Food, Footprints, Fun & Fireworks!

     We finished off our Fourth of July celebrating with the fireworks which are put on in the Lexington, MI harbor.  I LOVE that we just walk right down to the beach from our place and see an excellent fireworks display complete with the reflections of the fireworks in Lake Huron, boats anchored in the harbor, the sunsetting while the moon is shining, the sand, the water!! 
     This is my favorite way to watch -- no parking hassles, no driving, no fighting for a good vantage point!!

The pics below are some of my favorite memories -- I finally gave up trying to capture the fireworks from my camera lens and decided to just enjoyed with my own two eyes!!

Happy 4th!!

Up North - The Parade

     Part of taking in all of the 4th of July celebrations last weekend was the small town parade -- which I love!!!  Again, it was hot hot hot so we claimed our seats in the semi-shade and took it all in.

     Some new things and some old -- but I love it all!!

Waiting

The Paratrooper Who Jumped In and Started Off the Parade

The Vets

The Dog, Trying to Find Any Shde he Can!!

Who Wants to Try This???  I Do!!  (Nancy?  Donna?)

Miss Pioneer Sugar (Has the Parade Wave Down!!) 

These Garden Club Ladies Seemed to Know How to Have a Good Time!



I Never Tire Of Grown Men in Mini Model Ts



Or This Seemingly Random Donkey With Patriotic Spirit

The Keystone Cops -- Always Having Too Much Fun!

The Keystone Kops Showing Off

And Never Does A Frosty Mug of Root Beer Taste Better Than a Super Hot Day!!!

Three Cheers for the Red, White & Blue!

     As I eluded to in Monday's post about my mom, we headed to our place on Lake Huron last Friday for the Fourth of July celebrations that have become tradition and which we love!!  This was our first trip up north as a family this year as my friend, Alyce's parents were using our place for a few weeks.  After stopping in for a quick visit with my mom, I drove up with the kids and Lucky dog and G met us up there after his day at work.
     On Fridays in the summer there is "Music in the Park", an outdoor concert venue for taking in free concerts from a variety of bands and musicians.  We all had sandwiches and waited for the concert to start.  It is very relaxing, right near the harbor and very low key.  Unfortunately, this was probably the first time we could not even force ourselves to enjoy the acapella singing group that was performing.  I am very open-minded when it comes to music, but this particular group -- I just wasn't feeling it!!  The kids were quite relieved when I said we could make a run for it at intermission, as did quite a few others. 
     It was to be a very hot 95 plus weather weekend.  Our sleeping and happiness was directly dependent on our one unit air conditioner to cool down our place.  It did the trick, but just barely.  Lucky the dog would probably say it didn't work at all.  In the middle of the night, it finally got cool enough to open a few windows.  I enjoyed my Seagrams "Jamaican Me Happy" and got a chance to do some reading while resting up for Saturday's parade and fireworks!!

 The Little Old A/C That Could...

 The Singers That Tried

 A Relaxing Harborside Venue

 Harborview of Lake Huron

 The Bluff from Our Place Overlooking the Beach and Lake Huron

 Relaxing Times Ahead

 Sundown

 I Don't Know If These Are Weeds or Wildflowers, But They're Pretty!

 A Hazy Sundown

Bedtime!

That Was a Blur!?

     So, remember that day that I posted about the excitement of Megan making the high school soccer team!?  Come to find out, there wasn't much time to bask in the glory...  The next day was the "Parent Meeting" where we learned that Friday and Saturday were the season's biggest fundraisers by hosting a weekend soccer invitational exhibition where parents were expected to take volunteer shifts, players were playing 2-3 games, there was a pancake breakfast with tickets to sell for Saturday morning, bring a 12 pack of pop for concessions, give a uniform deposit, pay to play for the season, oh, and don't forget to get those black and white Nike socks they will need for Friday!!??
     Say whaaaaat???????  My head was spinning.....
     This isn't my first rodeo.  We have been in the soccer world for over ten years, but do you think one of the coaches could have dropped an email letting us freshman moms know they would be involved in this event if they made the team!?
     Oh, and did I mention that for six months we have known that Megan's high school band would also be performing in the Michigan State Band & Orchestra Association's festival competition on Saturday.  Also one of their biggest events requiring parent volunteers as well as students.
      Yikes...
      Friday - Got the pop, got the socks, paid the fees, picked her up from school to drive to a 3pm game, pick up my other two kids, watch the end of the game, drop the pop off at the other high school, go home, eat dinner, husband leaves early for his volunteer shift, then drive to her school at 7 pm for 8pm game time under the lights.  My husband was working up in the booth announcing advertisers and working the clock with another guy.  Got home around 9:30 pm, slept.  Saturday - Got up by 7 am for 8 am soccer pancake breakfast before 9 am warmup with band for 10 am performance time, Megan stays to volunteer, I go home, eat lunch, back to school for my concession stand shift 1-4 pm moved to outdoors.  It was a lot of running around.  Jacob and Kristin also helped work the concession stand and they were a big help!  I was signed up to work the "indoor" soccer concessions, but when I arrived we learned that the band had requested that soccer not intrude on their fundraiser and suggested they close their indoor concessions down.  Glad I wasn't there for that conversation...  I do agree, though.  All of the soccer games were outside and the soccer team already had the concession stand out there so for them to try to double dip with the band competition was "not cool".  Oh....the drama!! 
     Stay tuned for when the marching band starts practicing for their performance at Walt Disney World...which may conflict with soccer practices!!??  Gosh, I hope not!
     Back to what it's really all about...I was sooo proud of how well Megan played in her games on Friday and the buzz is how awesome the freshman team is going to be.  These were exhibition games, which they won 1-0 and 3-0.  Their coach wants them to scrimmage varsity and has already told the JV team that the freshmen can beat them!!??  We shall see...  Thankfully, we have a few weeks before the official season starts for the freshmen.
     We had a beeeeeaaauuuuutiful weather weekend here in Michigan.  Most years this soccer invitational is held in snowy freezing cold conditions....  
     So on Saturday after the pancake breakfast, I volunteered to monitor the auditorium  where the bands were performing.  Shortly after their 10am performance, we learned that they received straight I ratings on their performance which is the highest ranking.  The bands perform in front of 3 judges who write our remarks and rate their performance.  Kinda like American Idol...but not really!
      Even though we were tired, we snuck out for a late St. Patrick's Day corned beef sandwich dinner and Shamrock shakes later that night!!!  My husband (middle name Patrick) is very Irish on his mom's side so we celebrated with the kids!!!  Repeat after me..."it's all about the kids"!!!  (Note to self:  plan a "date night"...w/o the kids!)
     (Stay tuned for a late edition of "Monday Memories With My Mom"...for a new development in the continuing story of my adventures in caregiving.)

 The Weekend was a blur...and so were some of my pictures!

(Megan directly above in white)

The Pancake Breakfast...not too crowded yet 'cause it's 8 am! 

The Concert Band performed for the 3 judges

Straight I Ratings!!!  Yay!

Rembrandt...at the DIA

     With my husband's sister and mother staying with us for the Thanksgiving holiday, I had made a list of possible "things to do" while they were here.  On "Black Friday" (even though part of me wanted to be shopping) we decided to go to the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts).  Yes, Detroit has an excellent art museum.  I was interested in seeing the Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus exhibition they had on display and thought my mother-in-law might like to see it as well.
     Honestly, I had not been to the DIA in years and thought perhaps it was time I had a little culture in my life!  So, off we went --it takes about 45 minutes for us to get there.  When I went to get our tickets, I ended up getting a family membership for just about $20-$30 more than I would have had to pay anyways.  Looks like we will be seeing more of the DIA!!  
     We went straight to the Rembrandt exhibition and were given headphones to follow the history of the various pieces.  It was amazing to think about how old these works were (1600s)and the stories that went along with them.  I was very moved by the exhibit and was glad for the experience.  This exhibition was organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Musée du Louvre, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Gosh, I have been to the Louvre and DIA...maybe if I make it to the Philadelphia Museum of Art I will be considered "artsy"? 
     Of course, no photography was allowed in the Rembrandt exhibit, but I did manage a few other pictures in the museum itself.  
     We also took part in a drawing workshop in the museum.  The kids enjoyed that.  I can't draw to save my life, but was kind of forced into it.  All total, we spent about 5 hours at the DIA.

     Afterwards, we had a very late night dinner at Buddy's, which is always good. 
If you're looking for something different to do in the Detroit area, I recommend you check out the DIA (and Buddy's, too)!!

A classic DIA rendering "Detroit Industry" by Rivera

(a tribute to the Motor City's manufacturing base)

Rembrandt, Face of Jesus
Photo Credit www.dia.org

This one is called "Anxiety"...so I had to take a picture of it!

I remembered that "plug" art from when I was a kid...there's Jacob!

Megan at the drawing workshop

Very life like in person...the kids couldn't believe it was a painting and not a photo