Our gymnastics days are over (at least for now)

Well, after 5 years Ben has decided to quit gymnastics.  I'm not exactly sure why he's decided but probably several reasons.  His hand is just not healing as well as we had hoped it would.  He says it still hurts a lot when he does gymnastics and sometimes just everyday life.  I think he's also tired of the large number of practice hours, falling further behind and he doesn't fit in as well with the group of higher level boys.  I told the gym he will not be back after this week, in fact this may be his last day with the move etc.  His coach told him he can come back any time he wants, so it may not be the end, although I suspect it is.

Maybe it's for the best, but I am very sad about it.  I loved watching him do gymnastics, going to the meets, everything.  I have to become resolved to not watching him compete in the Olympics (!), but as he said a few years ago "Mum, that's your dream, not mine...."

Life is back to "normal"

Since we got rid of the tapestry chairs, Cleo has been hating life. She really does not like the leather chairs at all.  On Saturday morning, she reached a new low and crawled into my basket by the computer because I wouldn't let her on my lap!!!!!

Ben and Maggie got back from Michigan on Saturday morning.  I think the best part of their trip was flying alone!!!

They got home and made "houses" out of some of our moving boxes-haha

We closed on our new house on Wednesday morning

Ben was the first to open the front door, he looks happy....

Hiking and campfire eating.....

 Ben told me "I'm dying, we are eating so healthy...."

Trip to the lighthouse

I think this was the day that it was only 67. Looks pretty cloudy and cool. Jan and Julie have done really well about keeping them occupied

Lots of smiles

Little Maggs

Trip to the sand dunes.....

Ben told me that these are huge.  Maggie told me that once you go down them you have to get back up!!!!!   Looks like they had fun though and that it was a beautiful day

Pictures from Ben and Jan

Jan sent me a few pictures of the kids. They went in the lake as soon as they got there!!!!!  Ben went in the canoe

but of course Maggie went in the water, I don't know how she can stand it being so cold!!!!

Ben told me the water was warm though, maybe just less of a temperature difference between water and air than there is here!!!!

There is no TV in the cabin, so they are playing plenty of games.....

It looks beautiful, if a little cold!!!

They went to the lighthouse today

Then they went looking for fossils and Ben found his first Petoskey stone

Ben is wearing his jacket.  Jan said it's 67 there (it's 97 here!!).  He didn't want to take it with him, but I insisted.  He didn't believe me that it would be much cooler there than it is here

Lovely....

Childless......

Jan took Ben and Maggie to Michigan for the week.  Ben sent me a photo as soon as they left the State!!!!

They made really good time.  Poor Jan drove the whole way herself.  I don't think I could do it.  Ben and Maggie look very happy to be there

Looks idyllic

Sam and I spent the day packing......

Slide the City

We did Slide the City on Saturday. A great idea in theory but the execution of the event was horrible. Maggie and I spent 90 minutes on Friday night queuing up to get the wristbands, then we spent another 90 minutes waiting to get on the slide.  Still the kids seemed to really enjoy it and didn't even complain about having to wait 

This is a rare picture of Ben smiling!!!  Ben said it was the most fun he had ever had, but neither of them wanted to go again....

Still, life is good when you have Dippin' Dots and a soda!!!!

Maggie jumped in the Fire Dept hose, the wettest she was all day

Six Flags

Ben has wanted to go to Six Flags all Summer.  Luckily, Mia took him yesterday and I didn't have to go.  He must have had a good time because I didn't hear from him all day!!!!

Return trip to the Lantern Festival

Ben and I went to the Lantern Festival with Arline last Sunday. We decided to go earlier than the last time so we could take some pictures in the daylight rather than all at night.  My favourites are the ones that are made of china and the elephants are great this year.  I took some close ups so you can see the details

Ben's favourite (of course)

We missed these in the rose garden last time

Another one made of china, over near the climatron

Took a picture of the lisianthus, I have never seen them planted at the gardens before.  One of my favourite flowers

The chrysanthemum walk is beautiful

There is only one purple flower

We were by the chrysanthemum walk when they switched the lights on.  It was nice that they were lit, but it was still light enough to not have that huge difference between light and dark

These are made of plastic bottles cut open at the bottom and spread out

Ben and Arline under the cherry tree arches

The colored water bottles are also a hit with me.  Love the peacocks on this one

Elephants in the dark

Phoenix in the parking lot, didn't get it last time