The Catey Family

2.18.2010

Sept. 7 - Day Started in Michigan and Ended in IL

Amanda in her swimsuit after her last swim in the hotel pool

Sydney Amanda Natalie Maggie Noah Ryan on the couch in our hotel room

Stopped at Grandma Van's house on the way home for lunch and a visit. Here is Gram, Buddy the Dog, Noah and Amanda on her front steps

We picked apples from Great Gram's apple tree

Amanda, Daddy and Pink Emily her stuffed animal pick apples

Ry Ry's turn

Good one bud!

Sydney got in on the apple pickin' too! The girls show us their apples!

Filling up bagfuls of apples

Great Gram helps the kids find apples too

Ryan and Amanda admire their bag full of apples!

Oh how sweet! Ryan, not the apples!!! :)

Lunch at Country Kitchen w/Gram and Aunt Barb

Papa Dan deciding what to get for lunch

Great Grandma Van

Ry's favorite when we eat out - mac 'n cheese!

we drove around Iron Mt. and Dad was our tour guide since I hadn't been up there in over 10 years....This was from the top of the hill overlooking the area.

They had a really nice memorial park for WWII veterans at the top of the hill and here is Grandpa's (Dad's Dad) brick "John VanLaanen USMC WW II"

Dad

Here is the ski jump. WOW!

The kids look down from part way up the ski jump

the view

Dinner

Amanda enjoys her corn dog!

2.08.2010

Sept. 6 - Michigan Trip

I have a million pictures from this day, in particular. Sorry for any duplicates or the ones out of order...I just needed to get them all on here and move forward and it would take me another month to sort thru these....ENJOY! This was a wonderful day!

Morning at the Hotel and Pool

Breakfast

Early morning swim at the hotel pool and in the hot tub too, here!

At Deb's

Everyone gathered back over at Deb & Dave's, Sean plays the guitar

Sydney

Sydney, Amanda, Natalie,
Todd, Noah and Maggie watching Saturday morning cartoons

Maggie, Noah and Todd

Lunch @ Just Burgers with Simon as our cook!

The Park and Beach

Tommy & Cassie met us at the park too

Natalie and Daddy

Ryan, Me, Sydney and Amanda

Tommy

My beautiful girls

My beautiful children

Cassie took this picture, I think. I didn't know she was taking it. I just remember holding Sydney and looking in to the sky. That is what I just kept doing at that time in my life....I guess I was looking for Lisa, a sign, from Heaven......the sun shines bright that day and Lake Michigan was beautiful....but this is the same beach Lisa and I used to swim at when we were little girls...and so, it will never be the same...

Tommy & Cassie

Tommy & Natalie

Tommy carried Amanda back to the park

Natalie

I think this picture is so beautiful. Cassie took it.

Kid's Kingdom Park

Sydney dips her toes in the sand

Scott and I

This is a flower that Amanda picked for me. I knew it wouldn't last more than 5 minutes...so I just took a picture of it and I have it forever now. :) She's such a sweetheart.

Tommy on the zip cord

Paying Respects
This trip to Michigan was one filled with family, memories and just a lot of reflecting, spending time together, remembering what is important and just keeping everyone close and REMEMBERING LISA and also Uncle Dave and Great Grandma Vowler. God knows they are all up in Heaven playing one helluva game of Scrabble!