We are loving this slower pace that summer allows us!
Tuesday afternoon, the kids and I loaded into our van with Kathy, Travis & Emmett on course for West Side County Park in Fennville for some fun on the beach and playground. It was quite cool along the water, very breezy, but the kids had a great time for over an hour checking out rocks, throwing rocks into the water, and just playing before we headed back into the park to play on the playground
As Tuesday was Kathy's birthday, we put together a special meal and the girls had come up with games to play as well.
Tierney led us in an activity in which we had to write things about Kathy that started with each letter of her name.
Alora led us in "Pin The Wheel on the Skate". This game had us all laughing so hard as people got off course along the way.
Ezri led us in a mystery race game, where each person had to draw a paper from a hat that described the way they must run to the end of the yard and back. This one also had us rolling with laughter!
Elam was a tightrope walker...
Alora was a pig...
Tierney ran in slow motion...
Ezri hopped like a kangaroo...
Mommy hopped like a frog...
and Daddy moved like a crab...
Following the race, everyone got a medal.
Then it was time for cake!
Wednesday morning, the kids and I headed to Beard's to pick strawberries. It was the perfect morning for picking, lots of yummy berries to sample as we worked, and in a little over an hour we had over 15 pounds!
Ezri worked hard on Thursday, washing and cutting up all of the strawberries we had picked so that we could freeze some and also make jam.
As has become a norm around here lately, the Hopkins Fire Department cheif rolled up in the new ORV that Alex has been helping retrofit with a water tank. Fairly regularly the vehicle shows up with one or or more members of the fire department as the project has been measured, built, fit into the back and adapted. This time, along with more design ideas to make the vehicle able to carry a person strapped to a man basket on the back, Bobby brought a framed photo as a gesture of thanks for Alex's contribution to the project. It was quite an honor.
We also got to visit with Uncle Michael, as well as Opa & Oma, this week. Uncle Michael was in town for a last minute visit and stopped by on Friday afternoon. We had not seen him in about 1.5 years, so it was good to be able to spend a little time with him.
Sunday was Father's Day. We made our first in-person visit to a new church in Wayland, which was our first time returning to a church in-person since early last March. After a lunch of steak and potatoes, we relaxed for a bit in the afternoon and the kids gave Daddy his gifts.
