Charlevoix: The Beautiful

Charlevoix's slogan is, "Charlevoix the Beautiful" and with good reason, in my opinion. It is a beautiful town; well worth a visit.

On our last night there, we took a walk downtown after having dinner at Whitney's Oyster Bar.


Mollie was thrilled at any attention she got, as usual.

Just look at that toothless grin!

Baylor got his first chance to feed ducks. His food of choice? Cheerios! (One for me, one for the ducks ...)

It also happened to be the 34th anniversary of Mom and Dad's first date (Aug. 13th)! Friday the 13th has always seemed like a lucky day to me.

We all enjoyed a little more time by the fountain ... even Mollie who was relegated to her stroller.

There were some big kids there that day, so Baylor was reluctant to join in at first.

But he eventually overcame it.

Meanwhile, Mollie got to enjoy a treat that few others can ... messing up Grandpa E's hair.

He may be particular, but she's awfully cute!

All in all, our trip to Charlevoix was wonderful! Yes, the weather may have been a little hot and humid, but it was a lovely time and so great to relax with family.

Thanks for taking us, Mom and Dad!

Charlevoix: Gar! There Be Putt-Putt Golf!

My husband and sister are both quite competitive, apparently, when it comes to putt-putt golf. And yet, in the eleven years since Bryson and I have been together we've never gone out to play together ... until now!

I was along for the ride, just happy to enjoy playing. Those two are serious putt-putt golfers! Which is why I had to help lighten the mood a bit ...

Silly pictures, anyone?


Yes, I know my eyes are closed in this one, but the other one I had of my sister and I had just the top of her head. I figured this was better.

P.S. The stocks are REALLY uncomfortable! No wonder they used them as punishment in days of yore!

Pirates Cove, the location of our outing, even had a life-sized shark in their pirate-themed scenery!

Here's my hubby, teeing up at the first hole.

And my sister, in fine form as well!

In the pond near the front nine was a man being encircled by a shark. This poor pirate has been spinning around in circles for years, terrified of being attacked by the shark fin!

As it turns out, we were quite evenly matched. I scored a 44, just 8 strokes above par, my sister scored a 43, and my husband won our little tournament at 42! Congrats to Bryson on such a solid game, 2's and 3's all the way.

On our way out, I picked up a pirate's hat for Baylor. He and Mollie were at the house giving my parents a run for their money.

At first he wore the hat like a British general.

But he eventually turned it sideways for a more pirate look!

Gar! We had an awesome time!

Charlevoix: The House

Baylor refers to it as the "Charleboy house" ... I think he misses it. He talks of it often, and quite randomly at that. It was a lovely house.

Possibly our favorite aspect of it was the porch.

No doubt ... life is good when you get to enjoy a porch like this.

It even had a porch swing!

And room enough to enjoy a game with the whole family.

The house had other touches, too; grand ones that gave it a certain charm. My favorite? The sink knobs. How cool are they?!

Sometimes it's the little things that give a house its charm, you know?

Charlevoix: Post-Bath Hair

After my girl gets a bath, her hair is a mess of wavy tendrils. I've wanted to get a picture of this for a while, but it wasn't until our trip to Charlevoix that I got a couple good opportunities. Take a look!

Looks like she might have her mama's hair after all! Poor girl!

Charlevoix: Aunt and Niece time!

"She looks so fetching in the arms of her aunt."
~ Jane Austen's "Emma"

There's nothing like smiling so much your cheeks hurt!

Charlevoix: Butterfly Days

I couldn't have a semi-negative post just hanging out as the first thing you might read about our vacation. In spite of the pitfalls we've encountered, I've really had a wonderful time on our trip up north.

Little moments, like these have been creeping into my days, making things fresh and new. How can you not love that?

As tough as it is to vacation with two young children, the good has far outweighed the negative for me.

Charlevoix: Not All Perfect

Nothing is ever perfect, even on vacation ... just ask Clark W. Griswold. I try everyday to look on the bright side of things and not let the other stuff get me down. But, because I try to be honest and open here, I'll tell you a little about the imperfect on our trip.

The weather, most notably, has been unseasonably warm and humid for this area of the state. We have had ceiling and floor fans on constantly as the house we are staying at is not air conditioned; the constant hum of the multitude of fans going at all hours of the day was relaxing at first, but it's hard to carry on a conversation when you can't even hear the person next to you.

The heat itself has been a problem, and it has been affecting the kids probably more than I even realize. Both Baylor and Mollie have needed more fluids than usual and have been significantly less comfortable during the day. Mollie was so hot today that she didn't want to sit in her bouncy seat for her nap ... she didn't mind sacking out on the couch, though.

Baylor has been out of sorts the entire time we've been here. My usually mild-mannered little boy has started having tantrums and has been more generally disagreeable than usual. I don't know if it's the change of scenery or the early onset of the terrible twos, but something is amiss and I'm hoping it goes away when we return home to familiar surroundings and our daily routines. For now, we're just trying to do the best we can for him.

Our efforts to sleep train Mollie have gone off course since we have been living in a house with my family. She has been sleeping in the same room with us and down the hall from everyone else, so while I'd like to keep letting her cry a bit to teach her how to self-soothe, I have to try to keep everyone else's night's sleep in mind. Sooo, I've been coddling her, getting up with her too many times during the night to even count or remember. Plus, with the temperature and humidity being so high sleep has been less-than-comfortable. Needless to say, I haven't slept as much as I would like to. Of course, it'll be back to the usual when we get home, by hook or by crook.

Vacationing with two young kids is just rough, no matter how you stack it.

Charlevoix: The Beach

We took a trip to the beach a couple days ago, and it was a lovely time.

Mollie enjoyed some time in the shade in her bouncy seat, all decked out in her fruity beachwear.

It was a beautiful day, complete with sunshine, warmth, and boats!

And, of course, we looked for Petosky stones.

Baylor got to play with his new water wheel. (And after seeing these pictures I realized I need a new swimsuit - and better posture.)

The water was pleasantly cool and extraordinarily refreshing. My little man enjoyed having the waves lap up around him as he sat playing in the sand.

If my memory serves, this was his first time in a freshwater lake; he went in the Gulf of Mexico when he was just a little guy.

Mollie soon tired of being in her bouncy seat on the hot sand, so Oma and Grandpa E got her in the water.

She seemed to really enjoy it!

It was a short trip to the beach, but hopefully as the kids get older and more resilient they'll enjoy going to the beach as much as I do. I can't wait to build sand castles, swim in the water, and play catch on the beach with them!

But, for now, we'll enjoy our low-key times at the beach and smile big, sunny smiles. Life is good.