Staley's week at Miracle Camp was the week before our Pentwater vacation. We picked her up from camp and continued a few hours north to start our annual family week of vacation in Pentwater.
Our week in Pentwater upheld all the traditions we hold dear.
We stayed together with my brothers and their families. The cousins loved playing together every single day.
We ate dinner together every night, played games,...
read books...
played Shopkins and Hatchimals,...
and got to help Grammie and Grandpa celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with dinner, decorations, cake, a card shower, and a special video tribute from friends and family.
When the weather cooperated, we spent our days at the beach. Our last 2 days were rainy and cold, keeping us from the beach and sending us all home a half day earlier than usual.
We had a couple really nice days at the beginning of the week and we braved some wind and chilly weather to take advantage of the beach on a few other days even when the weather wasn't ideal.
Staley enjoyed braving the cold Lake Michigan water to go swimming every day. She also went on beach walks and dune adventures with her cousins and beach cousins.
She enjoyed spending more time this year with Nellie and Gabby, two of her slightly older "beach cousins" (my cousins' kids).
Adelie did not venture into Lake Michigan much, but enjoyed building sand creations, playing in the inlet, and playing restaurant with Grammie. She really enjoyed spending time with her cousins Caroline and Lucy throughout the week.
Collecting beach rocks was another favorite Adelie pasttime.
Briggs loved playing in the sand, going into the dunes, and playing in the inlet. He got braver with playing in the shallow water of Lake Michigan, but never ventured too far into the big lake. He really enjoyed spending time with his beach cousins Gabe and Knox this year, who are both about his same age.
We enjoyed a few evening walks to the beach to watch the sunset.
Walking into town for ice cream is always a highlight.
Spaghetti night with the extended family (all 52/57 of us) is always a fun tradition.
The best part of every year in Pentwater is the opportunity to spend quality time with family.
Whether we are playing games all together...
or watching the sunset...
or walking into town...
or making our own rainy day fun...
or playing at the beach...
...the best part is being together with family.
It wasn't our best week of weather...
but it's still one of the best weeks of the year.
Hooray for Pentwater!!
