beach day.

I have really been wanting to make it to Lake Michigan one more time before school starts, beaches close, and Fall descends. I didn't want to face Saturday crowds, so I traded Chris for a Wednesday off, and we trekked west. "Beach Day" was on.

[On the way there I jimmy-rigged the Kindle so all three kids could see it. I was pretty proud of myself.]

It was a windy day at the lake. It make for a sandy mess, but also some awesome waves. It felt and sounded like the ocean. John wasn't so sure at first. He loved the beach so much the first time, I was confused. He screamed for the first hour we were there. Finally we decided to have lunch and, what do you know, happy John. Apparently he needed to get his blood sugar up. Quinn took the opportunity to live Beach Day to the fullest and ate unlimited cookies.

We had lots of fun getting really really ridiculously sandy. Laying in the sand was all the rage (probably because it was warm!), and John kept putting his face right down in it. We also found a Carly head and half of a Quinny while playing on the beach.

The rest of the time was filled with jumping waves, playing chase with daddy, and getting pulled on the sled. A friend enlightened me to the sled on the beach idea. Only in Michigan, I suppose. When we were all worn out, we headed back to the car. It is always longer back to the car than it is out to the beach, it seems, and lugging a sled full of heavy beach gear across the hot sand reminded me 1) to never do cross fit, and 2) increase my gratitude that I was not a pioneer. But we managed to find a Qdoba and a Culver's on our way back east, and that was a beautiful ending to a beautiful day.

We just love Lake Michigan.

It is near the top of a long list of things we love about the Mitten.

I'm so very glad we squeezed in one last 2013 Beach Day.