A few weeks prior, we all decided to take a family trip up north to Michigan's U.P. (upper peninsula) where Mom was born and grew up, where Lisa and I were born and my mom's side of the family still lives. I don't get up there often enough over the years. Lisa and Mom had always been real good about going a couple of times each year. Lisa LOVED going up to Michigan. So, it seemed that since it was the weekend of Lisa and Rob's wedding anniversary, we would take a trip together and spend time with each other and lots of other family. Our trek started very early in the morning to get there as early as possible.
We scooped the kids up in to the car in their pj's and off we went
Waking up and working on their laptops
Dad/Papa Dan drove up with us and Grandma Van and Aunt Barb met us to take Dad for the weekend.
We made it to Michigan!
It was a beautiful bright and sunny morning. We spent a lot of time on Deb & Dave's front porch. It was a beautiful morning.
Maggie helps Sydney with her sandal.
Uh oh here comes Natalie
Ryan and Sydney
Ryan Todd Natalie Amanda Sydney - on the the front porch
Come on Maggie, let's play!
Mom and her mom, Grandma Boudreau, have a visit on the front porch
Pretty birds, doves I think, in the flower pot on the front porch
Swing!
Aunt Karen, Grandma Jane, Grandma Diamond & Great Gram
Ryan
Ryan watches Daddy kick the football.
Run!
All of the guys played football, how fun!
Daddy, Jamey, Uncle Tommy, Todd, Rob and Ryan too!
Ryan looks to Uncle Tommy for direction
Ry, right in the middle of it all
Natalie got in on the fun too!
Whoa! Uncle Tommy!
Peace!
Natalie
Sydney
Uncle Robbie helps Sydney w/her shoe, again!
Ryan
Amanda
Sydney and Grandma Jane
Sydney relaxes on the rocker on the front porch
Todd
Noah
Grandma Diamond, Noah, Karen and Rob at our hotel room, waiting for us to get ready for our swim at the pool
Cassie and Ryan
Amanda, Grandma Diamond and Noah on the front porch
OK, here we are at the pool. Even Ryan went down the slide!
Sydney
Ryan on the slide
Daddy and Ryan look on
Natalie
Amanda comes down the slide
Ryan
Ryan wants some lovin' from Momma!
Keeping warm
Looking cute!
Looking really cute
We had stopped at Syklley's Gift shop and I got the kids some fun chocolates. Ryan knew right away when I gave him this car, that it was chocolate
And he wanted to eat it right away!
Aunt Deb had picked up mylar balloons for everyone to have a Balloon Release in Lisa's Memory. We all prepared a small card to attach to our balloon.
Sydney with her balloon
Ryan gets ahold of the bouquet of balloons! I wonder if he'd float away?!
I'll leave you with the pictures of this moment in time, as there really aren't many words I can put down to sum up the emotions, sadness, relief...that came with the release of these beautiful balloons that floated away, almost in slow motion it seemed, in the glimmering late afternoon sun. We love you Lisa and can only hope that you were looking down, watching those balloons float up to you in Heaven. You are our Angel.
This was Natalie writing out her card(s). Actually, she made like (9) little cards to Auntie and that was too many apparently, as her balloon wouldn't float off. Hers was the last to go up b/c he had to remove most of her cards from the string at the last second. It was so sweet.
Sydney and Daddy look on as the balloons float away
My sister-in-law, Mary, Tony's wife's brother was ironically up in the same area performing with his band at a local bar on the lakefront of Lake Michigan!
Uncle Domesticated Dave
Jane and Deb
this was the ballerina chocolate I got the girls
The loved it!
Ryan's chocolate car
In the hotel bed - Natalie and Ryan. Amanda slept in the hideaway bed separately!
0 comments:
Post a Comment