I Am Emme: Northern Michigan for the 4th!

So if you've been a long time reader* of my blog, you know by this point that this space is, more than anything else, a digital scrap book for my family. I take a lot of pictures. And I put ALL of those pictures here. I can't seem to edit myself and I have no idea why. Some may call it a sickness. I call it a practice in memory conservation...or something. Potato - Potahto (no one says potahto).

And let me just tell you, for one little weekend getaway to Michigan I sure did outdo myself with this post. I hope you're ready for some photos, friends.

*reader = disconcerted viewer of gratuitous photos of my kids.

Early Friday morning we hit the road for Traverse City/Sleeping Bear Dunes MI. We did this trip once before (minus an Ever and plus an Abby) when Oren was just a wee little thing. Those posts here, here and here. Yes, last time we went I broke those photos up into three separate posts. Prooooobably not a bad idea, but you're getting them all in one go today. Lucky you!

Like last time, Ann Arbor served as the perfect stopping point half way there. This time we stopped for breakfast at Zingerman's Roadhouse - known for their Dutch-American molasses and nutmeg donuts, which we, of course, had to sample. They sell these little confections out of an airstream trailer turned kitchen attached to the side of the restaurant and there was a line of cars wrapped around the restaurant in line for these little babies.

After breakfast and braving some intense traffic (apparently everyone else had the same idea to spend the holiday at the lake as well) we finally made it. The boys COULD NOT wait to get to the beach.

^^^ Paging GQ Magazine, I've got your next cover model all lined up for you^^^

Please excuse the following deluge of photos Josh took of Ever and I. I just love every single one of her little scrunched up nose and smiley face SO MUCH. I couldn't help myself.

Baby's first trip to the beach, so sue me!

^^^The sand consumption was high with this one^^^

Later we had dinner at the Little Fleet, which is just a parking lot full of Traverse City's best food trucks, plus a bar and a live band. We tried things from four different trucks and everything was fantastic. Followed by ice cream from Kilwins of course, because traditions.

^^^Let it be known Oren took it upon himself to "wash" the ice cream off of his hands in this fountain, rather than say, use a napkin...^^^

Traverse City always has their week long Cherry Festival the week of the fourth, so there was lots going on downtown, including this carnival and an airshow. The sweet guy running this game let Oren take about 17 tries with the dart until he finally popped a balloon (Wes got his on the first try) and then he even gave Ever a little prize too!

The next day we started out with breakfast at our favorite Traverse City restaurant and then headed out to Sleeping Bear to climb some dunes, Empire Beach to splash around in the lake and then back to Clinch Park to watch the fireworks over the lake. It was a pretty spectacular way to spend the fourth of July.