Live (almost) from Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is always amazing. Saturday, we enjoyed looking at miles and miles of lakeshore sand dunes from a sailboat. We went out into Lake Michigan from Lake Macatawa in Holland and the lighthouse, Big Red, was spectacular against the bright blue sky.

Sailing Sailing

This past weekend, John & I were invited to go sailing out on Lake Michigan with a friend of ours from church. It turned out to be the most perfect day you can imagine out on the big lake and we very much enjoyed the day with friends.

Captain Eric Wilson

Taking down the mainsail

Love This!

Tripod Action...Ready, Set? Go Anyway!

Not since we took the tripod shot atop the mountain in Rehoboth where I slid out of camera view on the snow before it went off have I had so much fun with a tripod shot. Although, there was that time I went with Deirdre to the river... Our group was a little bit smaller this year, but we still managed to have fun with the group shot. Below is where Opa wanted his photo taken with his grandaughters and new great-grandaughter! Pretty special.

A More Expressive Wave

What do you think of this?

A Wonderful Wave of Women

Three of our boys this year couldn't join us at the OBX, so we needed a new plan for fun, memorable photos. Last year, we had a great slew of jumping photos on the beach. This year, I asked my mom, sisters, daughters, nieces and now grand-niece to wear an oceany blue-green-aqua-turquoisy-white color and come down to where the waves wash ashore. We were going to be a wave and in fact, a white cap. Our newest member, baby Adelina, would be the white cap who the generations before her washed ashore. Or something like that.

And so we assembled by the edge of the water to create a new memory. Not everyone understood what we were doing, but I think we were all happy.

And I think we created a new work of art.

Surfin' USA

Ahh, i'm finally back to the blog-ola after a week at the OBX (Outer Banks, NC). We had a wonderful week there with the family and I have some photos from the beach, but first, some taken by my sister Andrea of one of the highlights!

A few years ago, I body boarded all the time, but lately, I find it hurts! You get thrashed around and smacked by the waves and thrown on to the hard, scratchy sand. Well, Brother-in-law Tom to the rescue! He let me wear his wetsuit and let me tell you... invincible! It was great fun. Now I need a pink one with a big "W" on the front!

Infamous

On our way to the Outer Banks this year, we made our usual stop in Washington DC. This year, we found a statue of my 4th cousin next to the White House and John took our picture in front of it.


Maria, Bridget & I standing in front of a statue of distant cousin William Tecumseh Sherman

Flash Back Friday 165

So appropriate to do a flashback on our 22nd anniversary!!, June 11, 1988

Happy anniversary to my dear sweet John!

Home Again!!!

Oops, I kind of went missing there for awhile... a lot going on, I guess. This evening, we were expecting to go to the airport at about 9pm when we suddenly got a call shortly after 6pm from Edward that they had arrived early! I was so excited I forgot my camera, but I took the following photos when we got home. In the past week, Edward had been to London, then to Bavaria, then ran a half-marathon through the Alps, took a plane to Oslo and stayed overnight and then went back to his dorm room in Amsterdam to pack for home.

Together again...

I wanted to take a few photos of the hair before he gets it cut :)

Flash Back Friday 164

Edward Maria & Bridget at Holland State Park, 1998

Portrait of a BFF

Painting by Maria of her friend Abby

Maria made this painting of her friend Abby by first painting the canvas green and then painting the white over top. She asked me to photograph it before she gave it to her friend!

Then Bursting Forth

The beginning of June always brings the blooming of the peonies in our yard and I cannot let this time pass without photos of these dear flowers which are here for such a brief time! The pop out so quickly and are so top-heavy, some of them fall to the ground. I already rescued a few and brought them inside before they landed face-first in the mud. This post is a longer-lasting bouquet for you.