Where do I begin? How about the BEST part of the weekend: Spending time together.
Thursday:
We started out the holiday by spending a couple hours at the Brown's family picnic. 58 people joined in a picnic on Spring Lake. Wow, what a picnic it was. I don't know my Mom's extended family very well but they made us feel welcome and loved. The little ones played on blankets spread out over the lawn while we took advantage of the calm lake and went KAYAKING! Ryan and I paddled around the little bayou and tried not to tip over while looking at fish and lily pads. It was so refreshing we decided we need a couple kayaks for ourselves!
A motorcycle ride to Holland for dinner. We called on Grandma Diane to come stay for the weekend and spend time with Edee. She was more than happy. As it turns out she had just recently mentioned to family that Ryan and I could use some one on one time. Maybe our little excursion was meant to be.
Knowing Edee was safe and sound really helped. A very big THANK YOU Diane! All though I had to hold on tight to Ryan every time he took off from a red light once we were in Holland, away from the every day norms, I was able to relax. Riding rockets is great! Okay, I admit it is thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. I trust Ryan but I do not trust other drivers. Luckily, all went well.
We chose New Holland Brewing Co. for our evening cuisine. Ryan was interested in seeing the new garden/patio addition to the restaurant. They have something great going on their. And the 45 minute wait for food proves it.
Luckily, we took a seat at the bar after 5 minutes of being there. Drings, food, service and even the couples seated on either side of us were great. We shared a unique twist on nachos: house made chips, beer cheese, jalapeños, salsa and sour cream. I tried their Blueberry Hard Cider and Ryan had a sampler of IPAs. He approved of several of them, including a Michigan Pale Ale. After shifting seats to allow for a couple to sit together I received a complementary Cider from the gentlemen. What a nice couple! We chatted for a bit about every day things. He brews wine and some ciders and they live in Hudsonville. They too, wanted to get away from the daily grind and found their way to Holland for the evening. A simple gesture turned into good company!
Speaking of good company, Diane's visit was wonderful. 9AM conversations, while sitting on the floor watching Edee play are THE BEST. We were able to find more time to chat while she was here this time around and I feel like we got to know each other just a bit more. I appreciate Ryan's Mom and all she does for us. I know that being away from everything she knew and loved is very difficult and I feel very special that she moved to spend time with Ryan, Maddi, Edee, and I (and her other children and grand children too).
We skipped fireworks this year. Is that surprising? We sat and debated whether or not to venture out too see if Edee would tolerate the loud noises. But I knew she wouldn't. And we really didn't want to deal with the hoards of traffic backups just to get 5 minutes home. So, a new movie, our comfy couch and our own company won all! We stayed home. Edee slept and we relaxed. No mess. No stress.
Saturday:
A few house chores and cleaning and then fun in the SUN! We bought Edee a little pool that fits perfectly on our porch. I'm not sure who enjoys it more, Edee or Daddy?!
My brother and sister came to stay. The slight overcast skies didn't stop us from heading to North Shore Beach. I think the not to sunny and not to hot weather was perfect. We stayed til the clouds took over, marveling at Edee's fascination with sand and waves, playing frisbee and just enjoying our time together.
Our uneventful weekend actually turned out to be a fun, full weekend spent with family, friends and each other.
Keep loving.
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