a blustery blast

Ludington is my camping utopia.

Perhaps it is the good company of friends we are with, coupled with 4 solid days of family togetherness. Or maybe the miles of hiking, biking, beaches, and natural beauty that surrounds the area. Maybe it's the rich history tucked away in the lighthouse and the dam, just waiting to be found. We still have yet to see to see it all. Perhaps her goodness lies in the fact that every last memory I have of Ludington is complimented with sunshine and beautiful weather...making it a sweet final summer fling. Probably it's a combination of all these, making it our destination of choice for the last several Labor Day weekends.

While listening to the forecast before we left last Thursday, the weatherman coined the term "blustery", to describe the weather we were to anticipate.

I knew then that I would need to adjust my attitude a bit, and diverge from my "fun in the sun" mindset. While blustery is a term that I would save for a cold, windy day in the middle of January....the weather certainly wasn't anything to write home about.

However, I can honestly say we had a marvelous time.

Don't get me wrong, I had to constantly remind myself that it was okay. On the first night, the rain came down so hard, creating a swamp, fed by many rivers, underneath our awning. I was thankful I wasn't in a tent. I was also thankful when the temperature dipped below 45 degrees at night, Tim let me turn the heater on. :) Not to mention I got to use the camper potty for the first time ever...a true act of love!

As it turns out, an overcast, windy, 58 degree day is perfect hiking weather!

Austin grabbed a park map and figured out that we hiked/biked over 23 miles!
When you stop every 10 feet to look for frogs....it makes for a long hike :)

We biked down to the beach on "that really windy day" to check out the waves. By the time we got to the parking lot, the sand was whipping so hard, that the 2 little ones were screaming like the little girls that they are. I turned back with them, but Tim took the three big kids down to brave the wind. It was impressive! It felt a little like winter, watching bulldozers clear the parking lot of sand.

Many friendly games of football were played. We biked out to the Big Sable Pointe Lighthouse. You have to be 3 feet tall to climb to the top. Since I wasn't large and in charge this year, Tim stayed out with the little 2 , and we spiralled up 130 stairs to the top.

Sunday afternoon was warmish and sunny! We took advantage and went to the little lake.
Syd caught a butterfly, naturally :)


Many poles were cast off the boardwalk. Tim got the 3 big kids out of bed @ 6am one morning to go fishing by the dam....to try to catch the "big ones". Too bad they only got a nibble, as Dylan will inform you.

We sat around and talked alot :)

oh...and we got ice cream!