On Friday, we packed up and headed about 30 minutes south to St. Joseph, a first-time visit for our family. We enjoyed Silver Beach before grabbing lunch at Silver Beach Pizza. The pizza was amazing (vegan cheese!), and the Amtrak-depot-turned-pizzeria was a fun place to eat.
Before heading home, Emerson and I took a ride on the carousel. Goodbye, Michigan—until next time!
Thursday brought beautiful weather, and we were thrilled to see the sunshine return! We spent much of the day enjoying North Beach, soaking up the sun and making the most of our time by the water.
In between beach visits, we had dinner at Taste, which was a hit with everyone. Afterward, we headed back to the beach for even more fun. Emerson especially loved boogie boarding and could not get enough riding the waves.
On Wednesday, Emerson and I picked up a few fresh vegetables from the Farmers Market. Rainy weather kept us indoors for much of the day, so we spent some time playing cards and enjoying a slower pace.
That evening, we had dinner at Three Blondes Brewing, which had a great vegan-friendly menu that everyone enjoyed. Later, Seth and I took an evening walk while the kids stayed in and watched Scooby-Doo together.
Note: The photos of the kids were actually taken on Monday.
Today we surprised the kids with a trip to Saugatuck and an amazing dune ride adventure. It was a huge hit—everyone enjoyed our guide racing over the dunes as we took in the incredible scenery.
Afterward, we stopped at Crane's for lunch (mostly incredible pie!). We enjoyed the beautiful views before heading back.
Once we returned to the condo, everyone was ready for a well-earned afternoon nap. In the evening, we headed to South Beach for a walk and some time at the playground.
On Monday, we stocked up on groceries and were greeted by kind local workers who made us feel right at home. We then headed to North Beach. Even though the weather was a little cool, the sun was shining and it was the perfect day to play along the lakeshore.
It was also neat to see The Buddy, where we stayed in 2018, and how beautifully it has been renovated. Later, we enjoyed a short hike on the Kal-Haven Trail before wrapping up the day with a family favorite—ice cream from Kilwins. In the evening, Seth and I took Emerson to explore the skate park on his scooter.
We arrived in South Haven on Sunday and had fun exploring our condo, a beautifully renovated former school complete with an indoor pool and movie theater. After getting settled, we headed to Black River Tavern for dinner. While the service tested our patience a bit, we enjoyed the opportunity to slow down and settle into vacation mode. Yay for a week of family time together!
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Kit explained, "I loved spending a week with all my friends, new friends, and hearing the good news from camp speaker Goodie. Between club moshing, stomach problems from a milkshake, and vulnerable cabin time with my friends, this week was such an amazing time connecting with the Lord."
When asked about her favorite memories, Winnie shared "Learning about Jesus' story and applying Goodie's message to my life, the silent disco & pool party, tubing - paddleboarding - other water activities, zipline, 80's night, and PONY (a dance circle)."
Emerson's 9th birthday celebration started early on Sunday. His sisters were away at camp and wouldn't be home until long after his bedtime, so the festivities began with opening gifts from mom and dad. He helped mom bake and decorate his birthday cake, adding his own creative touch.
Next came swim lessons at the Liberty YMCA, where he was surprised with a special birthday ribbon that made him feel extra celebrated.
That evening, we welcomed friends—mostly neighborhood buddies—for pizza, cake, and water fun. Emerson had a great day and appreciated all of the warm greetings and thoughtfulness from the people who love him most.