Two Sweet Things

1. ~ Michigan Beach Town Vacation ~ We took our family vacation in early June to southwest Michigan.  We beat the crowds and heat (loved that part!)  It was such a wonderful, pleasant trip...you can come along via some photos.

This cottage near Coloma, MI was our home for 3 days.  It was clean, clean, clean...that means alot to me.  You can find information on it at this link, if you are interested.  Scott and Dawn were good hosts of this rental cottage.  We had plenty of room and a full kitchen.  We ate breakfast and dinner here, with a fun lunch out every day.  The laundry room was a big help, with all those sandy clothes.  :)  And it was huge...you could easily sleep a couple of kids on air mattresses in there.

Just a 10-15 minute walk through a wooded area to get to our own little beach ~ Hagar Shores, MI

We enjoyed walking down to it our first night there, just after a rain shower moved through.  Beautiful clouds with a sunset peeking through.

Day 1 ~ Saugatuck, MI
The historic chain ferry is a fun way to get to the town from the beach side of Saugatuck.  It is a hand cranked ferry across the Kalamazoo River.  The town is small enough that it is fun to walk and visit shops and sites.

An excellent lunch at The Mermaid Bar and Grill along the riverfront.  Our son Tanner enjoyed his shrimp.

I had read about Uncommon Roasters on TripAdvisor.com.  And its charm and Carmel Latte lived up to the reviews.   Trip Advisor is a great way to find good places to eat while traveling.

Oval Beach, an award winning beach in Saugatuck, was our first real beach adventure of the trip.  Feet are so happy in sand and water.

Day 2 ~ St. Joseph, MI
Our daughter and grandboys drove an hour from their home and met us here for the day.  Sweet Carson must have thought the beach was the world's best sandbox.

And baby Sawyer was all eyes and ears during his first beach visit.  So fun to make this memory with them.

We ended the evening with a fire in our cottage's fire pit, roasting hot dogs, making S'mores, and toasting our toes.

Day 3 ~ South Haven, MI
This might have been my favorite place.  The white sands were clean, the light house was gorgeous, and the town was charming.

Walking out on the pier to the lighthouse was a treat.

The shops were fun, Clementines made us a tasty lunch, and the Lord was kind to make it only rain for a few minutes while we were warm and dry indoors at lunch.  Murphy's Antique Mall was a huge treat...possibly the best/cutest antique mall I've ever visited.  We all found a treasure to buy...even our 17 year old son.  :)

The marina was a fun place to sit and relax...cool breezes and cool boats.

North Beach in South Haven, one of seven beaches in this town.  So clean.  So peaceful.  So beautiful.  My favorite beach of the trip.

And they served Sherman's Ice Cream (a Trip Advisor favorite) at this beach.  Completely delish.  Who wouldn't want to eat ice cream perched atop these adorable vintage stools?
It was a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing trip...I'd highly recommend a Michigan Beach Town vacation.

2. ~ A Handmade Card for our favorite new Medical School Graduate.

Our friend Jacob has wanted to be a doctor ever since we met him at age 9.  And this past month, he achieved that dream at the early age of 24.  I enjoyed making a card for his celebration, using the page of an old hymnal.  Don't you think this song title is perfect?

I didn't have room for the 'refrain' on the front of the card, so added it inside the cover.

Jacob loves the Lord, and will be relying on Him as he begins his residency in Chicago.  So proud of this fine, young man. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Always enjoy your comments!

Blessings,
Donna