Hiking, Sand Dunes, and Tadpoles, Oh My!

Our good friends have a cottage down the way, and we recently got together for a few days of fun.

This friend has three boys the same ages of mine (plus a bonus daughter...lucky!), and we both teach at the same school.

We tried (TRIED) to hike from Lumberman's Monument to Iargo Springs (my brilliant idea), but ended up turning around after two miles!

I remember taking this "walk" with Tin Man, with a kid in a backpack, and my older parents. (...And having fun-) Somehow we had all made it-. 

But this crew was not enjoying this "walk through the woods"!

  I didn't know it was a three-and-a-half mile trek...each way. The kids were complaining, all were in flip-flops, just wanting to swim somewhere, anywhere, and it had turned out to be the hottest day yet of the summer. (Oops-wrong day to hike, I guess!) 

One of the kids was even crying...one of mine...oh dear.

We did see some beautiful things out in the woods, and pictures were demanded.

(By me-in case you thought my kids love smiling for the camera, which they completely abhor.)

Attitudes turned around, and the kids started noticing things in the woods like the wild blueberries they found and ate.

(I mean, I assume they were wild blueberries-no one got sick later...)...

After a stop at the Monument, for snacks, (and more forced pictures!)

 

we continued on in the other direction and headed for the dunes. I was hoping it would be a shorter walk this time, and was so happy when the dunes seemed right around the bend, and they were!

(Ironically, we ran into another teacher we work with on the way-. How strange to have three teachers from the same school meet up at the same spot three hundred miles from school? It was unexpected, but quite neat!)

After spending the morning and afternoon at Lumberman's,

We returned to our cottage and the beach.

Although it was a hot day, Lake Huron can be fickle, so the water was like stepping in ice-cubed water.

However, the kids can always find something to do down at the beach, regardless of water temps.

So, they ran down to where all the growing tadpoles are, scooped them up, and transported a ton of them back to our section on the beach.

The kids created tadpole habitats, complete with molded enclosures, and transplanted beach grass (for hours):

(Even my exasperating Lucy -the dog- enjoyed herself!)

Then, for dinner, (around eight that night!) we had s'mores by the fire after pizza and pasta:

We played this game while eating s'mores called, "I went to the cottage, and I brought". You go around the circle and remember what everyone else brought, then add your item to the list. (I am proud to announce I was the big winner! Yay!) 

Let's see if I can remember the list:

(Please note: The ridiculously INNAPPROPRIATE  listed items were NOT my idea, rather the concoction of some teen, and preteen boys...Unfortunately, THEY  belong to me...)

I went to the cottage, and I brought:

Marshmallows,

Bug spray,

An outhouse, (sorry!)

Toilet paper, (sorry again!)

A wig,

A car,

Chocolate, 

YOUR MAMA,

My dog... 

...

...

Hmm...Well, that's all I can remember a couple of days later...

 

(...who loves time at the cottage spent with her boys, her boys' friends, and HER friend!)