While he waited for breakfast Cody was working on…duct tape crafts…I know you are surprised!

7.6 miles – the longest hike the kids have ever done! We hiked the Chapel Falls and a bit more on and off the actual path at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  This doesn’t usually happen to us, but somehow we lost the regular path for a bit and started down an incredibly steep, but direct route to the lake.

We started at 12, spent about an hour at the beach and taking in the sights and three hours hiking.

We were told by the amazing National Park Ranger, Cheryl, who told us about this hike and encouraged us to attempt the lengthy hike, that this area had received the most consecutive days of rain in fifty years.  This made the trail a bit more of an adventure as we tried to stay out of the swampy sitting water and mud. We spent most of the hike hopping from dry spot to dry spot and sometimes getting a wet surprise instead.

This is the view of the tenacious tree with roots that extend fifteen feet over to another ledge at Chapel Rock. The roots were once supported by rock, but the rock had once fallen.  I was really excited to get in another family photo! Those are a rare occurrence with two kids who often run from the camera.

Check out Brooke’s look on the bridge!  She is enjoying herself quite immensely as she sends the bridge flying up and down through her excited jumps. The bridge looks pretty solid, but she had it flinging me up no problem!

We saw quite a few backpackers here.  We are contemplating backpacking here next year if/when we take the kids up to camp.

Cody spent a great deal of our time at the beach collecting and then skipping rocks. I caught a unique picture of Scott teaching Brooke to skip rocks.  Cody’s Camelback was quite a bit heavier when we left the beach even though we had several long talks about not taking any rocks.  Hmm…is that what that mischievous smile is all about?

Cody was trying to get more balance using a stick.  He just forgot about the people behind him sometimes when he swung his stick! 

We drove north about another half hour and check out another viewpoint.  The temperature had cooled quite a bit and we decided it was time to head back to camp.

Dinner of spaghetti.  The cast iron pot doesn’t get washed.  It just gets wiped clean without soap.  My face is the face of thinking how clean the dishes are. Mmm…leftovers from past meals.  Extra flavor.  Brooke and Cody were working on shaping copper wire into different shapes.

S’mores night!  The extra sugar and chocolate before bed may have contributed to a little extra wildness before bed.  Scott may have been asleep before all of us.  Taking pictures with the flash in total darkness makes the night even more fun!  Last night together before Brooke leaves us for a week.  These are the moments I wish I could bottle up and let out a little bit at a time when the monotony of working and running from activity to activity keeps us from forgetting how much we love and appreciate each other.