Cottage Daze

When David took off on his Ecuador venture this year (more on that to come…) Mama decided that she wasn’t going to be left home alone for a week and deserved some time off as well. She took off from work, and on Wednesday Alexander, Mama and Nana ventured up north to Uncle Jim’s cottage in Big Rapids for a little getaway. It was four days of beach, water, and relaxation blended with little boy excitement all around. Each day started with a morning walk to say hello to the big digger next door (the neighbor down the way is building a new cottage) and pick up nature nuggets for his treasure bucket- acorns, flowers, a rock or two, some birch bark… Most days included morning beach time before lunch, toy-time, and nap. Mama soaked up the nap time to color or read (I highly recommend Parenting by the Spirit for parents or will-be’s or anyone, really). Afternoons were filled with more play, snack and sand time, before supper and a quiet evening. We went to visit Uncle Jim, Aunt Marlene and cousin Karen one evening for supper and after Alex went to bed, enjoyed some Serena-winning rounds of Flinch. :). Grandma and Grandpa came up Friday afternoon and joined us for the weekend just in time to take Alexander on his first speedboat ride with Uncle Jim’s neighbor. Quite distraught at first, he was soon distracted by little dog, Oscar and in the end was toddling around the boat smiling and pointing. Grandpa loved playing with him in the sand and water, and Mama sifted out bowls of rocks and pebbles to be dumped back into the lake. Alexander learned that lemonade (especially the frozen kind) makes your face scrunch up when you lick it, and we all delighted each day in a nest of baby birds just outside the door. It was really a wonderful mini-vacation. We are really blessed to have such a treasure spot in the family and such a treasure-family to share with. Thanks up-north Schapers! See you again soon!