Late summer vacation to Manistee

Attending Nick and Cori's baseball and softball games this summer allowed me to bump into a friend from elementary school, John Kebler, whom I haven't seen since his wedding 20 years ago. He reminded me that he has spoken to mom and dad about his fond memories of camping with our family up at the Manistee National Forest campground on Lake Michigan, which became the genesis for Tiffani and I to ask mom and dad to revisit camping with us there, even though they had just returned from Manistee a few weeks prior.

Thus, a few weeks later, the cooperative plan was to meet up at Manistee, as mom and dad were going to arrive a day ahead of us and reserve a site next to theirs. With our popup camper decimated by mice, we were again camping in the traditional means: tents. Mom and dad kidnapped Abbie, who, despite the fact that she got her grandparent's undivided attention and was even allowed to pilot Bompa's pickup truck on a firewood run, was only too glad to have our kids arrive, I suspect.

The week was filled with much bike riding, and even some trail riding, along with tree identifications, wood chopping, campfire building lessons, and campfires, s'mores, cooperative camp cooking, snake identification, riding in the bed of the pickup, learning to knit, more bike riding, Jiffy Pop, but mostly swimming. Coincidentally and delightfully, Tiffani and I even bumped into the aforementioned John Kebler and family on the Manistee beach, who decided to go camping at Manistee that week as well.

The following entry provides a load of pictures, too many of what we thought were good for us to choose what to and what not to include. The playground beach and pier scenes at the beginning are from Stearns Park Beach in Ludington, where there was playing on the playground and a long walk to the end of the pier, after a couple of great pizzas at the Chuckwagon. The last half of the photos are from the beach at the campground, where all of us enjoyed unparalleled Lake Michigan weather and water temperatures. We could hardly get the kids out of the water the entire week, and everyone slept well at each day's conclusion.

Seaumus demonstrating his uncanny balancing skills, or his penchant for self-injury.


Sophia beaming in the sunset.


Sing along with me: Cori and Tony, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g...


As Sipowicz on NYPD Blue would say, Nick seems to have injured his 'prostrate' on the teeter-totter. And that's Seamus and me way off in the background, near the Stegosaurus.


Abbie Nurner, as Seamus says.


Prior to the pier walk.


Sophie acting shy and hip, Nick flashing the victory sign for the upcoming MSU football season, Seamus is working his Spiderman skills, Cori and Abby are looking cute, just as the sun is beginning to set on the Third Coast.


Nick beaming.


We're noting and pointing at the sunset, if I recall.


Contemplative Cori.


Sassy Sophia.


Turner boys.


Tiger Woods and Phil Knight should be happy with their brand marketing: Sophie had identified her footwear as golf shoes, because of the swoosh on the back.


More sunset explorations by the subjects of the photo.


Pigeon-toed, with her butt to the breeze.


Nick worries over US-Sino relations, or simply the long walk to the end of the pier and back.


Much joy from the little'un, and some worry from the biggun: how do I keep him from dashing himself into the water without crushing his hand or dislocating his elbow, again?


I swear Abbie had a good time.


A tourist lunged at us to volunteer to take our photo out here at the end of the Ludington Pier.


Mom and Seamus working their excavation skills.


Everyone is digging, except for the floaters.


The ever-watchful lifeguard, scanning the surf for distress.


Maybe the suit is getting a little small, but we love it.


Abby and Nick on his boogie board, Sophia and me in the foreground.


The trip Seamus has planned to the center of the earth is getting flooded out.


Sophia shielding the camera from her thumb-sucking.


Abbie at the beach.


Cori in the same popular pose.


Nick and the board that was found in the weeds.


It truly was warmer than is properly being demonstrated in this photo.


Seamus in a rare moment of fewer than two visible bruises.


Snack time...


And time for napping.