The Peipert Family: Michigan (Summer Week Seven)

We made an adventurous trip to Michigan over the weekend and spent most of the week visiting Justin's mom at the house near Traverse City. Neither of us had been up to see it since it was purchased and worked on and we were excited to check it out and visit with family we hadn't seen for awhile, either!

I started preparing for the trip DAYS in advance to make sure we had packed all of the necessary items for both babes and myself. We had to have sleeping and travel arrangements for two children under the age of two along with clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, spoons, bibs, burp cloths, plenty of entertaining gadgets for the airplane ride, books, babies, blankets, and of course: bows.

So of course we didn't check a bag. Only car seats. Because (you guessed it) they're free.

We did manage to fit everything into a carry-on suitcase, an adult backpack, a child's backpack, and a very large diaper bag/purse combination. It was just short of miraculous.

Considering that there were some interesting complications with seating on the airplane (if you are ever flying with two kids under the age of two, call me...) and that we had to take a total of FOUR flights to get to and from Michigan from Dallas, the kids did AWESOME on the plane and we are totally grateful for that.

Checking out the airplanes before the flight!

Fell asleep on the second flight, magna doodle in hand...

A good plane sleeper. This time at least...

While there, we got to visit with lots of Justin's family including aunts & uncles, cousins & second-cousins, and of course Grandma & Aunt Josie. We really enjoyed getting to visit with family we don't get to see often & giving the girls a chance to meet & play with them as well.

Grandma's house in Michigan

Nora playing with Aunt Josie

Janie hanging out!

We enjoyed seeing the animals & playing outside when it's not 110 degrees outside! Nora loved seeing Angel (the horse) and feeding her (rather, Susan feeding her) apples & carrots.

Angel

Watching Angel in her pen.

Horsey!

Shopping outside

Swinging with daddy

Janie with her daddy at the farmer's market.

We enjoyed a few other fun times throughout our stay in Michigan! We went to the lake house and swam in the lake! Nora enjoyed taking a ride in the paddle boat to the middle of the lake and back and then REALLY enjoyed sitting on the back of the kayak with Susan. She wasn't comfortable enough to walk or stand in the water on her own, but she let daddy hold her. Janie was a shore baby and stayed on the porch, visiting with family and snoozing off on occasion. We even got to snuggle in the hammock in the afternoon!

Swimming with daddy

On the boat with Susan

Swinging...

...and sleeping in the hammock!

Nora stayed up late and enjoyed her first taste of s'mores. Soooo good!

We took the girls to the sand dunes & the river on our last full day in Michigan. Nora unexpectedly did not enjoy being in the sand since it apparently made her feet dirty. She did wish that we would climb the dunes for her and we did... half way at least. She did enjoy throwing rocks into the water at the river's edge and so we enjoyed that for awhile while Janie napped in the car.