Michigan Summer 2012

Wow, I've been horrible about blogging this summer!  It's not that I haven't had the time...just lazy and enjoying the summer, I guess.  This is going to be a bit long...

After Kendra came home from her two weeks in Utah with her dad, we had one day home together and turned around and left for our Michigan trip.  We left on June 27th and arrived on June 29th.  This year we didn't have a dog so our hotel stays were easier, and we even got to eat IN restaurants on the way instead of doing drive thru (so as to avoid cooking the doggie in the car during 100+ heat).  The drive was smooth and uneventful...just the way we like it!

What we DIDN'T like was driving in to my mom's neighborhood and reading my car's outdoor thermometer--99 degrees!!!  Argh!  It was hotter in Michigan than home in Texas when we got there.  It was stinkin' hot for at least half of our month long trip to my home state.  Annoying!!!

We got in on Friday, unpacked, RE-packed and promptly headed one hour north to camp out with my sister and her family.  They decided to "camp" with their trailer at her in-laws house in Small Town USA--lots of land, a nice pool, and access to a clean, air-conditioned bathroom for showering.  I like that kind of camping.  :-)  We did the usual camping things--swimming, played washers, hung out and chatted, campfires, and lots of bug spray! 

One of the first things we did was chop Kendra's hair!  My brother in law Jack's mom, Pat, is a hairstylist.  Kendra has been interested in cutting her hair to donate it to Wigs for Kids, and we thought it would be really neat to have Pat cut it since she is family.   I think Pat might have been more nervous than Kendra in cutting off the 10 inches!!!

Before...

10 inches!

The cut!

The donation...woo!

The new 'do...so cute!!!

 We did sparklers one night...

What's up with these kids growing up so much over the course of one year???

We also went to a local bowling alley for a little fun in air-conditioning--did I mention it was stinkin' hot there???

We had a very traumatic thing happen on July 3rd, and while I am not likely to forget it, I still want to document it in my "journal/blog".  Erin (my sis), Jack (her hubs), and I were hanging by the pool and the kids were playing down the hill at the camper.  We heard a terrible scream and Tessa (niece) was flying full speed toward us saying that Jack (nephew) had cut his arm.  Well, it was BAD.  He was climbing down from the bunks in the camper, facing forward, and he lost his footing and fell forward through a plate glass mirror that was the front for a clothes cabinet in the camper.  His head went through the glass mirror first, which broke it, but then he used his arm to catch himself (instinct) and his forearm was completely sliced.  It was about 6 inches long and very deep.  A lot of chaos ensued---it involved not knowing where the nearest hospital was, making a decision about ambulance vs. driving him (we did some of both), sheer panic by Erin and Jack,  an eerie calm from me and the injured Jack, and the freaking out by the other children.  He ended up needing surgery--the cut was too deep to suture it in the ER.  Many, many miracles happened that night, not least of which is that he didn't damage any tendons, only did minor ligament damage, and will have a complete recovery with no loss of function in his arm or hand. 

Ok, done with scary story!

We spent a little time on ball fields, as usual.  This year, my nephew Luke's season ended before we got there, and with Jack's injury, we only got to see the girls play.

Tessa

Gracie

Kendra and Luke's usual position...camp chairs, Blow Pops in hand. 

We drove up to Port Huron to meet with my dad and step-mom Janice for lunch....

Kendra and I picked out that hat for my dad for Father's Day.  Doesn't he look dapper in it? 

We also met up with awesome friends...but I got no pictures!  I had a wonderful lunch with my friend Julie, and Kendra and I did lunch and shopping with friends Melissa and Sydney.  Great fun!  We also did a fair amount of just hanging out and just being with family.

Tessa and Kendra trying on fun outfits at Justice (just window shopping)

I got three five-pointers in one turn on ladder ball---gotta have that proof cuz I usually stink!

The cutest geeks in the world!  The kids used nail polish to decorate the 3D movie glasses!

 We had our farewell lunch on Kendra's birthday---we happened to plan our departure for the day after her birthday.  We went to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill, home of the best nacho EVER.  They also gave Kendra a deep-fried Twinkie for her birthday!

We headed home on July 25th, arriving safe and sound on July 27th.  We had another uneventful and safe drive, and are glad to be home!  Well, at least I am.  Kendra would prefer to stay in Michigan.  But I missed my house and my bed...home sweet home!  :-)