Friday, September 07, 2012

Personal Paradise

We just got back from visiting family in Ohio and going to Michigan to the Cottage (thank you Superfad for 2 weeks paternity leave). It was so fun to hang with my sisters every day and have my kids play with their cousins. Made me wish we lived closer than a 12 hour drive. 

Also loved every minute of our Cottage time. Anyone who knows me well knows about the Cottage and now thanks to Instagram so do all my followers. It is the most glorious and magical place on earth to me. Sand so soft it's like velvet under your feet. Empty beaches that make you feel like you are on your own private island. Warm water as clear as the Caribbean. Am I making anyone jealous? The Cottage belongs to my grandparents and has since the 70s. It's on Lake Michigan near this small town most people have never heard of, but I have been going there pretty much my whole life, and I love it. Now I get to watch my kids experience and love it the way I did as a kid. Awesome. 

There are lots of things that make the Cottage such a place of nostalgia. Sand in the sheets. Too much "beach house" furniture (ie wicker). Chocolate milk from Country Dairy. 20 boxes of cereal on top of the refrigerator. Endless supply of ice cream in the freezer. The most amazing sunsets. A sun that doesn't set until 9pm. Late night talks on the porch. Games. Lots of Games. Walking along the boardwalk. Getting excited when you get off the 31 onto Monroe Road and knowing you are only minutes away from paradise. The House of Flavors. My grandparents' farmhouse. The fruit stand. Taking the canoe into town (sadly we did not do this on this trip). Walking to the pier. Corn on the cob.  The sound of waves lapping onto the shore as you fall asleep. Complete blackness at night. Beach bonfires complete with camp songs on the ukelele and smores. Sand castles. Family.

Best 2 weeks ever.

According to the iPhone...

 Fiona and cousin Tuck who is 1 month younger

 Grant and Katelyn

 The 4 babes born in 2010... watch out world.

 Grandma Walborn and Fiona








 Some ice cream with Grandma and Grandpa at House of Flavors

 The Farmhouse




 The Cottage
 Grandpa Walborn and Fiona

 Grant and cousin Clark... going to be partners in crime



2 comments:

Hepworths said...

Oh man, this IS the most perfect place! Wow. Love it all and need to go there.

Sunny said...

Sounds so lovely. I love being in places where it's pitch black at night. It's scary and awesome (in the true sense of the word) all at the same time.