August week-end in Michigan

I wanted to get one more trip to Michigan in yet before my foot surgery.  Otherwise we wouldn't be able to see the Wissinks until October, and we had to make sure that Hope doesn't forget who we are!  So on the 13th of August we had plans in Chicago with Roger, Sheryl and Aunt Grace.  After our time with them, we headed to Michigan instead of returning home, since we were already well on our way.

We've been comparing Hope to a Cabbage Patch Kid every now and then, especially when she has her hair in those two little pony tails on top of her head. So I brought her look-alike doll, Erica Abigail by name, so we could get some pics of the two of them.

I think Hope likes her!

Two of a kind

Trying to put the doll's shoe back on

Jeremiah was ready to play some 

football with Grandpa.

On Friday morning we drove over to South Haven to see some of the Brasser family. They were spending the week at a place they had rented there.  

Sue, Jane, JoAnne and Lew in front

of their home for the week.

Friday evening we went to the Diekemas, and got to see quite a few members of their family. We got to meet the newest member of their family--Athena Louise. What a cutie!  Some people (not me) went down to the beach for a while, and we enjoyed Fricano's pizza for dinner. 

Saturday we stayed home with Hope while the rest of the family went shopping. I got a couple pictures of the little ray of sunshine. She moves quickly, though--it's hard to catch her sitting still. 

It was a beautiful day, so we packed a lunch and had a picnic at their community pool.  And then we spent some time in the pool---it was great!

I think she wants out!!

We drove to Saugatuck for an early dinner before heading back to Wisconsin. 

Jeremiah entertained himself by taking pictures

with Rachel's camera. 

(pictures can be seen on Rachel's blog)

After dinner we had to say good-bye, and Hope really tugged on her Grandma's heart strings!  I was trying to get her to give me a kiss, and she'd act like she was going to and then would pull away and giggle.  She did that a few times, and then she put out her arms for me to take her, and then she just patted me and wrinkled up her nose and giggled.  Talk about hard good-byes!!!  (I shouldn't complain, though. We get to see them more often than we did when they lived in Iowa, and a lot more often than we get to see the other two grandkids.)