Mackinac Island/Chx Venetian Trip Part VI

Naptime was over and we were trying to squeeze as much into the day as we could. The lake was freezing cold and the weather was too cool to want to swim anyway, but Brian convinced me that it would be fun to visit the beach even for a little while.

Boy walking to join his daddy

Will was excited to see "beach!"

  

  

Will tried to skip the rocks like Brian. He needed to summon the courage to go a bit nearer the water, though.

Will and Daddy, July 26, 2014

Michigan Beach, Charlevoix

BABY SELFIE!

He did it! It made it in!

Bo had a wonderful time, of COURSE!

The highlight for Will was all the "san". What a dream come true!

  

We weren't at the beach for more than an hour. We had to get back to Nana's for dinner, and we had a big night ahead! Saturday night was night #2 of the Venetian fireworks. That night, the fireworks were set off from a barge right by the harbor, so we just sat on Papa's docked boat instead of driving out into the lake.

There's a big discussion in Brian's family (and I'm sure most of the people who attend Venetian) about which night is better. They explained to me why there are two nights of fireworks displays, but I don't remember the reason, now. Most of them prefer night #2, where the fireworks are more stadium-style and right on top of you, and come right after a boat parade. I think I preferred night #1, actually. It might have been because Brian's sisters couldn't come with us for night #2, and I really love hanging out with them (Kelly had to work and Christie was keeping the baby at home), but I also liked the peaceful setting of being anchored in the middle of the lake as well as the taller fireworks display. 

But whichever night you prefer, they are both fantastic. I'd never seen a boat parade before, and I wasn't sure how it would work in the dark. The boats were totally lit up - they were gorgeous. They circled around the fireworks barge before the fireworks began.

While we waited for the show, the kids played up in the area where the captain (Papa) sits with the steering wheel and controls (I should know boat terminology by now, but I don't). Lake and Lucas, who are both at least a year older than Will, pretended to drive us to Mackinac Island, while little Will, sitting on the edge of the bench, threw in phrases that he thought would interest them ("Papa's boat splashin' in water!"). Devastatingly cute, all of it.

The boat parade was lovely, but it seemed to still be in progress when the fireworks began. Brian and the others murmured, "I don't think the parade's supposed to be over yet." I think part of the reason that I didn't enjoy night #2 as much as the night before was because the whole time I was wondering if there was a mistake happening with the display. The very first set of fireworks were something I'd never seen, fireworks that are shot into the water. They're SUPPOSED to look that way, only I had no idea. I thought something had gone terribly wrong - I thought that not only had the display had started too soon, but also that the fireworks were directly shooting AT the boat parade. The fireworks continued as usual, up into the air, and the boats in the parade slowly backed away at the show went on. Only later did I find out that the situation wasn't nearly as dire as I was suspecting. I think the fireworks might have started a bit too soon, but that was all.

Will, once more, loved the fireworks. He sat on my lap at the top of Papa's ladder, wearing the hearing protection muffs Brian's had bought for him that day. I love being able to sit and hold my little boys. It was another late night for Will, but as I'm learning - the occasional missed nap or late bedtime is all good, if it's the name of fun.

On Sunday, Brian subbed for his dad's first mate on a fishing charter, so he was up pretty early to get out on the boat. Back at Nana and Papa's, we just relaxed. Nana had the day off, and she was busy cooking up a storm for everyone to come over that night. Kelly and Lake came by to play for a while, and Will and Barrett and I visited the Ditch Witch again when they left.

  

  

  

Late in the afternoon, we swung by to visit Brian's sister Christie and her family. The boys played with toys and I admired her precious new baby. Christie had me look through enormous boxes of hand-me-downs from Lucas and I left with bags of clothes and shoes for the boys. What a huge blessing.

I decided to visit Great Grandma Ward before dinner. She was very happy to see the boys. (And me, too, I guess!)

Grandma Ward and Barrett, with Will eating popcorn at the table.

Barrett loves everyone, and GG Ward was no exception.

Will, GG Ward, and Barrett

Will was so cute with GG Ward. He would see something interesting and cry, "GG Ward, yookit dat [thing]!" I am not sure she gathered that he was saying her name or that he wanted to impress her so badly. I noticed, Will! And Barrett, thanks for chilling out on Grandma's lap for so long. She ate it up.