I've embarked upon a new* family picture goal here in our adopted state: to visit every state park!
This project is less rigid, in that our entire family, or even all five children, need not be present to count it as 'visited.' I just need a picture, preferably of the person who visited it, in the park! We may go back and visit those first 7, in order to get consistent pictures, but for now it feels like we have a good start, since this will be #8!
On our most recent visit to Grand Rapids, WGJ's appointment was not until mid-afternoon, so we decided to visit the beach early, then backtrack home. Alice opted to stay home with Billy, who had to work, but Avia joined us instead!
And as a bonus, this particular beach trip has an "I spy" element to it!!! Every picture has the bird field guide in it somewhere!!!
I was really glad that we took the picture at the start of the day, because by the time we left we were windblown & sandy! (For this first picture, the bird guide is leaning against the base of the right pillar. ; ))
It was so windy, the seagulls were not flying around, they were just hanging out on the beach.
There were no footprints, aside from the bird tracks, on the beach!
My children were quick to remedy that! (okay, so this I-spy is really hard, but Emily does have it in her right hand)
The waves were so tall, that I had them come back in and just sit on the beach, if they wanted to play in the water.
Emily liked how the wind caught in her towel. = )
Our beach adventure was a little short lived, because of the wind, and low temperatures. It was in the 70s, but the chill coming off of the water made it feel much cooler. By the time we left, there were lots of footprints on the beach though! (In this one, the guide is under the water cooler!)
Our lunch had some sand mixed in, and it always makes me think of a poem from a book Alice had when she was little:
Sand in the sandwiches,
Sand in the tea,
Flat, wet sand running
Down to the sea.
Pools full of seaweed,
Shells and stones,
Damp bathing suits
And ice-cream cones.
Waves pouring in
To a sand-castle moat.
Mend the defences!
Now we're afloat!
Water's for splashing,
Sand is for play,
A day by the sea
Is the best kind of day.
Flat, wet sand running
Down to the sea.
Pools full of seaweed,
Shells and stones,
Damp bathing suits
And ice-cream cones.
Waves pouring in
To a sand-castle moat.
Mend the defences!
Now we're afloat!
Water's for splashing,
Sand is for play,
A day by the sea
Is the best kind of day.
-Shirley Hughes
Below is a list of previous visits that have been retroactively checked off. The state park mention may be buried, since it was not yet part of this project, but it is in there somewhere!
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Since we spent less time on the beach than planned, we had time to visit a thrift store in Muskegon (after a failed attempt to tour the USS LST 393.) They were expensive, and all we found was a book, but Emily had fun putting William in a pet cage!
We hopped back in the car, and made it on time to their appointment. The appointment went well, it was just a check-in. They did have to have some blood work as well. While we were in the hospital, Avia and Emily walked down to the Gerald Ford Museum.
While we waited for their return, we walked around the area near the hospital, and climbed on some of the landscaping, then finally went to the car to snack. lol.
We stopped at another thrift store on the way home, but it made for a long day with some fidgety children!!
It wasn't the most exciting trip, but we did our best to make it fun!
later days
*sadly, I was unable to finish my 254 county courthouse pictures in Texas, maybe one day....
