A fun day out on Lake Michigan
We got up early and headed to Grand Haven to meet Grandpa Howe and Sheila on their boat. We had a great day with amazing fall weather!

Visiting Grandma Sandy's Lake House
Joe decided to test out Emma's "jetski", while Alex, Keenan, Emma and I took a long paddle boat ride. :) Grandma Sandy also treated us to homemade Ethiopian food! Yummy! :)

Making more Jam; this time Blueberry and Kiwi
Since Alex had never made jam we thought it would be fun to make some with her while she was here. Besides, I had been dying to try out how to make kiwi jam (really good, and no I am not sharing!) ever since we had tried it at Joe's cousin's home in Germany. Keenan wasn't thrilled with the process, but the rest of us had fun! :)

What a great 1st day of 2nd Grade!!
Emma has 2 teachers this year that swap days, and although I was a little nervous about how this would work, it seems to being going well so far. Both teachers seem very nice and we are looking forward to a great year! After her 1st day of school, we headed back to her class in the evening for her open house. We were surprised to see some of her art work already up. Her self portraits were adorable and Emma was quite proud of them! :) Keenan really enjoyed the teacher's rocking chair during the open house and Joe and I enjoyed meeting her teachers and getting a first glimpse into her school life this year.

Emma making Raspberry Jam
She helped pick the berries, smash them and stir! :) What a big helper she was!

Emma all ready for her 1st day of 2nd Grade!!

The morning of Emma's 1st day of 2nd Grade!
I love her big smiles!!

A Little Sibling Love ♥
How perfect is this? Keenan and Emma have such a special bond. They truly care for each other and it is so incredibly sweet! Ok, it can be maddening at times when I have to ask Emma to put Keenan down a 100 times per day, but endearing nonetheless!

Lake Michigan and the Dunes!
One of the best parts of living in Michigan is the opportunity to head to some of the best beaches and sand dunes around! Amazing views and lots of fun to climb!

Random Lake House Shots
Keenan on the porch being a cutie; Emma helping Mama celebrate her bday with a GF chocolate cake that Grandma picked up; and Joe, Alex and Em on Pentwater beach

Grandpa and Keenan; The Jam Session

Pancakes with Grandpa are a lake house tradition!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Byron!
So we celebrated a few days early at the lake and I am posting it a few days late on the blog. In the end it should equate to timely greetings, no? :) Love you!!

Labor Day Weekend Mac Dune Ride
Alex arrived from Germany just in time to help celebrate the labor day weekend. We packed the car up and headed to Grandma and Grandpa's Lake house. First stop for fun, the Mac Dune Ride! :) Yeehaw!