Pinery Take Two

Ian and I headed up to The Pinery for a second time this summer, but this time Jim came up partway through the week to meet us. And this time my sister, Phoebe, and her boyfriend, James, were able to join us, too! So, the whole gang was together for most of the week!! That hasn't happened since the summer when I was pregnant with Ian!!

We had a great week with beautiful weather.

 Ian started a new fashion trend. Don't look now, but the runway shows are going to be following his lead this year!

 We enjoyed campfires almost every night.

 And river time every day!!

 Ian LOVED throwing rocks in the water this year and watching them "splash!!"

 Perhaps one of my new favorite pictures ever. My big, handsome boy in my favorite place.

 I obviously couldn't choose just one photo.

 Good lifting form, as always. If only we could retain those innate understandings of how our body needs to be used.

 Hazel, Heidi, Julie, & Aunt Beth came down to the water with us one day.

 This might be my first bump picture of this pregnancy! Hello, Baby!!

 A good side view of the bump and the "big budder." (13 weeks at this point)

 Grumps and Ian, just chatting about life.

 Grandma spent a few days out at The Pinery with us. On this day she had a very productive doctor's visit with Dad and Aunt Beth present.

 We celebrated Uncle Willem's 27th birthday with a chocolate cake (what else?)!

 We went on two canoe trips! Ian's first, official trips. He did a fantastic job on the first one, which was 6.5 miles down to Cooksburg and the ice cream place. On day two, we didn't time it well before his nap and he was a bit grumpy, but cuddled so sweetly with me for most of it.

 Jim gave me a HUGE gift by sleeping with Ian for all of the nights he was there. I slept in the neighbors' house and even slept in each day until 8:30! It was glorious and I felt like a new woman. Thank you SO much, Jim!

Amazingly enough, Ian was normally lying quietly with Jim when I'd come over to the cabin around 9 AM. He let Jim rest the whole time!!

I love this picture that Dad snapped of him one morning. So focused and deliberate.

Let the record show that I did beat James in croquet two times!!! He did beat me like ten times, but hey. Progress was made. We also played a lot of cornhole and badminton

Phoebe & James and then Dad & Willem left, so the last day we spent with Mom. We had a full, fun day with her! We went to Iron Mountain Grill for lunch, the bulk foods store, then to Quiet Creek Herb Farm (our combined paradise... we could spend all day there. Or heck, we could live there!), and then on a hike in Cook Forest State Park.

 We did the Cathedral Pines hike on Longfellow trail and then we got down to Toms Run and waded around in the water. We stripped Ian down, so he wouldn't get his clothes and diaper soaked. I loved watching him frolic and play in the water. He then hiked the whole way back to the car naked. So adorable.

 A boy and his double-fisting of sticks!!

 Now before I hear it from everyone... for some reason I am having trouble downloading a few pictures from my camera. I'm not freaking out yet, but I will continue trying to troubleshoot the problem. I know that Dad would really like the group picture and unfortunately it's one of the ones causing problems! If anyone knows Nikons, iPhoto, & MacBooks... help me. There are some important pictures :)

Until next year, dear cabin! We loved our time with you. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for hosting all of us for a week!