Fabulous FOURTH!

Wow, I'm exhausted.  I absolutely love summer, but am running on empty.  I have my coffee right here while I'm writing this.  We are having a great summer, but definitely super busy!!!!  I love it that way though...

The Brusseau family signed us all up to be in the Schoolcraft parade.  Jim was so excited to be able to drive his new tractor.  It was so fun.  I loved being part of a great family outing with some of our best friends.  It was funny how the parents rode on the wagon and the kids walked alongside throwing out candy.  We saw so many people that we knew along the route.  I love living in a small town.

Erica made the banner...

The kid CLAN

The mommy CLAN

Our FARMER

After the parade, we went out to lunch, rested up at home for a bit and then headed out to the lake.  Brett's parents joined us for dinner, tubing, swimming and fireworks.  It was a beautiful night and sunset.  The kids and PARENTS were exhausted.

Feeding the fish

Just chillin'

Kids love posing CRAZY lately!

Resting up for the fireworks

YOGA

I love YOGA...  Several months ago I decided to give it a try.  I was just recovering from a bad knee and hoping to speed up my recovery and still work out a little.  I can honestly say, that it has changed my training significantly.  I look at it as my physical therapy.  I also feel the most refreshed at the end of class when I am just totally relaxed:)

It has given me a little bit of my flexibility back from all those years of gymnastics and also a little fun to do back bends, crows, headstands again.

I try really hard to get in one session every week.  It is usually my Wednesday routine.

Caitlin walked into my bathroom the other morning carrying my mat and asked if I could teach her yoga.  It was so adorable.  Of course I jumped all over the opportunity to get a little extra ZEN time into my morning.  Maybe this can be a routine for us!!!  She loved it and was very flexible...

It feels so wonderful to be able to try new things at 38 and feel like I'm 18 again --- not that great, but always up to dream a little.

Camping = Priceless

It is so fun to have an annual camping trip with 4 other families.  Our kids think it is the best THING ever.  I enjoy it, but it is a TON of work.  I think this year I can truly say, that I do this three days just for the kids.  Three nights in a tent with 15 kids and a thunderstorm this year ---  OK, not all 15 kids were in my tent, but it felt like it at times.  10 adults and 15 kids is our group.  We have quite the compound when we finally get all set up.  My goal this year was to set up camp without yelling or losing my patience with Brett or the kids.  That was a HUGE goal, but I did it :)

We changed our location to Warren Dunes.  It was beautiful.  Brett and I actually went to Warren Dunes several times in our early dating years ---  we actually first kissed there.  We told our kids that story and they shared that info with everyone that we met that weekend...

We were so loaded down.  We even had the Yakima rack on the truck full too!

I loved waking up to this sweet face...  

I took my two and the Seiser girls on a dune adventure.

Almost there.  Of course we also did the huge blue water slide one day.

Beautiful water and girl

Rope Swing Fun at the top of the dune

My boy loved playing hide and seek in the woods at the top of the dune.

Journey to the CLAY...

Future Tough Mudder

Bunny CRAZY

MOMMY TOES>>>

Tent Fun

bike riding --  great to see Cait ride a two wheeler.

HUGE hike through the dunes...

Scavenger Hunt Fun.  Brett and Andy made a great hunt through the whole camp ground

Truth or Dare

Our tent...  The kids slept a little everywhere.

Fun on the beach at sunset

Campfire stories on the beach were amazing even with the lite rain and wind

Boy tent...  These boys woke up at 5am the first morning...  ARG!!!  How did this tent get set up right next to mine?????

Loving the BOAT Life

Etsu and my girls

I have to admit that I love having a boat...  Brett has been bugging me for years to buy one, but I wasn't quite ready - actually I thought that the kids weren't ready:)  We have all been having a blast...

We have had so many friends out on it and love sharing a fun afternoon with everyone.

We have also had a few tears and blood from the tube riding, but they always bounce back and can't wait to do it again.

Blake even called his tears "tears of joy" after a huge wipe out!!!!  It was so funny.

Claire and Caitlin

The kids love playing at our dock.  We have caught minnows and turtles...

They love anchoring off at an island and going on an adventure...

Eyvind and Blake

Mommy ONLY day!!!!

The kids like me to drive the BEST!!!!