting zoo around.

The goats were able to climb over us in this crazy goat apartment complex.

Someday,

if our ten acre small farm is ever realized,

we will definitely have some of these. 

And maybe a few of these, too, because I really love the fiber.

Alpacas are so darn cute.

We still talk about maybe adding a few turkeys to our yard next year.

This place had chickens, pea fowl, a camel, a donkey, two ponies... the kids were very excited. 

They also had a great market with fresh apples as big as a doorstop, breads, pies, toys, ice cream, apple juice, etc.  Just delightful. 

All very reasonably priced, too, I would say.  Much more affordable than the over commercialized pumpkin farm back by our hometown where they ship the pumpkins in overnight on a flatbed (so fake).

 

Bee, the camel, was very up close and personal!  A very friendly camel.

The sun was bright, the air was warm, and you couldn't ask for better weather for fall.

(Can you tell they just wanted to run around and do stuff??  No more pics, Mom!!)

Indian Summer

When it gets too cold too fast and then warms up on ya, you have an Indian Summer.  One last hoorah before the bleak winter befalls us.

We took the kids up to Muskegon, Michigan this weekend.  We left Friday night, pitched a tent in the dark with the help of some car head lights, and got some sleep.

We woke up to this.

This is a family favorite place to go.

The hiking trails are so beautifully detailed by mother nature.

One trail in particular leads you over Black Creek.

As you travel down the trail along the creek, you eventually come to the edge of a sand dune.  The creek empties out into the lake below.

Just beyond the crest of this dune lies Lake Michigan.

(That is our daughter tearing towards the lakefront).

The sun was brilliant.  People were sailing and flying kites.

There is the shallow creek as it feeds into the lake.

The water was cold, but not cold enough to keep little boys out.

Linking up this week with:

Debbie Doos Monday Newbie Party