Family Fun In Michigan

Our family spent the past week vacationing in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

We accomplished our goals of relaxing, making memories, and enjoying each others company.

Kristin did a great job of finding this big old cabin to rent along a river bank. It is owned by a private family. The hometown folks called it the Old Dutch Mill.

In the front yard we would make a play pen of sorts out of pickups and trailers for the little kids to ride their toys in. Of course kids love to ramp so we tilted the trailer back and used the loading ramps and some firewood for a small jump.

The river just behind the cabin had a rock bottom and a swift current. It was cold but fun to play in.

The grandkids caught crawdads or crabdads as Elliot called them and saved them in a bucket. BJ soaked them in ice water, then boiled them, and several brave souls tried crab legs.

 Of course there is always someone that has to prove to the family that you can cross a river without a bridge.

We enjoyed seeing the beautiful countryside on the paths on our Rangers.

We stopped an picked wild blueberries. They were growing everywhere.

One day we drove and had lunch at an old lighthouse on the end of a peninsula some 35 miles from our cabin.

Everyone including the little girls had fun climbing to the top.

One day we drove all the way up to a beach on Lake Superior.

When hiking, speak softly and carry a big stick.

Every family took their turn at preparing breakfast and supper. Lunch was sandwiches on an outing. The cabin had a long table that sat all 25 of us. Sometimes we would eat supper outside around a fire. 

Evenings after supper consisted of games of horseshoe, the board game, Settlers, or the card game, Rook, and then devotions and singing. Kurt and Becky both brought and played their guitars.

These are cousins building relationships. Because of the little slower workload in our occupation that's what Augusts are for. In families you take a vacation. With friends you have outings. In our business we connect with landlords and crop suppliers and are already planning and buying for our 2014 crop.

Well we are back home. Friday afternoon Jan fixed everyone the grandkids favorite meal, sweetcorn, macaroni and cheese, and chocolate milk. We are looking forward to our appreciation supper this coming Friday evening for customers and friends. If you would like to join us you are welcome. You might shoot me an email (sjboender@gmail.com) if you are coming so Jan has a count for food. Have a good week and spend your August enjoying the relationships you have been given.