Our new adventure

We have finally settled into our home in Grand Haven and it feels like our next adventure.  It's a beach house that's built into a sand dune that feels like we're in the trees. 

 It has essentially a four car garage as this heated workshop will be great for Craigs woodworking talents.  Above the garage is a guest apartment with beds, kitchen, full bathroom, and a sauna! 

 We have frontage on Black Lake too!

It didn't take long for Jaxon and Ryann to find a good running path throughout the home. It's fun to be able to have the room to move around. 

 Our first grocery run was a big one!  We went from a 7 cubic refrigerator to a 27.  It's amazing how much space we have. 

 The sunrise every morning is incredible. 

We have a dumbwaiter for groceries to easily be transferred from the car to the pantry.  Ryann was a perfect fit, but there was no way I'd let her take the ride. 

 The backyard has a great trail out to Lake Michigan through Hoffmaster state park.  

 My mom, the kids and I took the 20 minute scenic walk one day.

 The kids can't get enough of Grandma!

 The beach was beautiful and water was warm.

 My mom, Yvonne, and Morgan have been diligently working to eliminate the weeds and bring the dune grass back to life!

I usually let my photos tell the stories, but lately I keep forgetting my camera.  Dee, Alexander and Emily came for a visit, my friend Jamie, Alex, Tori and Cole came for a beach day of fun and Craig's mom, Debbie took the kids out for a day of birthday shopping, Craig's Cruisers and ice cream.  We've been working on settling into the home and cleaning the boat.  We're still going to the pool to swim and driving to the beach for sunsets.  My sister, Michelle, Beth and Derek are here in Grand Haven now, but Derek is running a fever and we aren't able to see them....such a bummer.    

Jaxon baked his own strawberry birthday cake.  Everyone added something to the cake (Ryann just ate the frosting).  My baby is 5...ugh...and will be attending Kindergarten in two weeks.  Where does the time go? 

 My parents showered him with gifts and came with 5 balloons to celebrate with us.  Jaxon picked homemade pizza for dinner.

 Transformers is still the gift of choice three years running.

 We went for a boat ride out to Lake Michigan and anchored out at the beach near our home.

 Next to the nice flat path that leads to our home is this huge sand dune.

 We made the climb to the top and had a great view of the boat (and dinghy).

 Behind the dune we could see Black Lake (on right), but not our home amongst the millions of trees.

 We took the path through the woods as the sand was so hot.

 The run down the dune was ten times faster than the walk up.

 Jaxon lost his second tooth and Ryann lost two teeth...ALL in one day!

 Craig's shop is a bit overwhelming to organize.  It's like me organizing my kitchen, but so much more. 

 My grandfather, Wes, gave us a paddle boat from his cottage up north in the Muskegon River.  My parents were so kind to go up there, paddle it all the way to the landing, and deliver to us dockside!  The kids are super excited to paddle instead of rowing the kayaks.

I was asked by a fellow boater friend to talk at her company outing (Michigan State Health Care Professionals) about our travels.  I was flattered and enjoyed telling our story.  I felt guilty that they paid me, but couldn't turn down the offer.
School starts two weeks from today and the kids are getting so excited.  It's the next chapter, the journey of life, we all lead everyday.    

Spring Lake, Michigan

Another great Michigan summer!  We can't get enough of the sun and fun.  Pictured here with my parents and their dinghy, we went to the beach for the day and did lot's of swimming in the warm water. 

 Our home port of Grand Haven, Michigan is Coast Guard City USA!!  Each year there's a HUGE event for two weeks with a ton of festivities and people, parades and events.  Pictured here is the hill opposite of the town that hosts a water fountain light show (under the temporary sign here) every night across from the municipal marina. 

 Very popular anchorage that day with a ton of our boating friends all around! 

 My kids love grandma and grandpas dinghy!  Behind them is the carnival and municipal marina to the left (free wall to tie up on the right). 

 My friend Carrie let us park in her driveway and walk to the Kids Day event close to her home. 

 It was a really scenic walk through the woods with lots of hills and trees. 

 Ryann was super impressed with a girl in the Coast Guard!

 Kids day had a ton of sponsors, fun activities, giveaways and all sorts of great things kids love. 

 Scoopee from Culvers is always a hit!

 Coastie is another favorite among the masses of children.

 We opted to do our Home Depot activity in the comfort of our boat.  The long lines, humidity with a threat of rain, and crowds made this the better choice. They are even using Jaxons Home Depot tools.

 The Coast Guard ships were very impressive. We toured 2 of the 4 and included the Mackinaw!

 A view from the helm...what an awesome experience to tour through it.

 Craig's sister, Dee Dee, turned 40 this week and my parents gave her 40 birthday balloons! 

 It's as if we planned for the two smiley face balloons to be in the photo!

 Grandpa Wes loves his "Little Debbie"....he nicknamed her after her Grandma Debbie due to all of the similarities. 

 My Aunt Cindy and sister Michelle threw a great bridal shower for my cousin Christa from Virginia.  My sister was unable to come at the last minute as Rob's grandma passed away suddenly.  We were sad not to have her and Beth not there.  Craig built an addition and remodel to their home last year with a custom kitchen.

 The girls were all dressed up and had a fun time.  I did not get a photo of the adults...

 Dee's husband, Mark, threw a huge surprise party at the Score for her.  When she lifted her hand up like this I thought she was going to smack him for what he did..haha! 

 About 80 people were there to help her celebrate and it was a great time. 

 For over three years we have stored our belongings at Craigs parents home in Ada. 

 Again...that's THREE years of being homeless...living on the RV from June 15, 2008, on to the boat, then a temporary rental for the winter months and back onto the boat. 

We're ready for our next adventure....living in a home, school, jobs, etc. 
It's probably time to settle down for awhile. 

Summer in Michigan

My friend Carrie met us at an anchorage with these beautiful flowers first thing the next morning that we arrived in port.  My sister still had the kids so we had a great chance to catch up, get some sun and enjoy the day. We rafted off to John and Carrie, Bernie and Mike for the day. 

My brother-in-law Rob (Michelle's husbands) parents' Mike and Carolyne came for a visit at the Spears house and we celebrated "Grams" birthday with a huge plate of brownies.  Michelle made a great dinner too and it was so nice to see them again.  On our boat trip we went to their home in the Bradenton area of Florida's west coast during the Christmas holiday.

The girls made up three dances full of cartwheels and acrobats and did a great job!

The boys danced to two songs as we sat on their comfy couch (oops my toes made it into the photo). It was fun to hang out in her big beautiful home again.  She took the kids to see a few movies in the theatre, out for pizza and ice cream, over to the country club for swimming in the pool and so much more.  They have a great big tree house out back that the kids loved playing in and time flew by fast!   

Sweet little Bella, the Spears family dog, styling her new winter jacket.  

I ended up spending 8 hours on the road to get to my sisters.  My parents planted a car in Grand Haven so we could get Craig's truck in Boyne City. Then all the way down past Ann Arbor to my sisters to get the kids and back across the state to Grand Haven to the boat was another 3 hours.  It's good to be home!

Lot's of cousin time!

Nothing like a July summer in Michigan!  Family joined us in Smith's Bayou in Spring Lake (inside the port of Grand Haven) for a day of swimming and anchoring out with friends.  We rafted up next to John and Carrie, Steve and Sharon, Wayne and Shari and Tab and Renee's boat.  It was hot and fun!

Our friend, Tab, really pulled Carrie around on this raft with his teeth!  Ha, it was so funny!

Craig diving off the aft deck of our boat.  I think jumping the 17 feet is scarey enough...but he needs to do it head first and take it to a whole new level.

Jaxon has never been the first one into the lake, but it was hot enough to get him in and he had a riot!

Craig, Tab and John (Carrie's husband), jumping off the aft deck.  They did a half dozen times and made a huge splash!

A view from the water! I love my digital underwater camera!

The kids couldn't run up there fast enough to keep jumping!

Ryann's shelf needed to be cleaned, so she took the opportunity to play!

The kids were so proud of Craig getting a job that we threw a celebration!  Any reason to make cake.

Craig's first day at work was a sweltering hot one.  He's owned those 'lucky boots' for 15 years and now has to duck tape them together.  He worked on Spring Lake doing some dock construction for a friend.  He's now working in the Grand Rapids area putting a trim crew together and tackling a 4,500 SF home for a high end reputable builder in town.  Reality is setting in and he's gone from 6:00 am till 6:00 pm most days. 

The "Red Bull" girls were passing out free drinks at the park!

My sister Michelle and Derek came for a visit and we enjoyed their company very much.

Derek and Jaxon are still inseparable. 

Hot roddin at the skate park!

We missed Elizabeth, my niece, as she was at camp all week.  It was rather hard to get a photo of all the kids at one time.

It was so hot during the day, that we opted to do the beach in the evening. 25 knot winds made for fun waves to play in. 

Best buds!

North Shore beach has a park, pavillion and path down to the beach! Run Jaxon run - there's no other way for him to go!

My dad took me out car shopping (photo to come), and my mom took the kids (with Alexander and Emily) to our Maxine's house to go swimming.  She is going to be 95 in September and is an unbelievable woman.  She was swimming with the kids and full of great conversation and energy.  She worked at McDonalds until she was 90!  Just amazing and inspiring!

She has the best pool and the kids played the whole day!  My mom barely left the pool all day.

Grand Haven is a great place to pick your own blueberries.

 Jaxon was on a mission to fill his belly and bucket.

Next posting will be the reality of life as we see it now to include our new cars and home....the next adventure!  Off to packing now!!