4, 5 and 6

so we started out our 4th day with some more rain.



there went that balance again. but by mid-day, it started to clear up, so we headed to saugatuck, a local town, for some meandering and perusing. oh and more ice cream. there's just something about vacation that equals ice cream tastes from all the local shops.
 

and then it was back to the beach for a quick visit, because by the time we got down there just for some sand play and to watch the white capped waves, it started to rain pretty hard and whip up those rip tides.
 

friday, day 5, was all about blue skies, sun, sand and play. mixed in with long naps, finishing one book and immediately starting another, meals at home and bike rides. we brought along our bike trailer that we got over a year ago from a neighbor friend and didn't use until this week. it was great, as it not only carted along the girls, but all of our beach gear as well- umbrella, chairs, sand toys, towels, kite.
 
(side note: harper pretty much dressed herself all week.  coordinated her outfits with hair accessories and jewelry.  she's been doing that more and more lately.  and she has really only wanted to wear 5 dresses all summer, rotating through them until they were then laundered and hung up and it started all over again. i totally could have saved money and not bought any shorts or capris or t-shirts all season.)



during our beach day, i managed to snag a favorite picture. totally copied from my favorite mom blogger, and i'm not ashamed to admit it. boom.
 

that evening and the next morning, we snapped some family photos. expect to see some of these on holiday cards this year.
 

this next one tells such a story.  i wanted some individual shots of harper, but she was on her last nerve. i bribed her {gasp!} with a peppermint patty, her favorite candy.  she reached out for it, although i didn't actually have it down at the beach with me.  but lo and behold, we turned to head back to the house after we were done and there in the sand was a wrapper.  it wasn't ours, but we did pick it up and throw it away appropriately.  give a hoot.  don't pollute.



saturday, day 6 and our last day, we spent with a morning on the beach.  some last minute relaxation and soaking up the sandy summer before we headed back home.



our 2nd annual lake michigan beachy summer trip and we had a great time.  we did just the right amounts of nothing and something, and came back ready to start thinking about school.  looking forward to next summer's adventures already.