Sleeping Bear Dunes

On Monday, we all piled in 3 cars to go to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake shore.

 

 The overlook of the Glen Lakes

 One of the best views of Lake Michigan!

 Here are the 7 who braved walking down the 450ft sand dune and then walking 3 miles along the shore of Lake Michigan to the town of Empire (where we picked them up!)

 going down!

 On our way to Empire to pick the hikers up, we stopped at the Dune Climb to do a little climbing ourselves. 

In the evening we went into the town of Frankfort for dinner and shopping.

Boating on Crystal Lake

Sunday afternoon we rented a pontoon boat for 4 hours to take out on Crystal Lake.

 

 Since my grandma owned a pontoon boat for many years, we named her "captain"!

 It was a little overcast, but it was a relaxing ride around the lake.  It took us about 3 hours to go around the perimeter of the lake.  We enjoyed looking at all the houses around the lake.

Both girls got a chance to help drive the boat.

Emmy loved the horn!

 We floated to (pretend) fish!  (no hook or bait) The girls didn't care!

 Here we are going by Chimney Corners!

Tennis

 Emmy still likes to run around the tennis court!

 Keelin played tennis with her grandpa a few days during the week.  She also enjoyed watching her grandpa play tennis with his friends.

Run to Point Betsie Lighthouse

On Sunday morning Drew, Shauna, and I ran 3 miles to Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan.

 Point Betsie Lighthouse

We ran into Jeff on our way back, so Shauna went back to the lighthouse with him.

It was a nice 6 mile run!

Swimming in Crystal Lake

With everything that we cram into this week, swimming in Crystal Lake is always the girls favorite.  The water temperature was a whopping 60 degrees...maybe!  It was cold!  I know because I swam to the outer dock (50+ yards from shore) with my sister-n-law Shauna (it was her idea!) but I was dumb enough to say "I'll join you!".  It was not the smartest thing I have ever done.

 

 

 

Day 1
Keelin gives Emmy a ride!

Keelin gives standing up a try! 

Day 2

 Tether ball with daddy

 Keelin is getting a little more comfortable standing up!

 Emmy liked standing on the board...as long as it was not in the water!

 Keelin braved paddling out to the close dock.

Day 3

I decided to give standing up a try! It was crazy being able to see the bottom of the lake while standing on the board way out in the calm lake.  I even took the girls out with me... just not as far!

 Keelin is getting better at standing up!

 Family paddle boarding

 crazy clear water!

The girls hitched rides with Aunt Shauna and Uncle Jeff!

(notice... most of the swimming didn't involve going all the way into the water! but Shauna and I did swim to far dock in the picture above!)