Playdate at the Playhouse

Bright and I met his cousins and grandma at Deanna's Playhouse this week. It was a first for both of us. I told Bright it was a really big park inside a house. He loved it. 15,000 feet of fun is a lot for this little guy to take in. Pianos, playdough, costumes, motorcycles, trains, boats, trucks - whoa!

Family Favorite for Years

It seems like our family is always playing lots of different games, but there is one that really has had some staying power with my extended family. Years, and years, and years in fact - as long as I can remember. It's UpWords. Have you played? It's like 3D Scrabble.

My mom, my grandma, and now even my sister are pretty serious players. So much so that I most often avoid the intense competition. Now Brighton has sensed that it must be a really fun game too.

I'm sure they'll still be playing when he can actually participate.

Bright Bit By Dune Bug(gy)

Bright went for his first dune buggy ride this weekend...actually in the dunes.

He LOVED it! And so did his dad. Well, we all thought it was pretty special.

**For those of you worried (hey grandmas), it was a very safe, short, and slow ride.**

Freighters and Locks

We were able see freighters right from our balcony with the help of binoculars. We drove out to Whitefish Point on Lake Superior where there is a Shipwreck Museum, but we went for the beach and the views.

We also headed to Sault Sainte Marie (The Soo) for a boat ride through the locks and a walk through an old freighter.

The Bears

Would you spend $5 to get a family picture with a baby bear? We gladly did. I even fed the little guy Fruit Loops. This all happens at Oswalds Bear Ranch. This place is the largest bear only ranch in the US. They rescue bears from across the country. It was super cool!

The Falls

A trip to the eastern UP isn't complete without a visit to Tahquamenon Falls Sate Park. That first sentence reads a bit like I've always known this, but honestly I haven't. I'm really new to the whole UP thing. The falls are a few miles apart; the upper falls themselves are much more impressive than the lower falls.

Which one is the best? That's a tough call. The lower falls included a row boat ride to a small island to get some great views, but the upper falls is adjacent to the Tahquamenon Falls Brew Pub. To each his own :)

Up to the UP

We returned this week from our first family outing to Michigan's Upper Penninsula. Jon has been there tons of times. I had never been! It was definitely time to check it out.

Our trip got off to a rough start with a flat tire, but we just happened to be traveling with an amazing mechanic so he speedily installed the spare. With no tools to fix the tire though, we had to bring it to a tire shop. They took care of us really quickly, but it was the very first time in Jon's life that someone else fixed something for any of his cars.

Before arriving in Paradise, we stopped at the bridge and a quick visit to Fort Michilimackinac. As soon as the muskets fired, it was time to go as Brighton was rightfully scared by them and sleepy too.
More pics of our trip up to the UP on the way.

Sixty Years

My grandpa and grandma Nykamp just celebrated their 60th anniversary. 60 YEARS!
We had a great time celebrating with them this week. We heard a lot of stories about their courtship, their engagement, their wedding, their honeymoon, their experiences with the Korean War, and all their years together; stories that we never heard before. Times have really changed!

As my grandma said, "Sixty years is a long time."
Congratulations Grandpa and Grandma!

Up Close and Personal with ELK

We took a drive farther north this weekend and decided to check out the Amber Elk Ranch in Ludington. To write that we really didn't know what we were in for would be a tremendous understatement. First, we ended up on a tour all by ourselves. Second, we fed elk. Third, we got REALLY CLOSE to the elk. Yes, elk are the giant animals you're thinking of easily confused with moose or caribou. At least, I am easily confused. I don't think I could identify them in a line-up. Do you know the difference?

There were times I felt I was in Yellowstone National Park. Nope, just checking out a really unique experience quite close to home. We took home smiles, lots of pics, and some elk burgers as a souvenirs. The burgers are on the menu for lunch.

It's Not a Witch or a Wench

Last night we hung out with a winch. This is my husband getting ready to be pulled by the winch.
Now would be a good time to pause and make sure you are not confusing winch with witch or wench. I am not referring to a Wizard of Oz character or a woman with loose morals here. You see a winch is a revolving machine that in this case has a 600 foot rope and ski handle attached to it. This machine pulled my husband as well as the other young men from the extended Nykamp family across the water and over various aparatus if they so chose all while on a wakeboard.

And here are the rest of us hanging out around the winch choosing not to be pulled by her, but we'll play by her...she's not a wench or a witch.

Pickin' Peaches

I had never picked peaches before until yesterday!
We went to Crane's Orchard in Fennville. It was a short walk from the car, and it was super easy. We had a great time. We even went with 4 generations of peach pickers.
I don't can, but be sure to let me know if you have a peach recipe I need to try.