I feel like, anymore, a Pentwater post doesn't even really need words. Just the yearly memories compiled into a series of photos. But, of course, it's me so there will be words.
Despite the weather app preparing us for a week littered with rain, we had great beach weather every single day.
So much beach fun with cousins.
Sand creations, dune adventures, reading, snacking, napping, and beach walks filled our days.
The water in Lake Michigan was unseasonably warm so all the kids spent lots of time in the lake...
even Briggs, who has historically not always been a big fan of swimming in the "big" lake.
We expanded our lodging a bit this year. Evan's family and Ethan stayed in the main house, Erik's family (with Elliott's friend and Liam) stayed in the carriage house, and our family rented a new little house 2 doors down. It was time for everyone to have a little more space, and that worked out great.
But we still had dinner together every night...
played games (Liam and Staley learned how to play euchre this year) and ran (all the cousins, even Lucy, ran at least once throughout the week except for Briggs)...
walked down to the beach for the sunset...
and carried on traditions like walking into town for ice cream, shopping, breakfast at the Old Hamlin, spaghetti night, and s'mores night.
Melissa took the 4 littles horseback riding one overcast morning while Evan and I did a little go-karting with Staley and Liam.
We also enjoyed our new tradition of the adults going out for dinner for Melissa's birthday while the kids had pizza and movie night at the house.
Although there were a few families that didn't make it this year, there were still 40 of us enjoying the sun and sand and family time. Briggs was especially excited that Lorenzo and Valentina were there this year.
The time with cousins and "beach cousins" is something the kids look forward to all year.
It was another great and relaxing week of Pentwater family fun.
Staley was already speculating about if she and her future family would share a house with Adelie and Briggs' future families when they come to Pentwater as grown-ups.
I love thinking that the tradition will continue on past my generation as growing up going to Pentwater was a highlight of my summers just like it is for our kids.
Thank you, Pentwater, for another fun week of memories!
See you next year!
