So this summer Patrick was working like a dog, so I decided to head up to the cottage with the kiddos to spend time with the fam.
Lily and Logan really hit it off!
Jackson loved taking a bath with all of his cousins!
they thought it was hilarious to blow bubbles in the water!
One day it was cool and rainy, so we took the older kids to Petoskey to look for Love MI shirts and we didn't find them, BUT we were able to get some yummy ice cream and treats!
I LOVE this pic of them peering into the many flavors of goodness!
One of Jackson's all time favorite things this summer was eating outside!
We did that A LOT up north and that made his very happy!
Logan loved it up north too and became a fan of stealing Aunt Molly's diet coke.
Just relaxing in the hammock.
We decided on friday night to hit up the local entertainment.
They shut down the town streets and set up a carnival!
Jackson was just a LITTLE excited.....haha
Lily was such a daredevil and she rode this HUGE ride.
You go girl!
i love her reaction the second she stepped off.....
Then the older cousins got to ride some rides together!
I love this super sweet photo of Joey on the car ride!
Jackson and Layla loved this bear ride and they went on it a few times while Lily and Jeremy were on the crazy fast, spinning ride aka The Zipper!
You can't see their heads, but the kiddos are up high in the sky in this cool bus.
Then the older kids rode the ferris wheel and Logan & Joey stayed in their strollers.
They enjoyed each others snacks, but Logan realized he was without his mama, and he let out a good hollering while we rode.
Riding high in the sky.......with the wind in our hair.
Behind us was Jeremy and the girls!
Lily played a game and even won a toy!
Logan calmed down after I held him for a few minutes and then he was ready to roll!
Jackson saw the big slide and wanted to ride it.
BUT, we had a bad situation at the last carnival when he went down, and i was even right next to him,
but he wasn't able to sit up and ended up falling backwards, losing his balance, and luckily i was right next to him and i just grabbed him arm and held him until we were at the bottom.
So, after that experience i wasn't too keen on his doing it alone, so his Auntie Mol rode it with him and i love the look of pure happiness on his face!
It will be a photo treasured forever.
Then the kid's did the fun house, quite a few times, until some teenage girls decided to get lippy and Molly had to give them a piece of her mind.
They seriously had NO right to be on a children's ride and needed a good talkin to!
The next day at the cottage the little ones were planning their escape for freedom....
Logan snuggled with his Uncle Jeremy.
and then he roared when he got out to the beach!
Love the silhouette of Jackson and Layla swimming.
Lily doing a beautiful pose, and check out that fantastic bathing suit!
People, it is orange and pink with POLKA DOTS.....it doesn't get better than that!
Jackson put the alligator floatie on and off he went!
Playing in the sand....
Logan loves the kiddie chairs!
Jackson tried out the goggles.
Logan LOVES the water!
Layla with a sweet smile floating in the lake!
I put Logan down for a nap and came out and Jackson was no where to be found.
Shortly after, I saw this coming into view and he just LOVED it!
Then we took everyone to Marti's for some food and ice cream!
Here is Uncle Jeremy getting the ball unstuck for the girls and the kids were all super interested.
Jackson and his favorite.....Superman!
Then the next morning I got surprised at breakfast and Molly told me that she booked a massage for me at Boyne Mountain Spa.
I couldn't believe it.
How crazy is that?!
So I didn't know what to expect, but I had heard AMAZING things about the place.
So off I went!
I arrived there and was given a locker, a robe, and flip flops......ahhhhhhh
This is what the inside looked like...gorgeous!
I was SO excited for the massage.....can you tell?
Solace.
Can I even begin to tell you how amazing this place was.
They show you all around and you have access to it all,
a pool, hot tub, sauna, and the best part.....they have this area called the relaxation room.
It is dimly lit, there are really comfy chairs and chaises,
soft music,
and they give you water and fruit.
It seriously was the most amazing place.
I sat in there and just took in the silence.
ahhh, something that I don't get much of.
and i just relaxed, i swear i could feel my blood pressure lower.
and after my body relaxed and my mind was clear......
guess what happened.
I'm sure you can imagine.
Yes, you're right.
The tears came.
I don't know why or how,
but they just did.
Release was needed.
So i sat there in my robe in a chaise, and just closed my eyes and let them come.
It seems to be a theme this summer.
and there is nothing to get around it,
it's natural and needs to happen.
It's part of healing and getting stronger,
and being able to move on to the next phase.
and then the massause came.
I wiped the tears away and off i went for a 90 minute massage.
Holy Fantastic.
Now that was a massage!
She said that I had knots in my shoulder area,
(which i already knew because that is where I carry my stress)
and she got them all out and I felt so great afterward.
I think that is evidenced in my eyes....
I'm a new woman!
A HUGE thank you to Molly and Jeremy for doing such a generous thing for me.
It was so appreciated!
The next day was beautiful so we spent it out on the beach with the kiddo's!
Grammy and Grampy arrived the night before and so we had everyone up there, minus Paddy and Sarah :(
Boat time!
Cousins!
Lily is all ready and she's going tubing!!
We went tubing and boy was that fun!
Of course Logan freaked out because I wasn't holding him.
Jackson LOVED watching us and I even got him on the tube with me!
BUT, I was moving to balance us better and the boat took off and we were submerged under the water.
It scared me and really freaked Jackson out.
So....no tubing for him.
Logan settled down and began to get sleepy.
Then it was Lily and Grammy's turn!
and Molly showed everyone how it's done!
Lily went tubing on her own to show her Dad who was back at the house and Jackson loved watching her and seeing how brave she was!
Then it was time to come in....
with bedtime stories by Grammy
This is Jackson hiding in the bed each morning.
I would wake up and he would be playing peek a book with me!
We had a Fantastic weekend and on the drive home we were able to meet my mom and have a bite to eat.
Jackson wasn't into taking photos....as evidenced below.
and then he just got a case of the giggles!
We stopped at a gas station and they had some pretty crazy hats.
Jackson was all about it and after trying on a couple, he decided on the birthday hat.
He giggled most of the way home because of it too!
I got the kids in the car and was happy for the weekend we had and happy to get home to see my hubby!
But of course, we were travelling home when everyone else was, so our drive took FOREVER.
and Patrick was already asleep by the time we got home :(
Luckily Jackson fell asleep for a portion of the trip.
Logan on the other hand snacked his way through the drive and never fell asleep, but he was exhausted.
