A long post about my 4th of July weekend!
The holiday weekend was wonderful!
Rachel, Kevin, and I got into Gladstone early Friday afternoon. The first thing we did was head to Aunt Elaine's salon so Rachel could get her hair cut. :) Mom made spaghetti for dinner, so the three of us joined Mom and Dad.
After dinner, I went with Rachel and Kevin to Kevin's parents' house and hung out there for a little bit. Then I had Rach drop me off at Erin's, because she, Meghan, and I planned to hang out at 8. It was great to catch up with Erin (and her mom!) while we waited for Meghan to come from her birthday festivities with her family.
Once Meghan got here and we all had a chance to talk, I called Rachel to have her pick me up (I felt like such a drag all weekend, since I didn't have my own means of transportation!). She, Kevin, and Jared had been down at Gibby's bar for a little while. Our cousin Candice was there with some friends from high school, because it was their classmate and friend's wedding anniversary, and the couple celebrating were the bar's owners. We drove back down there, and for a while we were definitely the youngest there - it was kind of funny. But it was fun chatting with Candice, her sister-in-law Dallas, and their friends. We ended up leaving at about 11pm because Rachel had to run a race in the morning, and we were all tired anyway.
Saturday morning, Rachel left early for the Firecracker run, and Mom, Dad, Kevin and I drove into Escanaba to pick up donuts for the family watching the parade, as is the norm. We drove into Gladstone and just as we were walking up to our aunt and uncle's place, Rachel was rounding the corner; she had just finished running. She got her best time for that race!
The parade was a lot of fun, especially watching Candice's kids and Kevin and Rachel's niece and nephew as they enjoyed it. After the parade, some of us walked over to the Veterans Memorial Park practically across the street from my aunt and uncle's. My aunt Elaine bought some tiles with her brothers' names on them and they're placed alongside the names of other veterans in the park. It was the first time I'd seen the park, and it's very nice.
After that, it was off to Van Cleve park, where we ran into some friends, but not nearly as many as I'd thought! We ate some good vendor food and enjoyed some drinks, but were all tired out by mid-afternoon! Kevin, Rachel, and I ended up driving home to take a nap. After we woke up, we went to Kevin's parents' for a cookout. They all decided to go back down to the park after dinner, so I got dropped off at Meghan's so I could hang out with her and Erin some more. We sat on the porch and chatted, and enjoyed some delicious food, as always! When 9 o clock rolled around, they walked me down to Candice's cottage, where I met up with Rach and Kevin, and we said goodbye to the family. We met up with Kevin's family on the beach for fireworks.
David called me after it got dark and we were still waiting for the fireworks to start, and I met up with him and Michelle. We sat on the beach and watched a great fireworks show. They invited me to go meet up with David's mom at a bar with them, which sounded great to me. We got to the Sand Bar and got some drinks, and watched the band, Driver, play. While we were sitting there, a guy walked across the dance floor and came to sit by me!! He was CUTE! Kinda long blonde hair, light eyes, a little bit of mutton chops going on... We talked for a few minutes, introduced ourselves...I didn't feel awkward or creeped out at all. But then he went back to his friends to see what they were up to, and I think they left! :( Bummer. So, Greg from Rapid River...wherever you are...it was nice to meet you! :D I probably spit on him on accident or something. Sad. We didn't even get to exchange numbers or anything. Boo. Janelle didn't get to the bar until 12:30ish! She bought us all a round, and we chatted for a bit, but us kids were tired out. David and Michelle drove me home, and I was thrilled that I had stayed out later than my sister for once! :D
This morning, we woke up and went to church as a family, then met up with Kevin's parents and Jared for breakfast. We packed up and headed out after that. The weekend went by so quickly!! But it was great.
Our mom was supposed to come back down and stay with us during her vacation time this week, but she had an accident Thursday evening! Every year around the 4th, Meghan's grandma comes up from Dowagiac and stays with Meghan's family. She brings her antique tea set, and they throw a high tea (with desserts and tea sandwiches and a few flavors of tea). Since my friends and I left for college, it's become a traditional event with the "moms and daughters," and whoever can make it shows up. I didn't know about it this year, otherwise I would have driven up early to be there! Anyway, after the tea and when my mom was making her way to her car, she was turned around saying by to the others and missed a step to the sidewalk! She fell ON HER FACE, and apparently scared the crap out of everyone there. :( She was okay, but bleeding a lot. The ambulance came and brought her to the hospital. Meghan's mom followed and stayed with my mom at the hospital until my dad could make it there. My mom had to get stitches above her eyebrow, and they did a cat scan to make sure her head was okay. Miraculously, aside from the stitches, a black eye, and other bruising, she is fine! I'm so thankful. But she broke her glasses as she fell, so she can't see well until she gets new glasses, so she couldn't drive down today. :( Plus, she's trying to take it easy. My poor mama!
Rachel, Kevin, and I got into Gladstone early Friday afternoon. The first thing we did was head to Aunt Elaine's salon so Rachel could get her hair cut. :) Mom made spaghetti for dinner, so the three of us joined Mom and Dad.
After dinner, I went with Rachel and Kevin to Kevin's parents' house and hung out there for a little bit. Then I had Rach drop me off at Erin's, because she, Meghan, and I planned to hang out at 8. It was great to catch up with Erin (and her mom!) while we waited for Meghan to come from her birthday festivities with her family.
Once Meghan got here and we all had a chance to talk, I called Rachel to have her pick me up (I felt like such a drag all weekend, since I didn't have my own means of transportation!). She, Kevin, and Jared had been down at Gibby's bar for a little while. Our cousin Candice was there with some friends from high school, because it was their classmate and friend's wedding anniversary, and the couple celebrating were the bar's owners. We drove back down there, and for a while we were definitely the youngest there - it was kind of funny. But it was fun chatting with Candice, her sister-in-law Dallas, and their friends. We ended up leaving at about 11pm because Rachel had to run a race in the morning, and we were all tired anyway.
Saturday morning, Rachel left early for the Firecracker run, and Mom, Dad, Kevin and I drove into Escanaba to pick up donuts for the family watching the parade, as is the norm. We drove into Gladstone and just as we were walking up to our aunt and uncle's place, Rachel was rounding the corner; she had just finished running. She got her best time for that race!
The parade was a lot of fun, especially watching Candice's kids and Kevin and Rachel's niece and nephew as they enjoyed it. After the parade, some of us walked over to the Veterans Memorial Park practically across the street from my aunt and uncle's. My aunt Elaine bought some tiles with her brothers' names on them and they're placed alongside the names of other veterans in the park. It was the first time I'd seen the park, and it's very nice.
After that, it was off to Van Cleve park, where we ran into some friends, but not nearly as many as I'd thought! We ate some good vendor food and enjoyed some drinks, but were all tired out by mid-afternoon! Kevin, Rachel, and I ended up driving home to take a nap. After we woke up, we went to Kevin's parents' for a cookout. They all decided to go back down to the park after dinner, so I got dropped off at Meghan's so I could hang out with her and Erin some more. We sat on the porch and chatted, and enjoyed some delicious food, as always! When 9 o clock rolled around, they walked me down to Candice's cottage, where I met up with Rach and Kevin, and we said goodbye to the family. We met up with Kevin's family on the beach for fireworks.
David called me after it got dark and we were still waiting for the fireworks to start, and I met up with him and Michelle. We sat on the beach and watched a great fireworks show. They invited me to go meet up with David's mom at a bar with them, which sounded great to me. We got to the Sand Bar and got some drinks, and watched the band, Driver, play. While we were sitting there, a guy walked across the dance floor and came to sit by me!! He was CUTE! Kinda long blonde hair, light eyes, a little bit of mutton chops going on... We talked for a few minutes, introduced ourselves...I didn't feel awkward or creeped out at all. But then he went back to his friends to see what they were up to, and I think they left! :( Bummer. So, Greg from Rapid River...wherever you are...it was nice to meet you! :D I probably spit on him on accident or something. Sad. We didn't even get to exchange numbers or anything. Boo. Janelle didn't get to the bar until 12:30ish! She bought us all a round, and we chatted for a bit, but us kids were tired out. David and Michelle drove me home, and I was thrilled that I had stayed out later than my sister for once! :D
This morning, we woke up and went to church as a family, then met up with Kevin's parents and Jared for breakfast. We packed up and headed out after that. The weekend went by so quickly!! But it was great.
Our mom was supposed to come back down and stay with us during her vacation time this week, but she had an accident Thursday evening! Every year around the 4th, Meghan's grandma comes up from Dowagiac and stays with Meghan's family. She brings her antique tea set, and they throw a high tea (with desserts and tea sandwiches and a few flavors of tea). Since my friends and I left for college, it's become a traditional event with the "moms and daughters," and whoever can make it shows up. I didn't know about it this year, otherwise I would have driven up early to be there! Anyway, after the tea and when my mom was making her way to her car, she was turned around saying by to the others and missed a step to the sidewalk! She fell ON HER FACE, and apparently scared the crap out of everyone there. :( She was okay, but bleeding a lot. The ambulance came and brought her to the hospital. Meghan's mom followed and stayed with my mom at the hospital until my dad could make it there. My mom had to get stitches above her eyebrow, and they did a cat scan to make sure her head was okay. Miraculously, aside from the stitches, a black eye, and other bruising, she is fine! I'm so thankful. But she broke her glasses as she fell, so she can't see well until she gets new glasses, so she couldn't drive down today. :( Plus, she's trying to take it easy. My poor mama!