Our forth trip to Michigan City fully documented here for our family. The weather and water have been the warmest yet. The highs have stayed in the mid-upper 80’s with just the right mix of sun and clouds. 

The cottage is showing wear as other guest at the house hasn’t been treating it with total care.  We were greeted with a wiggling door knob, a play station not working, a missing coffee pot, electric sockets taped over and not working, and an empty propane tank on the grill. Since arriving the door knob has been fixed, the electric is supposed to be working right again (afraid to check), and the rental office has given us another coffee pot.  I haven’t told the office yet about needing a new propane tank for the grill. A grill is a must for a family on vacation!! Update: A new propane tank has arrived. 

This trip has brought out how much Hannah and Nick are growing up. At the park Nick is swinging across a kid-zip line that he was afraid to in the past and Hannah is flying across the monkey bars just like a monkey. The monkey bars took her all seven days on the last visit to master.  Both Hannah and Nick are riding their scooters to the beach verses us pulling them in a wagon.  This is a bitter-sweet milestone and indicator that my babies are growing up.  Nick says riding his scooter makes him think about food and makes him hungry. When we return from the beach it is usually dinner time and everyone is grilling out.  He loves the smell!

Jason has been getting much-needed sleep and relaxation with the family that he hasn’t been able to get in the past weeks, with work and the remodeling project consuming most of his time and sleep. 

I have enjoyed eating all our meals together as we very seldom get to do, plus I have Jason helping with the food prep and cleanup, which is a welcoming break. I am looking forward to playing and spending time with Hannah and Nick on the rest of the vacation as school will start in a few weeks after we return. 

Monday With the threat of rain in the forecast for the entire day, we spent the early part of Monday afternoon at the outlet stores.  It ended up to be a beautiful sun shining day.  Jason bought some new clothes and sandals, Nick bought an Iron Man 2 wrist shooter toy, and Hannah picked out some sparkly new shades, some school clothes, and a new Webkinz (that was promised for her birthday). We grabbed lunch out and headed back to spend the remainder of the afternoon at the beach and dinner at the cottage, cranberry-apple chicken (a recipe Hannah stole from Aunt Jen’s recipe book). The day ended with a trip to the park, card game of Uno, a little wine, and Sammy the Seal shows. Yes, Sammy the Seals show. Jason taught Hannah new tricks to perform with her newly adopted Webkniz pet seal, who she named Sammy. Sammy the Seal was the first longer length book she had ever read and originally was Jason’s as a boy. 

Tuesday Today I woke up to the sound of rain. Hoping it was something else. It isn’t supposed to get out of the high 70’s today, but weatherchannel.com hasn’t been right yet.  I probably need to find out the weather in the local news.  Here’s to another great day at the beach and hoping the weather man has got the weather all wrong again.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a warm, sunny day in the 90’s.   I have been enjoying a cup of Jason’s gourmet coffee every morning and some time to myself at the computer.  I guess it has ended for me today as I hear the sound of little feet and Nick already playing with his new toy he got yesterday for a souvenir, now complete with lost pieces.  I guess the hunt begins!  All pieces found and look forward to another great day with my family!!!

The weather here has been rapidly changing.  Now, the high for today is in the mid 80’s and a chance of scattered thunderstorms.  Better, I think we will get ready for a day at the beach. 

Today turned into the best beach trip yet.  It was a nice sunny day in the 80’s.  The weather man predicted rain throughout the day.  Nick enjoyed tossing his water bomb ball back and forth he earned it at the library for participating in their reading program.  Jason, Nick, and Hannah built a small kingdom of sand castles.  The stately sand castles attracted some small pirates, who wanted to steal our buckets and stick decorations, and demolish the kingdom.  I was really amazed the parents let their children run free as I watched them do it.  I stopped the bucket thief in her (sand) tracks.  We have taken a mid-day break and Jason has gone to the outlet malls and grocery store.  He is on a hunt for a new bathing suit.  We are going to go to the park and swimming pool after dinner if it isn’t too late.  Update: Hannah and Jason went to the pool and Nick and I went to the park.  Hannah and Jason took an evening stroll through Waterfall Park.  We ended the day by watching Pete’s dragon and falling asleep.

Wednesday The start of the last two full days here.  I woke up to sunny skies, better start than yesterday.  I am going to try not to check the weather today, since it hasn’t been correct so far.  The highs are supposed to be in the 90’s.  I am looking forward to another full day at the beach, this time with sunscreen for me.  Yesterday, I came back roasted.  I am putting a roast in the Crockpot for dinner tonight.  We should leave the cottage smelling good with all the cooking that has been going on in the kitchen.  I brought Hannah and Nick to the park this morning after breakfast while Jason drank coffee and woke up some more.  It warmed up pretty fast this morning, so we didn’t stay at the park long.  We went back and prepared to go the pool only to get detoured because there was “an accident” in the pool.  We came back to the cottage for lunch and are now heading out to the beach, wishing we brought our umbrella on vacation today.  It is going to be a hot one.  Nick would like a ride in the wagon today to the beach instead of his scooter.  Update: Nick rode his scooter to the beach and back.  I helped with little push breaks here and there.  It was hot at the beach, but as always we had a great time playing in the sand and water.  We spent some time relaxing back at the cottage, and Jason made us some banana/strawberry daiquiri’s.  We played game of shoots and ladder and went to the park while Jason finished up dinner.  Nick made friends with a friendly 9-year-old girl at the park.  Hannah joined in on playing.  I could stay on vacation forever, but Jason is ready to get back home soon. 

Thursday The heat index could reach up to 105 degrees today.  Instead of walking to the beach, I think we will stay closer and go to the pool.  Packing and getting ready to head home.  Planning trip to the beach after dinner… Update:  We went to the beach after dinner to see it one more time and to watch the sunset.  The sunset was beautiful and we stayed and played and built sand castles on the beach till 10pm.  The water was warm and the temperature wasn’t as hot.  We should have spent more of the hot days there in the evening.  We packed up when we arrived back at the cottage and headed home to make the drive during the night to avoid traffic and making stops with the kids. Can’t wait to do it again next year!

We took a trip down the Whitewater River via Morgans in Brookville for Nick’s 5th birthday. The weather was beautiful and we saw a bunch of wildlife including many turtles and a beaver as big as a pig. The river was busy as many other enthusiasts seized the day.

Afterwards, we headed over to uncle Mike’s to grill out and eat cake. Took some good pics to document the experience.