Our Beach Adventure

Campsite Report Card:

1. View From Campsite (see photo above)..........A+

There was a totally unobstructed view of Lake Michigan from our campsite. There was about 75 yards of stony field full of wildflowers and lots of monarch butterflies between us and the water. It was beautiful! If you click on the photo to get the original sized version you can really appreciate the great view we enjoyed.

2. Camping Facilities..........................................................B-

The outhouses were clean and well stocked and for an outhouse not totally unbearable. The sites were well spaced and probably half had a spectacular lake view. Our site (Number 8) was a little small and we had to put our big tent partly on the drive, so it was a little stony underfoot.

3. The Beach........................................................................D+

We picked this location because it was on the beach, but the shore behind our site was rocky (large boulders, not Lake Superior stones). There was a small amount of sandy beach both to the east and west of the campground, but it was narrow and the water was no more than knee deep for at least 100 yards out. Abby appreciated the super warm waves, but Steve and I were disappointed.

4. Our Fellow Campers..................................................................F

We came home a day early because we were tired of listening to a bunch of out of control teenage girls and another family with at least 4 kids who were up and screaming in the middle of the night. There was also an inordinately large number of dogs running loose and trying to dog fight with Maize, who was restrained at all times as per campground rules.

So.... we had a good time camping. We forgot a few key items, but otherwise Abby thoroughly enjoyed her first camping experience and her first lick of Pop Tart, which happened to be a Michigan Wolverine Pop Tart. But... eating soup without spoons and sleeping without pillows was not the most fun.

We all enjoyed the hammock - it's a good thing I insisted Steve get me one when he was in Guyana a few years ago. Abby had a great time swinging and even Maize enjoys an occasional snuggle in the hammock. And it's a great place to read a book or two.

And Abby in the last two weeks has decided that she loves the water. She didn't like Grandma Mary's pool, but she was instantly a fan of waves washing on her legs. We got lots of smiles and giggles, even when we sat her down in the water. We even put an umbrella up right in the surf to keep her from burning so she could play longer.

Unfortunately our football team lost, but Abby still loves them. And she was mighty glad for the camping sweat suit that Great Grandma Jennie got her. She wore it during the day and over her pajamas at night too!

Lake Michigan Here We Come

Picture from the internet of Little Hog IslandWe are headed to the beach near Little Hog Island this evening. We can't wait. Last night Steve loaded up our car, so all we have left to do is wait for him to get done with work.

Abby did great with her second set of shots. She didn't get any fever and wasn't grouchy at all. The only sign that she had any shots is the red marks where they gave the injections. She is a real trooper.

And... tomorrow is the start of a very special season in this household - Michigan football season! Since we are going to be camping we have already set up the tivo to record the football game. We LOVE our tivo - it is probably the best piece of electronic equipment we have ever purchased. It is WAY better than the average dvr's that the satellite dish companies provide since I can access it from anywhere in the world as long as I have internet and tell my machine what it needs to record. And it searches listings for me based on keywords - which we are currently using to increase Abigail's collection of Disney movies. Yesterday we taped 101 Dalmatians from tv onto the tivo and then from tivo onto dvd with that dvd recorder Steve got us. We are having lots of fun with technology!

Abby and I are going to play and play today so she is ready to take a ride tonight. We'll update you again on Monday evening or Tuesday :-)

Still Getting Bigger

Well, it is official. Abby is still getting bigger and at a good clip. She was in the 90th percentile for weight and the 75th for height. She's growing like a little weed! She had no fun getting the shots today, but a little pain now is a lot better than a lot of pain or illness later. She really did not like the shots or the poor nurses who had to deliver them, but she liked Dr. Mackie just fine. Unlike the last time she got shots, this time Abby's been pretty happy and playing afterwards. I was really worried we were going to have a whiny afternoon, but we are having fun instead and watching 101 Dalmatians together.

Abby is getting ready for camping. She is getting her bags packed up and ready to go and we got the tent and sleeping bags around yesterday. We are also reading our new library book - The Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring. Abby has learned lots of information about Hobbits and Wizards so far. She is going to be very smart someday and very well rounded (we hope).

Here are some Abby and Jack photos from yesterday morning. We did some rough measuring and weighing of Jack when he was here. Based on our very unscientific measurements Jack was about 22 inches - otherwise known as the same length as Abby was at birth. But he has grown 3 inches since he was born, so that's quite a bit of growing that he has done. Abby still dwarfs him for now, but by next summer he'll probably be able to wrestle with her pretty well.

And now... back to packing :)

Bye Bye Bamboo

We had a surprise visit from Grandma Mary, Aunt Hannah, Aunt Melissa and cousin Jack last night on their big drive from Hastings to Minnesota. We had a fun time visiting. Abby and Jack had a good time playing in Hastings last weekend (see photos below). They only had one "fight" - Abby hit Jack and he pulled her hair. Hopefully there won't be many more fights as they get bigger.

The wild and out of control bamboo is being removed from the yard this afternoon. It is a bittersweet removal. I really enjoyed having the bamboo for privacy purposes since it grew so tall that it blocked the view into our kitchen window and also made a great hedge around the backyard and hid the unsightly shed. But... it is invasive and out of control and was starting to block the back door. I'm sure it will be back, but for now Maize has gained an extra area of the yard to explore.

Tonight is the camping gear round up. We need to make sure we have it all in one spot so we don't run off into the woods and forget something important. We are really excited for a little rest and relaxation away from the busyness of home and work. I checked out some library books for the whole family today so we should have something to keep us busy when we are not sleeping or beaching.

Tomorrow is another check-up for Abby and her boosters for her shots. No fun. I'm sure lots of cuddling and a warm bath will be on the agenda for tomorrow.

Being Sleepy, Silly, and Sassy

Abby's new favorite hobby is being silly. She is a real ham sometimes. We haven't really figured out what is so funny, but obviously this house is hilarious because our little squirt is cracking herself up on a regular basis. When she's not busy being a nut she can be quite the sassy little thing too. She has this habit of never looking at the person who is holding her and smiling away at the other person across the room. This is especially annoying for Steve, who likes to hold her when she gets home. She spends all her "daddy time" smiling at me and making funny faces. I just remind him it's better than having her cry the whole time.

We have the food boxed up for camping. Now we have to get the gear around to make sure we have everything we will need for a weekend of fun somewhere in the woods. I got a twin sized foam mattress pad and cut it down to fit into the pack and play since it had a very hard mattress. Now we just need to figure out what the weather will be so Abby has enough blankets to keep her little fingers and toes warm :-)

Midday Update

The Alltel store was able to fix my cell phone - and for only ten dollars. We are now good to go :-)

Packing for camping starts tonight. We are trying to decide between Lake Superior (Ontario, Canada's Lake Superior Provincial Park) and Lake Michigan (Hog Island in the U.P. on the beach). Help us decide!

Welcome Home Yupper

Left: Great Grandma Lorraine, Great Grandpa Harley, Abby O. & Jack Hagberg
Right: Aunt Melissa Hagberg, "Auntie" Meg Osgood and Jack

Left: Great Aunt Lucile and Abby
Right: Aunt Courtnie and Abby

Left: Abby in Grandma Mary's play gym
Right: Abby and Mom with Grandma Mary's goats

Left: Our nephew Connor Newland being attacked by Grandma Mary's puppies
Right: Abby loving her sweet potatoes

Abby & "Auntie" Meg

Wow - what a busy, busy week Abby and I had visiting in Hastings. Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of our trip.

Highlights: Meeting baby Jack Hagberg. Abby and I got to meet baby Jack and visit with him and Melissa. Jack is really cute, but I think he is now (at one month) about the size Abby was at about one week. But we're sure he'll grow fast. Abby got a great new "big girl" car seat. It is soft and squishy and has lots of room for wiggling and kicking around. It also met the daddy standard of being gender neutral and matching our cars. Abby rode home in her new seat and had a great time kicking and grabbing her toes. And speaking of toes, Abby discovered what great playthings that those little guys make. She's been playing with them every chance she's had. We also got to visit with Grandma Lorraine and Grandpa Harley. We miss all of our family, but we especially miss living so close to Grandma and Grandpa. We enjoyed getting to spend lots of time with them while we lived in Tecumseh and miss all those fun afternoons golfing or watching football. We can't wait to head down to visit them in a few weeks!

Lowlights: The sinking of my cell phone. I took Abby into the pool at Grandma Mary and Grandpa Scott's house, it was not a good plan. The pool wasn't heated and it was COLD! Abby screamed, I tried to grab the towels and my phone to get her out of the pool and my phone took a dive, right into the shallow end. Whoops. Despite Emily's best efforts, the LCD screen on my phone is officially dead, so I can't really operate the phone or use the phone book. The heat and humidity were terrible! We love the U.P. - it is cool and comfortable and we can get by with just fans. We did not love the 80+ degree weather and the ridiculous humidity. It was too hot to sleep, to eat, or to do anything. Poor Abby had to go topless for an afternoon just to beat the heat.

Where is my Daddy???

Abby and I are missing her daddy, but we are having a great time visiting family! We will have so many good stories to tell him when he gets here on Friday. Today Abby helped us make some arts and crafts with Auntie Meghan, Auntie Emily, and Auntie Hannah. It was really fun. We are waiting for Grandma Lorraine and Grandpa Harley to get here to visit. What a busy week :)

The rest of the stories will have to wait for faster internet and more time. So will the photos.

Would Anyone Like a Nap?

Because apparently no one here would like one, so we have a free nap to give away. Instead, the boss wants to watch t.v. while sitting in her exer-saucer. It is going to be a great night...

Late tonight Steve's mom and dad will be arriving for their chance to spoil Abby for a couple days. We are looking forward to visiting with them and showing them around The Soo. I don't believe Steve's mom has ever seen the locks or the other neat things this town has to offer. We should have a very nice time, as long as Abby doesn't decide to be Crabby Abby.

We've got the bags all pack for Abby and I to head back to Hastings with Steve's parents on Sunday. It's hard to pack for a little one for a whole week - who knows how many outfits she will manage to mess up beyond wearing in a single day. Not to mention guessing how many packages of diapers she will go through and whether or not she will use an entire package of wet wipes. Good thing there is a Wal-Mart in Hastings for any last minute emergency needs.

And now... back to cleaning, since the Obreiters are much more into clean homes than the family I grew up with. I probably should remove the "dog hair dust bunnies" and clean my kitchen counters off.

Feed Me Daddy

Abby's second meal, delivered by her Daddy.