Travel Tuesday: Grand Haven, MI

We made our usual trek to hubby’s hometown in July for some boating and fishing fun. Emery and I only went for a few days because we didn’t feel comfortable leaving Knute for an extended period, but Bodie and Ben stayed in the mitten for eleven days. Ben is able to work while in Grand Haven because his company’s HQ are there. Truthfully, Bodie wanted to stay longer, but school beckoned. However, he was happier than a pig in slop having his cousins, uncles and dad around to play golf, take the boat out or drop a line in the water. Also, for the first time in several years, Bodie was in town for the annual Grand Haven Coast Guard festival. The parades, carnival and fireworks show that this entails are always a good time. Grand Haven is such a little Hallmark movie town.

Always a highlight for me…my favorite run of the year. I run from my in-laws’ house through town and down to the end of the pier and back. It’s mostly flat, the scenery is gorgeous and the weather is much better than July in South Carolina.

Pier Run

I was worried about Bodie missing eleven days of golf during his trip, but I was stressed for nothing. He played his grandparents’ course (Spring Lake Country Club) twice and American Dunes once. This is such a cool course!

Michigan Golf

Hubby’s family has a super cute cottage on a bayou…how can you not have fun with this crew? We are so lucky.

Forced Family Fun (but not really forced)

Boat days are the best days…and boat days with friends are the cherry on top. We are so fortunate to be able to meet up with Mom in the Mitten and her boys when we visit. Timmy and Jess are the best and our kids love their three wild boys. We did a horrible job taking photos, but here’s Emery with the Mittens on a dinghy.

Boat Day

Emery and her cousin went horseback riding with Grandma one morning. This reignited Em’s love of horses and she’s been at the barn almost every day since we’ve been home. I’m not mad about it. But I’m not about to buy her a horse.

Giddyup

I’ll leave you with this picture of Ben and Bodie with their Grand Haven buddies. Many of these wonderful people are hubby’s childhood friends and their spouses and children. My kids meet up with them in the summer and it’s like they’ve known each other their entire lives. What a magical place.