7.14.2017

seven quick takes from our weekend getaway with iphone photos to prove it

1. There were no big week-long beach vacations this year. We have a new baby. Traveling all-day is stressful just thinking about it. Our first beach trip of the year happened last week when we went to Lake Michigan/South West Michigan. Thanks to the bypass and construction of US-31, the drive took us less than 3 hours!

our first stop was in the small town of Three Oaks at a small cafe. I gave the kids a B on their behavior. Not too bad but they were still up and about. What else to expect on a 4 and 2 year old right? But our nice server praised our children, per hubs. I did not hear their conversation since I already took the older children outside. They were ready to move around again.




2. Warren Dunes state park

This state park is north of Union Pier. We arrived there before the crowds came. Three hours there and the beach was packed. The waves were huge. The "red flag" was flying high letting the beach-goers know swimming is not recommended. There was a small tide pool  but the water is pretty muddy and dark. Daniel complained of the "dirty water." He's used to the sea water. He does not remember his time at the lake when he was 2-3years old. So this was like his first time swimming in the freshwater Lake Michigan.

My bathing suit looks ridiculous with the cutout and the shorts combo :( or let's just blame the postpartum poochy belly. #thisisreallife  no photoshop. nothing flattering.





see our first trip to SW michigan here


3. Weko Beach
After eating a late lunch at Mikey's drive-in, the owner told us to check out Weko Beach. Weko Beach and the state park I mentioned charge entrance fees per car.  Daniel was pleased with the state of the water here. Some people were leaving for the day when we set up our huge tent. We wanted to keep baby Lucas nice and shaded. Local stores ran out of the beach umbrellas.










I fell asleep (hubs said for 30 minutes) while we were at the state park. I was on my left side with the sun above my head. My right leg was on top of the left. The result ---> an ugly HALF TAN, HALF BURNED LEG.

The color discrepancy is only evident when I am wearing shorts. Good thing, I do not wear shorts at work. The half-tan looks ridiculous. More ridiculous than my cut-out one piece suit and shorts combo.



4. Song Asian cuisine

For dinner, we went to a Japanese/ Chinese restaurant in New Buffalo. I got sushi and the rest of the fam got salmon teriyaki, beef and broccoli (hub's go to Chinese dish) and beef lomein (children's go to dish).


This beautiful wall is at the restaurant.
My eldest daughter looks like a teen here. I blink and she's not a preschooler anymore.




5. St. Mary of the Lake church
Here's the altar at the Catholic Church in New Buffalo. More details of our Sunday Mass here. 





6. St. Joseph
After Mass and lunch, we went farther north since Weko Beach was full and Daniel did not want to go back to the state park. St. Joseph Silver beach was super packed too. The winds were not as strong so the waves were not as big. It was a hotter day than Saturday with temps to the 90s. We had to park farther out and trekked to the beach.  I reminded the children that we are a team and they willingly helped out carry their beach toys and other lighter things.

Since it was a hot day and essentially no wind inside our tent, hubs and I took turns watching the baby inside the tent and the children at the water's edge. I looked back in my phone gallery and I had no pictures of the children playing. Because I was either in the water or water's edge with the older children or feeding the baby inside the tent.

Lucy, who whined and whined the day before and who was pretty anxious of the uneven ground and water and everything at the beach, finally touched the water on her own while digging and digging. When it was time to go, she cried. We definitely need to go back or at least stay longer than 36 hours since it takes her forever to get used to the water.







7. Oinks
Lastly, we could not leave SW Michigan w/o stopping by Oinks. we love this place. D got superman. Bastian got sorbet. Isabel got bubble gum (with real bubble gum pieces!) Lucy and dada shared cherry amaretto amour.

our first trip at Oink's here ~ hubs and I celebrated our first anniversary weekend there






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