Michigan 2014

This July 4th weekend, we made a trip to "Uncle Louie's" (Steve's) in Michigan. Fortunately, we had perfect weather! The temperature was in the low 80's during the day and cooler in the evenings. We left our house Friday at 10:30 am and stopped in Toledo to eat lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Then we got back on the road and had a really uneventful drive up. Seth was busy with his iPad, Isabelle with her iPod and Parker watched a movie. The kids could not have behaved better! We arrived at Steve's around 5:30 pm, got settled in, and ordered pizza for dinner. Mom and Dad (Grandma Barb & Grandpa Steve), Lori, Dave, Jon and Mary arrived there the previous night. Steve's house had plenty of room for all of us.

During the weekend, we spent a lot of time outside enjoying the pond, the four-wheelers and the trampoline. We also had our own private fireworks show put on by Uncle Louie.

The Relaxation Station (Steve, Isabelle, Parker, Shane)

Shane, Carrie, Isabelle, Seth, Lori

Parker Pie

Our family

Parker's first canoe ride (it has a motor on the back)

Izzy on the dock

We brought some toys with us

Sether

Isabelle

Mary and Jon

Dave and Lori

Lori, Millie and Jon

Shane and Isabelle

Dave

Seth and Isabelle and all the ducks named Harry

Feeding the ducks

All three kids in one photo!

We visited Breckenridge, the nearest Village, for ice cream. We also found some railroad tracks.

Ice cream in Breckenridge

The neighbor's dog, Bailey, spent the day at Steve's house. Seth and Isabelle had fun playing with her.

One of many fish Isabelle caught. She even put the worm on the hook herself!

The favorite thing of Parker's had to be the trampoline. He spent a lot of time jumping on it and just playing on it with toys.

Mom, Steve & Carrie

Photo bombed my Mom! And Lori!

A thank you present from the kids and Mom

Thank you Uncle Louie!!

Thank you, Uncle Louie!!!

On our way home Monday, we stopped at our first house in Toledo, then for ice cream in Perrysburg.

Then we were held up by a few traffic jams, a train, and very heavy rain. It took us 7 1/2 hours, but we made it and hope to go again next summer!

Strawberry Picking

We went strawberry picking at Hanns Family Farm, just a few minutes from Grove City. This was the first time everyone had been strawberry picking, except me. We used to go when I was a kid. We each got our own bag and picked away. Seth brought in the biggest loot, and Isabelle sure got a lot too. Parker didn't want much to do with it :)

Walking out to the fields

Working hard

Parker didn't want his picture taken

We ended up with 10 pounds of strawberries!! We ate some, froze some, made strawberry bread and strawberry freezer jam. Everything was very yummy!

Slate Run Historical Farm

Just a few minutes from Grove City is Slate Run Historical Farm in Canal Winchester. We went there on Memorial Day. This place is so neat! It's a living historical farm from the 1880's, complete with animals, barns, crops, a farmhouse, hand-made games and volunteers that do chores just as would have been done on the farm back in that time. The sounds and smells are certainly genuine.

The first animal we saw - a cow.

Trying out the walking stilts

A wooden game with marbles

The chickens fascinated Parker

Watching the field being plowed

A true "wheel barrel"

Examining sheep's wool

This table held hand-made toys

Living room of the farm house

This is a set of wooden blocks, but Shane made it a puzzle and the kids had to put the pieces back together this way. The volunteer said that's the first time she had seen anyone make it into a puzzle!

Wooden dancer

Fresh water

Parker liked going in and out of this door

Two sheep were born the previous day!

Trying out the old farm equipment

Pig pen

Climbing over the rocks was fun

Turkeys

This was used to plant seeds

Horses that pulled the plows

Isabelle really liked this horse

The barn

Parker looking at the bee hives behind the fence

Upstairs of the barn

A wooden bowling game