Taking back my life.............

Today I made a descision. I am taking back my life. Let me explain. I have over the past 3 years stopped driving. I really had no need to drive, I seldom went anywhere alone and so it was not a problem. I drove up to the point that my sight was getting really bad. Eventually I completely lost the sight in my right eye. Long story, but it took a long time to reach that point. When it went, it went quick. It left me with bad equilibrium and I would often loose my balance and walk into things and people. I felt I needed a beeper telling people to pass on the left. So since I now also had Tristen I felt I did not want to chance driving under the circumstances. Now the sight has gone I am a bit easier with it for the most part. I still dont have good depth perception but I am more comfortable with it. I am adjusting. So with that in mind I want to begin to start to drive again. I will take it easy and get used to just driving close to home. Get lots of practice. I will drive during the quiet times of the day.
So today I surprised Tristen and took him to the school playgrounds. We have 3 close by but this one is big and he loves going there.


We had got to the playground and he was off at a run. A little girl was on one of the riding thingies and he and Reina had enjoyed a rolling good time on that. SO he hopped on behind her no by your leave. I had to remind him to calm down. She decided retreat was the better part of valour and went off with him hot on her heels to the play house.



There were two girls, one Tristens age and one a little older. Tristen got their grandmother who was babysitting to join in their game and got her in the play house with them. A very nice lady.



Well apparently he was paying attention to the Mr Rogers program today because he decided he was a doctor and was going to give everyone a shot. He had the lady sit down and he told her to think happy thoughts and he pretended to give her a shot....he really got into that game giving everyone a shot until I distracted him. This is his office

After that they rode the school bus

They all ran over to the big kids playground and whooped it up over there. They girls were comfortable with him by now, he does have to be reminded to be gentle with them. So I made him go up first rather than shove them down hehe.



Then his favourite ride


Now the dilemma .....how do I get him to leave without a fuss. I told him it was time to go. "I don't want to".....natural response, so I said "I know you dont but we have to and if we go now with no fuss we can come back" .....and then the bribe....a nice drink and he said he was thirsty......so off we went. Woo hoo and we got home in one piece with no tantrums. So he got a nice big sucker.

Walk by the Boardman.................

Laura, Reina, Tristen and moi went for a walk down by the Boardman River. We wanted to get the kids out and tire them. Well two of us got tired and it was not the kids. We took a few pictures. Its wonderful that we have so many trails around here. The Boardman river goes right through town. At this point there was a dam. They redirected the river years ago and now I think the dam is being dismantled. Somethings going on. Anyway, they installed a nature center and have an extensive trail network now. It gives fishermen, canoeists and kayakers places to enter the water.

The river is quite shallow in several spots that make it wonderful for the kids (with life jackets) to play in. Laura said the other day they found petoskey stones in the river.

We had been on some other trails before and there are several more we have yet to explore. We want to go to the other side. Lots of Queen Annes lace

At first I thought this was a pin cherry tree but I am not sure. I do know bears love them haha.


Back to the river

These are not pin cherries and I am not sure what they are. I am thinking Chokecherry but not at all sure. They look so much like the others, maybe they are all chokecherry and they are poison I think. I have some research to do

It was a very sunny day so my pictures are dark. We are walking in woodlands alongside the river.

Here are Laura and the kids taking a break...........nice that there are places to do that huh?

There are water meadows too, and a place here to sit and watch wild life I would think. They built a gazebo. So nice. We didn't see anything though, well with our two noisy kids and another family close behind its no wonder. While on that subject, when we go out on trails we like to avoid other people. So why oh why with all the trails they could have chosen, why walk right behind us?


Now look at this cute bug.............so pretty. I believe its called an Iridescent beetle.

We rounded the bend and this is what we see (eye roll)the two of them fighting over a stick.


Here is Golden Rod and soon everyone will have allergies. Its so beautiful though, I would like some for my garden. My Dad had it in his back in England.


Going back into the woods. after some open spots it looks so inviting after the heat of open meadows.

The bees were busy here. On some Queen Anne's lace there were two different kinds of bee sort of dancing around each other.





When we got home we took them to the playground. What a noise. Reina has the strongest lungs I ever heard.........she can scream loud enough to hear her two counties over. She is teaching Tristen to scream.





Well it was a fun day if not a quiet one......they had to let rip somewhere and the great outdoors is the place to be. The wild life may not recover their hearing but it kept the bears away


I am sharing with Inspire me Monday

Cooper.............

I thought I would share some recent pictures of my other great grandson, Cooper. We see quite a bit of him really. His mother Gabrielle, my granddaughter was living with us until the baby came. She now lives with her boyfriend, Coopers daddy. A nice little family. They came with us to the reunion last Saturday. I didn't get any pictures though, he was sleeping for most of it.
Today I baby sat while Gabby worked. He is 3 months old already.

This is how I like my babies, fat, cute and sleeping.

Just look at these toes, aren't they cute. They are so new...........look at those wrists and the hand dimples.........love it.


He is turning over now and getting his fat little bum in the air.
I know that Prince william and Kate are enjoying their new little one and the whole family of Windsor will get as much delight as I do from the new Prince. I love the names they chose. Especially remembering Lord Louis Mountbatten. I am sure that has really pleased Prince Charles. Alexander too, so much behind that name too and ties him in with Scotland among other things........God Bless the new Prince and his family

Reunion.......

Today we went to my husbands family reunion. It was at Duck Lake in Interlochen. We normally go to the other side of the park and seldom to this one so we were not prepared for swimming. That was fine by me we didn't have to watch the kids so close. There was enough of a playground for them. They had so much fun. There were organized games. Tristen won the first race. I think he was the only one in the group who knew "ready set go" he was off and running before the others thought about it. Was so happy to get a prize. Was not so happy with egg and spoon race because they used ping pong balls that kept blowing away.
We had a great picnic with all the dishes to pass, you know what that's like. Tristen is the one in the red tee shirt


Tristen was in heaven he had both his uncles home. Justin, Carrie and Teal came down from the Upper Peninsula. Here is Justin, Reina and Tristen playing catch with a baseball mitt on the beach.


This one is of Reina and Tristen.


I will have more pictures later when everyone posts theirs and I will add them to this post.
Gabrielle and Cooper came with us so that Carrie and Justin could meet Cooper for the first time. Tony joined us later.
Jason came home as well and got to hold Cooper for the first time

I love these pictures. Cooper is cutting two front teeth and sucks his fist a lot

A close up of Cooper

Thats all I have today, but will be getting more pictures probably so may yet add to this. I love it when the kids are all home. Laura lives close to us so we see her all the time. Tristen loves his family and Auntie Carrie brings him gifts. Both my boys pay special attention to him and Reina so they love their uncles and aunt Carrie. Everyone is staying at the house. Tristen gave up his bed for Teal. He is sleeping with me and Gerry. I am wondering if we will be able to winkle him out of our bed tomorrow night haha.........will let you know

To Hot..............

Today we had made plans for a picnic lunch and day at the beach. Off we set around 10am. We got out to the Sleeping Bear at around 11.30 and decided lunch would be first. We stopped at the picnic area and ate. Laura made sandwiches and so did I, we brought fruit and crackers and left it at that. So Laura and Reina were discussing what was in the sandwiches and Reina was arguing..........so Laura said " I made the damn sandwiches I think I know whats in them." Tristen pipes up "Nanny made damn sandwiches too"






It was nice and breezy in the picnic area and no one else around. Nice................We could see the people at the dune climb, like ants.........must be crazy in that heat. There was a weather warning for extreme heat. The temperature 94 with heat index of 101

This is where we are going.

It was like crossing the Sahara. The water was nice, I dont swim and usually that's not a problem. I just wade and look for stones. It was so hot I could feel my skin crisping.......I thought I smelled pork chops.

Laura found a cold spot

time for a swim.



no matter where she was she had two little bodies right there with her, splashing and generally annoying hehe. I went in for a paddle and same thing. Why do kids have to be right on ya?????

Along the large puddle that always collects where the water from waves get trapped, there were some sand birds. Little piping plovers I think.






We decided to retreat. We left the beach and went into Cedar for an ice cream. Picked up some world famous Cherry Polish brats and hot dogs for supper and headed home.We saw a lady turkey


She was not very cooperative.


Then a special treat. A deer and two fawn crossed in front of us. We slowed to a crawl and I got the camera ready. They too did not seem willing to pose today.


We came home to the air conditioned house and collapsed. The kids were still wound up so after a but Laura and Reina went home...............we had the brats and hot dogs for supper

I am sharing this with The dedicated house, make it pretty Monday
I am also sharing with Our World Tuesday