Trip Up North

**Some of this is repeated info from the other day...the summary without pictures on 7/29/14.  Here is the picture version.**

 Mari and I worked a partial day on Monday and headed north to go up and over Michigan to visit Dad and Mom.  Four hours brought us to the bridge!

 

 God gave us a beautiful day!  We stopped at Susie's for pasties and ate our supper at a picnic table.

 We took pasties, smoked white fish, fresh cherries, and fresh blueberries to Dad and Mom.  A yummy taste of Michigan!

 The lake was so pretty!

 Our only traffic jam...in the UP behind a logging truck in a construction zone.

 We got to Dad and Mom's at 2:30am (our time).  Dad came out to greet us.  Oh how wonderful the hugs were!!!  We chatted for a little while and then headed to bed.

 I saw the sunrise...the rooster down the road was quite vocal and I was ready to wring its neck!!!

 Coffee...laugher...conversation...

 enjoying the blessing of being together again!

 Mowing on Tuesday...after having a heart attack on Saturday and coming home on Monday!

 We all went outside to enjoy the beauty of the summer day! Picking green beans...

and picking raspberries.  I forgot how pokey the bushes were...they hurt!  Mom had the outfit ready and it worked great!

The raspberry patch is unbelievable!  And so many berries are coming!

Lots of hard work for Dad and Mom...

and it is really only beginning!

Mari designated herself as water girl!  All three of us girls had one eye on Dad and the other eye on what we were picking.

We picked and weeded and watered...and the plants liked it!

Mom's plants are lovely!

Dad's feeders are always busy!

Dad gave the smoked whitefish a thumbs up at lunch time!

Awwww...this was my can at supper!

A little bit of sweet with fresh raspberries after our pastie supper.  What fun to spend the time around the table with Dad and Mom!

Sunday...getting ready to go to camp...

 Some rain chances rolled through the area and I watched the interesting cloud formations from the nursery window.

 Later on...rainbows!

 We were at home getting the kiddos to be ready to meet the bus to leave for camp!

 They had a chance to relax and talk to Grampy!  Chevy started moping while Ted and I yawned our way to the time to drop the kiddos off.

 They loaded up and left at 12am and made it down to the Wilds after lunch time.

 All checked in and ready to begin their week!

 We are thankful for the updates all week!

 Uncle Pastor and Mr. L stopped by on their way through NC.  That was a surprise for the kiddos!

 Good week!  Good food!  Good weather!  Good preaching!  New friends!  Fun activities! 

 Headed home on Saturday morning...

 That turned into a much longer trip due to a bus break down!  The Tennessee and Kentucky border now hold memories for this group...a place to hang out safely and free Slurpee refills.  We are thankful for Mr. J., Mrs. A., and Mr. H. and their great care for our kiddos while God wanted them off the roads for the 7 hours.

A tired group arrived safely at 6:40am Sunday morning!  Our three collapsed into beds after a shower and a little unwind time.  Sleep has been caught up on and laundry finished!

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you..."

 "How old do you think I am?"  Three!  "No, higher!"  Four!  "No, higher!"

 Five!  "No...count higher!"  Thirteen!   "Higher and higher!"  Hey, she is four and four...

I held up my fingers to show 44.  Little L looked at it and said, "I don't know what that means."  Then he counted the fingers and shouted, "I know!  You are eight!"  Which made all of us laugh!